ياO أَيُّهاyou (vocative) الشِعرُpoetry أَسعِفنيaid me فَأَرثيهِso I may elegize him
يا أَيُّها الشِعرُ أَسعِفني فَأَرثيهِ
وَياand O دُموعَtears أَعينينيhelp me فَأَبكيهِso I may weep for him
وَيا دُموعَ أَعينيني فَأَبكيهِ
O poetry, aid me, that I may elegize him.
O Poetry, come to my aid that I may mourn him,
And O tears, help me, that I may weep for him.
And O tears, assist me that I may weep for him.
بَحَثتُI sought ليfor myself عَنfor مُعَزٍّa consoler يَومَon the day of مَصرَعِهِhis death
بَحَثتُ لي عَن مُعَزٍّ يَومَ مَصرَعِهِ
فَلَمbut did not أَجِدI find غَيرَany but مَحزونٍa grieving person أُعَزّيهِwhom I console
فَلَم أَجِد غَيرَ مَحزونٍ أُعَزّيهِ
On the day of his death I sought someone to console me,
I searched for a consoler on the day of his demise,
but found only a grieving soul whom I must console.
But found only the grieving, whom I had to console.
وَماand never سَأَلتُI asked اِمرَأًa man فيماabout what تُفَجِّعُهُhis mourning
وَما سَأَلتُ اِمرَأً فيما تُفَجِّعُهُ
إِلّاbut وَجاوَبَhe answered إِنّيindeed I am مِنamong مُحِبّيهِthose who love him
إِلّا وَجاوَبَ إِنّي مِن مُحِبّيهِ
Never did I ask a man the cause of his mourning
I asked no man about the cause of his distress,
but he answered, “I am one of those who loved him.”
But that he replied, "I am among those who loved him."
كَأَنَّماas though كُلُّevery إِنسانٍperson أَضاعَhad lost أَخاًa brother
كَأَنَّما كُلُّ إِنسانٍ أَضاعَ أَخاً
أَوِor اِنطَوَتhad folded away فَجأَةًsuddenly دُنياthe world of أَمانيهِhis hopes
أَوِ اِنطَوَت فَجأَةً دُنيا أَمانيهِ
As though every person had lost a brother,
As though every person has lost a brother,
or the world of his hopes had suddenly folded away.
Or the world of their hopes has suddenly collapsed.
فَذاso this one أَساهُhis grief لَهيبٌa flame فيwithin أَدالُعِهِhis ribs
فَذا أَساهُ لَهيبٌ في أَدالُعِهِ
وَذاand this one أَساهُhis grief دُموعٌtears فيin مَآقيهِthe corners of his eyes
وَذا أَساهُ دُموعٌ في مَآقيهِ
One man's grief is a flame within his ribs,
For this one, his sorrow is a flame within his ribs,
another's, tears in the corners of his eyes.
And for that one, his sorrow is tears within his eyes.
فَهَلthen did دَرىhe know أَيَّwhat سَهمٍarrow فيinto القُلوبِhearts رَمىhe shot
فَهَل دَرى أَيَّ سَهمٍ في القُلوبِ رَمى
لَمّاwhen نَعاُhe announced his death إِلىto الأَسماعِthe ears اعيهِhis death's herald
لَمّا نَعاُ إِلى الأَسماعِ اعيهِ
Did the herald know what arrow he shot into hearts
Did the announcer know what arrow he struck into our hearts,
when he brought news of his death to their ears?
When he broke the news of his death to our ears?
ياO شاعِرَpoet of الحُسنِbeauty هَذاthis الرَوضُgarden قَدalready طَلَعَتhave sprung up
يا شاعِرَ الحُسنِ هَذا الرَوضُ قَد طَلَعَت
فيهِwithin it الرَياحينُfragrant herbs وَاِفتَرَّتand smiled open أَقاحيهِits daisies
فيهِ الرَياحينُ وَاِفتَرَّت أَقاحيهِ
O poet of beauty, in this garden have sprung up
O Poet of Beauty, this garden has brought forth
fragrant herbs, and its daisies have smiled open.
Its sweet basil, and its daisies have blossomed wide.
وَشاعَand spread أَيّارُMay عِطراًas fragrance فيthrough جَوانِبِهِits sides
وَشاعَ أَيّارُ عِطراً في جَوانِبِهِ
وَنَضرَةًand freshness وَاِخضِراًّand greenness فيon رَوابيهِits hills
وَنَضرَةً وَاِخضِراًّ في رَوابيهِ
And May spread as fragrance through its reaches,
And May has spread fragrance throughout its borders,
and as freshness and greenness over its hills.
With lushness and greenery upon its hills.
فَأَينَwhere then شِعرُكَyour poetry يَسريdrifts مَعwith نَسائِمِهِits breezes
فَأَينَ شِعرُكَ يَسري مَع نَسائِمِهِ
وَأَينَand where سِحرُكَyour magic يَجريflows فيthrough سَواقيهِits watercourses
وَأَينَ سِحرُكَ يَجري في سَواقيهِ
Where, then, is your poetry, drifting with its breezes?
