المؤرخ البحاثة — Amin Nakhla

ﻗﻴﻞَ: ﻳﺄﺗﻲ ﻛﻞﱠ ﻳﻮمٍ ﺑﺮﺛﺎء!

وﻳﺤﻬﻢ, ﻻ ﻳﺴﺘﻄﻴﺒﻮن اﻟﻮﻓﺎء

It was said: “Each day he comes with an elegy!”

Woe to them! They find no sweetness in fidelity.

ﺑﺖﱡ ﻣﻦ ﻓﻘﺪ أَﺧﻼّﺋﻲ، وﻣﻦ

ﻛﺜﺮة اﻟﺘﱠﻮدﻳﻊ ﻣﻮﺻﻮل اﻟﺒﻜﺎء

I have become, through losing my dear friends, and through

so many farewells, unceasing in my tears.

ﻋﺒﺮوا الجسر إﻟﻰ اﻷُﺧﺮى، وﻗﺪ

ﺑﻌﺪ اﻟﺮﱠﻛﺐ، وﻗﺪ ﺧﻒﱠ الحداء

They crossed the bridge to the world beyond, and already

the caravan has drawn far away, and the camel-song grown faint.

ﻟِﻲَ ﻓﻴﻬﻢْ ﺻﺎﺣﺐ، أو ﻟِﺪةٌ

أو ﺣﺒﻴﺐ اﻟﻨﻔﺲ، أو إِﻟﻒُ اﻟﺼﺒﺎء

Among them I have a companion, or one my age,

or my soul’s beloved, or a close companion of youth.

ﻛﻢ ﺧﻴﺎلٍ ﻟﻬﻢُ ﻓﻲ ﻧﺎﻇﺮي

ﺑﺈزاء اﻟﻠﻴﻞ ﻗﺪ راح وﺟﺎء!

How many an image of them, within my sight,

against the night has gone and come!

رﺑﱠﻤﺎ أﻃﺒﻘﺖُ أﺟﻔﺎﻧﻲ ﻟﻜﻲ

أَﻏﻤﺮَ اﻟﻮﻫﻢ، وأَﺳﺘﺒﻘﻲ اﻟﻠﻘﺎء

Sometimes I closed my eyelids, so that

I might enfold the illusion and keep the meeting alive.

ﻗﻌﺪ اﻟﻌﻠﻢ ﺑﻌﻴﺴﻰ ﻣﺄﺗﻤﺎً

واﻟﻴﺮاع اﻟﻌﻒﱡ، واﻟﺼﱠﺪر اﻟﻨﱠﻘﺎء

Learning sat in mourning for Isa,

and the chaste reed pen, and the heart of purity.

ﺧﻴﺮُ ﻣَﻦ ﻗﺎل، وﻣَﻦ ﺟﺎل، وﻣَﻦ

ﻣَﻬَﺪَ اﻟﺮأْي، وآوى، وأﻓﺎء!

The best of those who spoke, who ranged, and who

laid the groundwork for thought, gave shelter, and bestowed bounty!

ﺷﻬﺪَ اﻟﻌﻠﻢ المزﻛﻰ أﻧﻪ

ِﻣﻦ ﻫﻮىً ﺧِﻠْﻮ،وﻣﻦ ﻟﻐﻮٍ ﺑﺮاء

Untainted scholarship bore witness that he

was free of bias and innocent of idle talk.

سِيَرُ اﻷﺣﻘﺎب لما اﻃﱠﺮدت

ﻓﻲ ﻳﺪﻳﻪ، اﻃﱠﺮدتْ ﻋﺬبَ ﻣﺎء

When the chronicles of the ages flowed in sequence

through his hands, they flowed like sweet water.

ﺑَﺮﱠ ﺑﺎﻟﻨﻘﻞ، ﻋﻠﻰ اﻟﻨﻘﺪ ﻟﻪ

وﻧﻔﻰ ﻋﻨﻪ ﺗﻬﺎوﻳﻞ اﻟﺮّﻳﺎء

He was true to transmitted accounts, while critically examining them,

and banished from them the extravagances of pretence.

وأَﺧﻮ اﻟﺘﺄْرﻳﺦ: َﻣﻦْ ﻟﻢ ﻳﺄْﻟُﻪ

ﻧﻈﺮةً، أو ﺧﺒﺮةً، ﻻ اﻟﺒَﺒَﻐﺎء!

And history’s companion is one who withholds from it no

scrutiny or experience—not the parrot!

ﻇﻔﺮَ اﻟﻌﻠﻢ بمعلوفية

ﻣﻦ ﻳﺮاعٍ ﻛﺎﻟﺮﱠﻳﺎحين وﺿﺎء

Learning gained the Maalouf touch,

from a pen radiant as fragrant herbs.

