أَودى فَنورُ الفَرقَدَينِ ضَئيلُ

أَودى فَنورُ الفَرقَدَينِ ضَئيلُ

وَعَلى المَنازِلِ رَهبَةٌ وَذُهولُ

وَعَلى المَنازِلِ رَهبَةٌ وَذُهولُ

He has died, so the light of the two Farqad stars is faint,

The light of the two eyes has dimmed,

He has perished, and the light of the twin guiding stars is dim,

And over the dwellings lie dread and bewilderment.

And dread and panic is upon the dwellings,

And over the dwellings hang dread and stupor.

خَلَقَ الأَسى في قَلبِ مَن جَهِلَ الأَسى

خَلَقَ الأَسى في قَلبِ مَن جَهِلَ الأَسى

قَولُ المُخَبِّرِ ماتَ رافائِلُ

قَولُ المُخَبِّرِ ماتَ رافائِلُ

Grief arose in the heart of one who had never known grief

Sorrow was created in the heart of him who was ignorant of sorrow,

Sorrow was born in the heart that knew no grief

From the messenger's words: "Raphael has died."

The words of the informant - Rafa'il has died,

At the herald's word: "Rafael has died."

فَمِنَ الجَوى بَينَ الضُلُعِ صَوَعِقٌ

فَمِنَ الجَوى بَينَ الضُلُعِ صَوَعِقٌ

وَعَعَلى الخُدودِ مِنَ الدُموعِ سُيولُ

وَعَعَلى الخُدودِ مِنَ الدُموعِ سُيولُ

So between the ribs are thunderbolts of anguish,

So from the insides among the ribs - thunderbolts,

From the burning anguish within the ribs come thunderbolts,

And upon the cheeks are torrents of tears.

And from the tears - streams flowing down the cheeks,

And upon the cheeks flow torrents of tears.

قالَ الَّذي وَجَدَ الأَسى فَوقَ البُكا

قالَ الَّذي وَجَدَ الأَسى فَوقَ البُكا

وَبَكى الَّذي لايَستَطيعُ يَقولُ

وَبَكى الَّذي لايَستَطيعُ يَقولُ

He who found grief beyond weeping spoke,

The one who found sorrow said more than crying,

He spoke, who found grief beyond mere weeping,

And he who could not speak wept.

And the one who cannot speak - cried,

While he who could not speak, merely wept.

يا مُؤنِسَ الأَمواتِ في أَرماسِها

يا مُؤنِسَ الأَمواتِ في أَرماسِها

في الأَرضِ بَعدَكَ وَحشَةٌ وَخُمولُ

في الأَرضِ بَعدَكَ وَحشَةٌ وَخُمولُ

O comforter of the dead in their graves,

O companion of the dead in their burial places,

O companion of the dead within their tombs,

After you, desolation and languor lie upon the earth.

After you - the land is desolate and still,

The earth after you is desolate and obscure.

لا الشَمسُ سافِرَةٌ وَلا وَجهُ الثَرى

لا الشَمسُ سافِرَةٌ وَلا وَجهُ الثَرى

حالٍ وَلا ظِلُّ الحَياةِ ظَليلُ

حالٍ وَلا ظِلُّ الحَياةِ ظَليلُ

The sun is not unveiled, nor is the face of the earth

Neither does the traveling sun have a state,

The sun is not unveiled, nor is the face of the soil

Adorned, nor is the shade of life sheltering.

Nor the face of the earth a shade, nor the shade of life is dim,

Adorned, nor does the shadow of life offer shade.

ما زالَ هَذا الكَونُ بَعدَكَ مِثلَهُ

ما زالَ هَذا الكَونُ بَعدَكَ مِثلَهُ

لَكِنَّ نورَ الباصِراتِ كَليلُ

لَكِنَّ نورَ الباصِراتِ كَليلُ

This universe remains, after you, as it was,

This universe after you is still the same,

The universe remains as it was after you,

But the light of the eyes is dim.

But the light of insights is little,

But the light of our vision has grown dull.

نِبراسُنا في لَيلِ كُلِّ مُلِمَّةٍ

نِبراسُنا في لَيلِ كُلِّ مُلِمَّةٍ

اللَيلُ بَعدَكَ حالِكٌ وَطَويلُ

اللَيلُ بَعدَكَ حالِكٌ وَطَويلُ

Our beacon in the night of every calamity,

Our torch in the night of every adversity,

Our beacon in the night of every calamity,

The night after you is pitch-black and long.

The night after you is dark and long,

The night after you is pitch-black and long.

هَبني بَيانَكَ إِنَّ عَقلِيَ ذاهِلٌ

هَبني بَيانَكَ إِنَّ عَقلِيَ ذاهِلٌ

ساهٍ وَغَربُ بَراعَتي مَفلولُ

ساهٍ وَغَربُ بَراعَتي مَفلولُ

Grant me your eloquence, for my mind is stunned,

Inspire me with your eloquence, my mind is heedless,

Grant me your eloquence, for my mind is dazed,

Distracted, and the edge of my artistry is blunted.