So where is your verse to flow with its breezes?
And where is your magic, flowing through its watercourses?
And where is your magic to run through its streams?
هَجَرتَهُyou deserted it فَاِمَّحَتso was effaced مِنهُfrom it بَشاشَتُهُits cheer
هَجَرتَهُ فَاِمَّحَت مِنهُ بَشاشَتُهُ
ماتَdied الهَوىlove فيهِwithin it لمّاwhen ماتَdied شاديهِits singer
ماتَ الهَوى فيهِ لمّا ماتَ شاديهِ
You deserted it, and its cheer was effaced;
You have abandoned it, so its joy has been erased;
love died within it when its singer died.
Love died within it when its singer passed away.
أَغنىsufficed عَنِinstead of الدُرِّpearls فيin القيعانِthe depths مُختَبِئًhidden
أَغنى عَنِ الدُرِّ في القيعانِ مُختَبِئً
دُرٌّpearls يُساقيطُهُhe lets fall الحَدّادُal-Haddad مِنfrom فيهِhis mouth
دُرٌّ يُساقيطُهُ الحَدّادُ مِن فيهِ
Pearls hidden in the depths were made needless
He made us forget the pearls hidden in the deep,
by pearls al-Haddad would let fall from his mouth.
With pearls that Al-Haddad scatters from his mouth.
وَكانَand there was لِلسِحرِfor magic تَأثيرٌpower فَأَبطَلَهُbut he annulled it
وَكانَ لِلسِحرِ تَأثيرٌ فَأَبطَلَهُ
بِالسِحرِwith magic يَجريflowing حَلالاًlawful فيthrough قَوافيهِhis rhymes
بِالسِحرِ يَجري حَلالاً في قَوافيهِ
And magic had power, but he annulled it
Sorcery once held power, but he annulled it
with lawful magic flowing through his rhymes.
With a lawful magic that flows through his rhymes.
بَلاغَةُthe eloquence of المُتَنَبّيal-Mutanabbi فيin مَدائِحِهِhis poems of praise
بَلاغَةُ المُتَنَبّي في مَدائِحِهِ
وَدَمعُand the tears of خَنساءَKhansa صَخرٍSakhr فيin مَراثيهِhis elegies
وَدَمعُ خَنساءَ صَخرٍ في مَراثيهِ
Al-Mutanabbi's eloquence is in his poems of praise,
He possessed the eloquence of Al-Mutanabbi in his praise,
and Khansa's tears for Sakhr in his elegies.
And the tears of Al-Khansa weeping for Sakhr in his laments.
لاnot يَعذَبُis sweet الشِعرُpoetry إِلّاexcept حينَwhen يَنظُمُهُhe composes it
لا يَعذَبُ الشِعرُ إِلّا حينَ يَنظُمُهُ
أَوor حينَwhen يُنشِدُهُhe declaims it أَوor حينَwhen يَرويهِhe recites it
أَو حينَ يُنشِدُهُ أَو حينَ يَرويهِ
Poetry is sweet only when he composes it,
Poetry is never sweet until he composes it,
or when he declaims it, or when he recites it.
Or when he recites it, or tells its tale.
وَياand O طَبيباًphysician يُداويwho treats الناسَpeople مِنfor عِلَلٍailments
وَيا طَبيباً يُداوي الناسَ مِن عِلَلٍ
داءُthe sickness of الأَسىgrief اليَومَtoday فيهِمwithin them مَنwho يُداويهِwill treat it
داءُ الأَسى اليَومَ فيهِم مَن يُداويهِ
And O physician, who treats people for ailments,
O physician who used to cure the people of their ills,
who today will treat the sickness of grief within them?
Who will cure the disease of sorrow in them today?
أَمسىhas now become الَّذيthe one who كانَused to يَشجيناsadden us وَيُطرِبُناand delight us
أَمسى الَّذي كانَ يَشجينا وَيُطرِبُنا
لاnot شَيءَanything يُطرِبُهُdelights him لاnot شَيءَanything يَشجيهِsaddens him
لا شَيءَ يُطرِبُهُ لا شَيءَ يَشجيهِ
He who once moved us to sorrow and delight is now
The one who used to move us and delight us has become
delighted by nothing, saddened by nothing.
Unmoved by delight, untouched by grief.
لَقَدindeed تَساوىhave become equal لَدَيهِto him شَدوُthe song of ساجِعَةٍa cooing dove
لَقَد تَساوى لَدَيهِ شَدوُ ساجِعَةٍ
وَصَوتُand the voice of نائِحَةٍa mourning woman فيin الحَيِّthe quarter تَبكيهِweeping for him
وَصَوتُ نائِحَةٍ في الحَيِّ تَبكيهِ
To him, a cooing dove's song is now the same
To him, the cooing of a songbird is the same
as a mourning woman's voice in the quarter, weeping for him.
As the voice of a mourner weeping in the neighborhood.