ﻋﻠﻤﺖ ﻣﺎ الجهد, واﻟﺪأْب، وﻟﻢ

ﺗﺪرِ ﻣﺎ اﻟﺪﱠﻋﻮى، وﻻ ﻣﺎ الخيلاء

It knew what toil and perseverance were, yet did not

know what pretension was, nor what conceit was.

لم ﻳُﺘَﺢ ﻟﻠﺸّﻬﺪ ﻓﻲ أَﺑﻴﺎﺗﻪ

ﻣﺎ ﺟﻨﻰ اﻟﺘﺄرﻳﺦ ﻣﻦ ذاك اﻟﻌﻨﺎء

Honey in its cells was never granted

what history harvested from that toil.

ﻃﺎب ﺳﺮﱡ اﻟﺴﱡﻬﺪ ﻓﻲ ﺣُﺐّ اﻟﺪﺟﻰ

ﺑﺴﻨًﻰ ﻣﻦ ﺳﻬﺪ ﻋﻴﺴﻰ, وﺳﻨﺎء

The secret of sleeplessness, in love with darkness, grew sweet

with radiance from Isa’s vigils, and with glory.

ربﱠ ﺳﻄﺮٍ ﻻﻣﻊٍ ﻓﻲ ﻃﺮﺳﻪ

ﺑﺴﻮاد اﻟﻠﻴﻞ, والعين، أَﺿﺎء!

Many a shining line upon his page

shone with the blackness of night and eye!

ﻻ ﺗﺒﺎلِ اﻟﻠﱠﻮن ﻣﻦ أﺳﻮده

ﻓﺎﻟﺪﱠم اﻷَﺣﻤﺮ والحبر ﺳﻮاء

Take no heed of the color of its black ink:

for red blood and ink are alike.

ﻟﻢ ﻳﻔﺖْ ﻓﻦﱡ ﺑﺪﻳﻌﺎت الحلى

ﺣﺎﺿﻦ اﻟﻔﺼﺤﻰ، وﻗﻄﺐ اﻟﺒﻠﻐﺎءْ

The art of exquisite ornaments was not lost on

the nurturer of classical Arabic, the axis of the eloquent.

آﺛﺮ اﻟﻌﻄﻞ ﻣﻦ اﻟﻘﻮل لما

ﺧﺎف ﻓﻲ اﻟﺪﻗﱠﺔ ﻣﻦ زﻫﻮ اﻷداء

He preferred unadorned speech, since

he feared that showy expression might impair precision.

ورأى ﻟﻠﺪﱡر ﻓﻲ ﺟﻠﻮﺗﻪ

ﻋﻦ ﻓﻨﻮن اﻟﻨﱠﻘﺶ، واﻟﺮﱠﻗﺶ، ﻏﻨﺎء

And he saw that the pearl, in its unveiled beauty,

could dispense with the arts of engraving and embellishment.

ﻓﻬﻮ، مما ﺷﻒَّ ﻣﻦ أُﺳﻠﻮﺑﻪ

ﻟﻢ ﻳُﻘِﻢْ ﻣﻌﻨﻰ ﻟﻪ ﻃﻲ الخفاء

So transparent was his style that he

left none of his meanings folded in obscurity.

ﻗﺪ أُﺟﺪﱠت ﻟﻲَ ﻣﻨﻪ ﺻﻮرةٌ

وﻫﻮ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻜﺒْﺮة، واﻟﺪﱠاء اﻟﻌﻴﺎء

An image of him has been made fresh for me,

as he was in old age and incurable illness.

ﺻﺎﻧﻬﺎ اﻟﺘﱠﺬﻛﺎر ﻣﻦ ﻏﻢ اﻟﻨﻮى

ﻓﻲ أَﺷﻒّ اﻟﻈﻞّ ﻣﻦ أَوﻫﻰ ﻏﺸﺎء

Memory preserved it from the grief of separation,

in the sheerest shadow of the frailest veil.

ﻓﺈذا ﻋﻴﻨﺎن ﻗﺪ أُﺟﻬﺪﺗﺎ

ﻓﻲ اﻟﺜﱠﻤﺎنين، ﺑﺈِلحاح اﻟﺬﱠﻛﺎء

And there were two eyes, worn with strain

at eighty, by the relentless demands of intellect;

وإذا ﻛﺎﻟﺴﱡﺤﺐ، ﻓﻲ ُأﻓْﻘﻴﻬﻤﺎ

ﺗﻠﺘﻘﻴﻬﺎ وﺛﺒﺎت ﻣﻦ ﺿﻴﺎء

and on their two horizons, something like clouds

met by leaps of light.