My vigilance is diminished and the knitting of my poetry is undone,

Absent, and the edge of my skill is blunted.

قَد فَتَّ في عَضُدِ القَريضِ وَهَدَّهُ

قَد فَتَّ في عَضُدِ القَريضِ وَهَدَّهُ

هَولُ المُصابِ فَعِقدُهُ مَحلولُ

هَولُ المُصابِ فَعِقدُهُ مَحلولُ

The arm of poetry has been weakened, and poetry shattered

Despair has enervated the shoulder of poetry and destroyed it,

The horror of the loss has broken the strength of verse and torn it down,

By the horror of this loss; its necklace is unstrung.

The horror of affliction - so its knot is untied,

Leaving its ordered structure unraveled and undone.

ما لي أَرى الدُنيا كَأَنّي لا أَرى

ما لي أَرى الدُنيا كَأَنّي لا أَرى

أَحداً كَأَنَّ العالَمينَ فُضولُ

أَحداً كَأَنَّ العالَمينَ فُضولُ

Why do I see the world as though I see

Why do I see the world as if I see no one,

Why do I look upon the world as if I see

No one—as though all creation were superfluous?

As if both worlds are redundant?

No one, as if all people were superfluous?

أَبكي إِذا مَرَّ الغِناءُ بِمَسمَعي

أَبكي إِذا مَرَّ الغِناءُ بِمَسمَعي

فَكَأَنَّ شَدوَ الشاضِياتِ عَويلُ

فَكَأَنَّ شَدوَ الشاضِياتِ عَويلُ

I weep when song reaches my ear,

I weep when melody passes my hearing,

I weep if a song passes by my ears,

So the singers' song seems like wailing.

So the wailing of the bereaved is a shriek,

As if the chanting of singers were a funeral wail.

نَفسي الَّتي عَلَّلَتني بِلِقائِهِ

نَفسي الَّتي عَلَّلَتني بِلِقائِهِ

اليَومَ لا أَمَلٌ وَلا تَعليلُ

اليَومَ لا أَمَلٌ وَلا تَعليلُ

My soul, which consoled me with hopes of meeting him—

My soul that blamed me for meeting him,

My soul, which once consoled me with hope of meeting him—

Today there is neither hope nor consolation.

Today there is no hope or reasoning,

Today holds neither hope nor consolation.

ذوبي فَإِنَّ العِلمَ مادَ عِمادُهُ

ذوبي فَإِنَّ العِلمَ مادَ عِمادُهُ

وَالدينَ أُغمِدَ سَيفُهُ المَسلولُ

وَالدينَ أُغمِدَ سَيفُهُ المَسلولُ

Melt away, for the pillar of learning has tottered,

Melt away! For knowledge - its pillars have collapsed,

Melt away, O soul, for the pillar of knowledge has swayed,

And religion's drawn sword has been sheathed.

And religion - its drawn sword is sheathed,

And the drawn sword of faith has been sheathed.

هَذا مَقامٌ لا التَفَجُّعُ سُبَّةُ

هَذا مَقامٌ لا التَفَجُّعُ سُبَّةُ

فيهِ وَلا الصَبرُ الجَميلُ جَميلُ

فيهِ وَلا الصَبرُ الجَميلُ جَميلُ

This is a moment when lamentation is no disgrace,

This is a position - neither is wailing seemly in it,

This is a station where anguish is no disgrace,

Nor is beautiful patience beautiful here.

Nor is graceful patience - graceful,

And where beautiful patience is not beautiful.

ما كُنتُ أَدري قَبلَ طارَ نَعِيُّهُ

ما كُنتُ أَدري قَبلَ طارَ نَعِيُّهُ

أَنَّ النُفوسَ مِنَ العُيونِ تَسيلُ

أَنَّ النُفوسَ مِنَ العُيونِ تَسيلُ

I did not know, before news of his death took flight,

I did not know before the news of his death flew,

I did not know, before the news of his death took flight,

That souls flow from eyes.

That souls flow from eyes,

That souls could flow forth from the eyes.

ما أَحمَقَ الإِنسانَ يَسكُنُ لِلمُنى

ما أَحمَقَ الإِنسانَ يَسكُنُ لِلمُنى

وَالمَوتُ يَخطُرُ حَولَهُ وَيَجولُ

وَالمَوتُ يَخطُرُ حَولَهُ وَيَجولُ

How foolish is man, finding comfort in hopes,

How foolish is man residing resigned to fate,

How foolish is man to find rest in wishful dreams,

While death paces around him and roams.

And death wanders around him and roams,

While death stalks and circles around him.