صارَتhave become لياليهِhis nights نَوماًsleep غَيرَnot مُنقَطِعِinterrupted
صارَت لياليهِ نَوماً غَيرَ مُنقَطِعِ
وَلَمand not تَكُنwere هَكَذاlike this قَبلاًbefore لَياليهِhis nights
وَلَم تَكُن هَكَذا قَبلاً لَياليهِ
His nights have become an unbroken sleep,
His nights have become an unbroken sleep,
and his nights were not like this before.
Though his nights were never like this before.
قَدindeed كانَhe was نِبراسُناour beacon فيamid الموعضِلاتِdifficulties إِذاwhen
قَد كانَ نِبراسُنا في الموعضِلاتِ إِذا
ماemphatic particle لَيلُهاtheir night جُنَّclosed in وَاِربَدَّتand grew dark نَواصيهِits forelocks
ما لَيلُها جُنَّ وَاِربَدَّت نَواصيهِ
He was our beacon amid difficulties, whenever
He was our guiding lantern in times of crisis,
their night closed in and its forelocks grew dark.
When the night grew dark and its horizons turned grim.
فَمَنso who لَناfor us فيin غَدٍtomorrow إِنif أَزمَةٌa crisis عَرَضَتarises
فَمَن لَنا في غَدٍ إِن أَزمَةٌ عَرَضَت
وَلَيسَand there is not فيناamong us أَخوa man of حَزمٍresolve يُضاهيهِwho matches him
وَلَيسَ فينا أَخو حَزمٍ يُضاهيهِ
Who will be there for us tomorrow if a crisis arises,
Who shall we have tomorrow if calamity strikes,
and no man of resolve among us can match him?
When no man of resolve among us compares to him?
مَنwho لِلحَزينِfor the grieving one يُواسيهِconsoles him وَيُسعِدُهُand brings him joy
مَن لِلحَزينِ يُواسيهِ وَيُسعِدُهُ
وَلِلمَريضِand for the sick one يُداويهِtreats him فَيَشفيهِand so heals him
وَلِلمَريضِ يُداويهِ فَيَشفيهِ
Who will console the grieving and bring him joy,
Who is there to console and gladden the sorrowful,
and treat the sick and heal him?
And who to treat the sick and bring them healing?
ياO قائِدَleader of القَومِthe people إِنif تَسأَلyou ask فَإِنَّهُمthen indeed they
يا قائِدَ القَومِ إِن تَسأَل فَإِنَّهُم
باتواthey spent the night حَيارىbewildered كَإِسرائيلَlike Israel فيin التيهِthe wilderness
باتوا حَيارى كَإِسرائيلَ في التيهِ
O leader of the people, if you ask, they
O leader of the people, if you were to ask of them,
have spent the night bewildered, like Israel in the wilderness.
They have become lost like the Israelites in the wilderness.
لَمّاwhen رَأوكَthey saw you مُسَجّىshrouded بَينَهُمamong them عَلِمواthey knew
لَمّا رَأوكَ مُسَجّى بَينَهُم عَلِموا
ماnot العَيشُlife غَيرَother than أَخايِّلٍillusions وَتَمويهِand deception
ما العَيشُ غَيرَ أَخايِّلٍ وَتَمويهِ
When they saw you shrouded among them, they knew
When they saw you shrouded in their midst, they knew
life is nothing but illusions and deception.
That life is but an illusion and a deception.
ياO رِزقُRizq قَلبيmy heart عَلَيكَover you اليَومَtoday مُنفَطِرٌbroken
يا رِزقُ قَلبي عَلَيكَ اليَومَ مُنفَطِرٌ
وَكُلُّand every قَلبٍheart كَقَلبيlike my heart فيin تَشَظّيهِits shattering
وَكُلُّ قَلبٍ كَقَلبي في تَشَظّيهِ
O Rizq, my heart is broken over you today,
O Rizq, my heart is torn asunder for you this day,
and every heart, like mine, is shattered.
And every heart is shattered just like mine.
لَمdid not يَحُِcontain نَعشُكَyour bier جِسماًa body لاno حِراكَmovement بِهِin it
لَم يَحُِ نَعشُكَ جِسماً لا حِراكَ بِهِ
بَلrather أَنتَyou آمالُناour hopes مَوضوعَةٌlaid فيهِwithin it
بَل أَنتَ آمالُنا مَوضوعَةٌ فيهِ
Your bier did not hold a motionless body;
Your coffin did not merely hold a motionless body;
rather, you are our hopes, laid within it.
Nay, it is our very hopes that are laid within it.
غَداًtomorrow يُواريكَwill hide you عَنfrom أَبصارُناour eyes جَدَثٌa grave
غَداً يُواريكَ عَن أَبصارُنا جَدَثٌ
لَكِنَّbut فَضلَكَyour virtue لاnot شِئٌanything يُواريهِcan hide it
لَكِنَّ فَضلَكَ لا شِئٌ يُواريهِ
Tomorrow a grave will hide you from our eyes,
Tomorrow, a grave will hide you from our sight,
but nothing can hide your virtue.
But your virtue—nothing can ever conceal it.
Sol 6.1