وﺗﺮى ﻓﻲ الحاﺟﺐ الجثل ﻛﻤﺎ

ﻓﻲ ﺟﻨﺎح اﻟﻄﻴﺮ ﻗﺪ أَﻋﻴﺎ وﻧﺎء

And in the bushy brow you see what you would

in a bird’s wing, exhausted and weighed down;

وﻋﻠﻰ التغضين ﻓﻲ ﺟﺒﻬﺘﻪ:

أَﺛﺮُ اﻟﻜﺪ، وﻟﺬعُ اﻟﺒُﺮَﺣﺎء

and upon the wrinkles in his forehead:

the mark of toil and the scorch of fever,

ﻛﻤﺠﺎري اﻟﻨﺎر, إﻻ ﻣﺎ ﺗﺮى

ﻣﻦ ﺳﻜﻮنٍ ﻣﺘﺮامٍ, واﻧﻄﻔﺎء

like channels of fire, save for what you see

of far-spreading stillness and extinction.

ﻳﺎ أَﺑﺎ اﻟﺘﺄْرﻳﺦ: ﺑُﻠّﻐﺖ ذرىً

ﻟﻢ ﺗُﺘﺢْ ﻋﻠﻴﺎؤﻫﺎ ﻟﻠﻨﱡﻈﺮاءْ

O father of history, you were raised to peaks

whose eminence was never granted to your peers.

ﻫﺎتِ ﻣﻦ أَﻧﺒﺎﺋﻪ، واﻧﻈﺮْ ﻟﻨﺎ:

ﻫﻞ ﻟﻴﺎﻟﻲ اﻟﻐﺪِ ﻣﻦ أَﻣﺲ ﻣﻼء!

Bring some of its tidings, and consider for us:

are tomorrow’s nights filled with yesterday?

وﻫﻞ اﻟﻨَّﺎس ﻋﻠﻰ أﻃﻮارﻫﻢ

ﻓﻲ ﺗﻮاﻟﻲ ﺟُﺪُدٍ، أو ﻗﺪﻣﺎء!

And are people, through all their changing states,

as they succeed one another, new or old?

أﻟﱠﻬﻮا اﻟﻘﻮﱠة ﻓﻲ اﻷﻣﺲ, ﻓﻬﻞ

ﺳﺠﺪوا اﻟﻴﻮم ﻟﻐﻴﺮ اﻷﻗﻮﻳﺎء!

They deified power yesterday; have they

bowed today to any but the strong?

وﻫﻞ اﻟﻔﺮد ﺗﻮﻟﻰ ﻋﺼﺮه

واﺳﺘﺬﻟﱠﺘﻪ أُﻟﻮف الجبناء!

And has the individual ruled his age,

while thousands of cowards enslaved him?

ﻛﺎن ﺑﺎلميلاد واﻟﺘَّﺎج, ﻓﻬﻞ

ﻋﺎد ﻓﻴﻬﻢ ﺑﺮﻋﺎعٍ, وﻏﺜﺎء!

He once ruled by birth and crown; has he

returned among them through rabble and scum?

ﺟﻌﻞ اﻟﺸﱡﻮرى ﺟﻤﺎﻋﺎت، ﻓﻬﻞ

ﻫﻢ ﺷﺎؤوا ﻣﺮّ ًة، أم ﻫﻮ ﺷﺎء!

He made consultation an affair of assemblies; but did

they ever will it, or was it he who willed?

وﻫﻞ اﻟﻌﻠﻢ تجلَّى ﺑﺄْﺳﻪ

ﻓﻲ اﺟﺘﻼب الخير, أو ﺳَﻮقِ اﻟﺮﺧﺎء

And has science shown its might

in bringing good or ushering in prosperity?

أم ﺗﻮﻟﱠﺘﻪ ﻳﺪا ﻃﺎﻏﻴﺔٍ

ﺳﺨﱠﺮ اﻟﻌﻠﻢ ﻟﺸﺮٍّ, وﺷﻘﺎء

Or has it fallen into a tyrant’s hands,

who harnessed science to evil and misery?

ﻓﻲ ﺗﻘﺼّﻲ ﺑﺪع اﻟﻔﺘﻚ ﻟﻪ

ﻋﺎد أَﺿﺮى اﻟﻮﺣﺶ أَﺗﻘﻰ اﻟﻌﻠﻤﺎء!

In seeking novel forms of slaughter for him,

the most pious of scientists became the fiercest of beasts!

وﻫﻞ الحقﱡ ﺷﻄﻴﺐ ﺳﻴﻔﻪ،

أم ﻧَﺒَﺖْ ﻋﻨﻪ براهين المضاء!

And is truth’s sword keen-edged,

or have proofs of its cutting power failed it?

وﻫﻞ اﻟﺮﺣﻤﺔُ ﻃﺒﻊ، أم ﺗﺮى

أﻧﻬﺎ ﺑﻌﺾُ دﻋﺎوى اﻟﻀﻌﻔﺎء!

And is mercy innate, or do you think

it is merely one of the claims of the weak?

وﻫﻞ المال ﻫﻮىً ﻣﺴﺘﻬﺰل

أم ﻫﻮ اﻟﺪﻧﻴﺎ، ووﻳﺢ اﻟﻔﻘﺮاء

And is wealth a trifling passion,

or is it the whole world—and woe to the poor!

ﻳﺎ أﺑﺎ ﻓﻮزي, وَأﻗﻤﺎر اﻟﺪﱡﺟﻰ:

ﻛﻞﱡ نجمٍ ﻟﻚ ﻗﺪ زان اﻟﺴﻤﺎءْ

O father of Fawzi and of the moons of night:

every star of yours has adorned the sky.

ﻧﺰل اﻟﺒﺪر ﻟﻬﻢ ﻋﻦ أَوْﺟِﻪ

وﺗﻨﺤﱠﻰ ﻟﺒﺪور اﻟﺸﱡﻌﺮاء!!

The full moon descended from its zenith for them

and stepped aside for the full moons among poets!

أﺗُﺮى ﺗﺬﻛﺮ ﻟﻲ ﺷﻌﺮًا ﺟﺮى

ﻳﻮم ﻓﻮزي ﺑﺪﻣﻮعٍ، ودﻣﺎء

Do you, I wonder, recall verse of mine that flowed

on Fawzi’s day, with tears and blood?

رﺣﺖ أﺑﻜﻴﻪ أﺧًﺎ، ﺑﻞ ﺷﺎﻋﺮاً،

ﺑﻞ ﺳﻨﺎء اﻟﻨﱠﺠﻢ، ﺑﻞ ﺧﻔﻖَ اﻟﻠّﻮاء

I went on mourning him as a brother—rather, as a poet,

rather, a star’s splendor, rather, a banner’s flutter.

ﻛﻞﱡ ﻳﻮم, ﺑﻌﺪ أﻳﺎﻣﻲ ﺑﻪ

ﻟﺰﻣﺎن اﻟﻄﻴﺐ واﻟﻨﱠﻔﺢ ﻓﺪاء!

Every day after the days I spent with him

is ransom for that season of perfume and fragrance!

ﻧﺤﻦ ﻛﻨﺎ ﻏُﺼُﻨﻲ وادي اﻟﺼﺒﺎ .

وﻫﺰارَيْ رﺑﻮة اﻷرض اﻟﻔﻀﺎء

We were the two branches of the valley of youth,

and the two nightingales of a hill in the open land.

ﻟﻲ ﺟﻨﺎح، وﻟﻪ اﻟﻌﺎﻟﻲ اﻟﺬي

ﺳﺤﺐ اﻟﻈﻞﱠ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻛﻞ ﻋﻼء

I had a wing, and his was the lofty one that

trailed its shade over every height.

ﺑﻌﺪ أﺳﺠﺎع اﻟﻬﻮى ﻣﻦ ﺷﺪوه

ﻣﺎ زﻫﺎ ﻟﻴﻠﻰ, وﻻ ﻗﻴﺴًﺎ ﻏﻨﺎء

After love’s rhymes in his song,

no song made Layla or Qays proud.

أﻳﱡﻬﺎ اﻟﻨﱠﺎزل ﺑﺎلخلد اﻟﻌُﻼ:

ﻗﺪ أﺗﻴﺖَ اﻟﺴﺎبقين اﻟﻨﱡﺒﻐﺎءْ

O you who dwell on high in eternal bliss:

you have joined the brilliant ones who went before,

وﺗﻤﻠﻴﺖ ﻧﺴﻴﻤًﺎ ﻃﺎﻫﺮًا

وﺣﺪﻳﺜًﺎ ﻟﻴﻦ الجرس، رﺧﺎء

and savored a pure breeze,

and conversation, soft-toned and gentle.

اﺳﺘﺮﺣﺖ، اﻟﻴﻮم، ﻓﻲ ﻣﺠﻠﺴﻬﻢ

ﻣﻦ َأﺧﻲ ﻟﻐﻮٍ, وﻣﻦ ذي ﻏُﻠَﻮاء

Today, among their company, you have found rest

from idle chatterers and men of rash excess.

لا الحسود المتلظى ﺻﺪرُهُ

ﺷﺎﺧﺺُ العين وﻻ ﺧﻞٌّ أَﺳﺎء

There is no envious man, his breast ablaze,

his eyes staring, nor a friend who did you wrong.

أﻧﺖَ ﻓﻲ الصّدق ﻋﻠﻰ ﻣﻘﻌﺪه،

ﻓﺘﻬﻨﱠﺄْ، واﺗﱠﻜﺊْ أﺷﻬﻰ اﺗﻜﺎء

You abide in truth, upon its seat;

so rejoice, and recline in the sweetest repose.