يَهوى الحَياةَ كَأَنَّما هُوَ خالِدٌ

يَهوى الحَياةَ كَأَنَّما هُوَ خالِدٌ

أَبَداً وَيَعلَمُ أَنَّهُ سَيَزولُ

أَبَداً وَيَعلَمُ أَنَّهُ سَيَزولُ

He loves life as though he were immortal

He loves life as if he will live forever,

He loves life as though he were immortal

Forever, yet he knows that he will pass away.

And he knows he will perish,

Forever, though he knows he will surely pass away.

وَمِنَ العَجائِبِ أَن يَحِنَّ إِلى غَدٍ

وَمِنَ العَجائِبِ أَن يَحِنَّ إِلى غَدٍ

وَغَدٌ وَما يَأتي بِهِ مَجهولُ

وَغَدٌ وَما يَأتي بِهِ مَجهولُ

And it is a marvel that he should yearn for tomorrow,

And of the wonders is that he longs for tomorrow,

It is a wonder that he yearns for tomorrow,

While tomorrow, and what it brings, are unknown.

While tomorrow and what it brings is unknown,

When tomorrow and what it brings remain unknown.

لا تَركُنَنَّ إِلى الحَياةِ فَإِنَّها

لا تَركُنَنَّ إِلى الحَياةِ فَإِنَّها

دُنيا هُلوكٌ لِلرِجالِ قَتولُ

دُنيا هُلوكٌ لِلرِجالِ قَتولُ

Do not ever trust in life, for it is

Do not incline towards life, for it is,

Do not lean upon this life, for it is

A ruinous world, a slayer of men.

A vanishing world that kills men,

A treacherous world, intent on slaying men.

سَكَتَ الَّذي راضَ الكَلامَ وَقادَهُ

سَكَتَ الَّذي راضَ الكَلامَ وَقادَهُ

حَتّى كَأَنَّ لِسانَهُ مَكبولُ

حَتّى كَأَنَّ لِسانَهُ مَكبولُ

He who tamed speech and led it has fallen silent,

The one who was satisfied with speech and led it,

He who tamed and commanded speech has fallen silent,

So that his tongue seems shackled.

Fell silent - as if his tongue is tied,

As if his very tongue were shackled.

يا قائِلَ الخُطَبِ الحِسانِ كَأَنَّها

يا قائِلَ الخُطَبِ الحِسانِ كَأَنَّها

لِجَمالِها الإِلهامُ وَالتَنزيلُ

لِجَمالِها الإِلهامُ وَالتَنزيلُ

O speaker of beautiful sermons, as though they were,

O speaker of the excellent sermons, as if

O deliverer of exquisite sermons, as though they were—

For their beauty, inspiration and revelation.

they are by divine inspiration and revelation!

For their beauty—divine inspiration and revelation.

إِنَ كانَ ذاكَ الوَجهُ حَجَّبَهُ الثَرى

إِنَ كانَ ذاكَ الوَجهُ حَجَّبَهُ الثَرى

لِلنَجمِ في كَبِدِ السَماءِ أُفولُ

لِلنَجمِ في كَبِدِ السَماءِ أُفولُ

If that face has been veiled by the earth,

If that face has been veiled by earth,

If the earth has now veiled that face,

Even a star in the heart of heaven has its setting.

For the star in the liver of heaven there is a setting,

Know that even the star in the heart of the sky must set.

لَيسَ الحِمامُ بِناقِدٍ لَكِنَّما

لَيسَ الحِمامُ بِناقِدٍ لَكِنَّما

قَدَرُ العَظيمِ عَلى العَظيمِ دَليلُ

قَدَرُ العَظيمِ عَلى العَظيمِ دَليلُ

Death is no critic; rather,

The dove is no critic, but verily,

Death is no discriminating critic, yet

The fate of the great bears witness to greatness.

The worth of the great on the great is proof,

The fate of the great stands as proof of their greatness.

نَم تَحرُسِ الأَملاكُ قَبرَكَ إِنَّهُ

نَم تَحرُسِ الأَملاكُ قَبرَكَ إِنَّهُ

فيهِ الوَقارُ وَحَولَهُ التَبجيلُ

فيهِ الوَقارُ وَحَولَهُ التَبجيلُ

Sleep; may the angels guard your grave, for

Do the angels guard your grave? It has in it,

Sleep, and may the angels guard your grave, for within it

Within it is dignity, and around it reverence.

Dignity, and around it - veneration,

Lies dignity, and reverence surrounds it.

فَلَكَم قَطَعتَ اللَيلَ خافٍ نَجمُهُ

فَلَكَم قَطَعتَ اللَيلَ خافٍ نَجمُهُ

مُتَجَهِّداً وَالساهِرونَ قَليلُ

مُتَجَهِّداً وَالساهِرونَ قَليلُ

For how often you passed the night, its star hidden,

How often you spent the night, its star apprehensive,

How often you traversed the night when stars were hidden,

Striving in devotion, while those awake were few,

Exerting yourself - while the awake were few,

In prayerful vigil, when few others were awake,

مُستَنزِلاً عَفوَ الإِلَهِ عَنِ الوَرى

مُستَنزِلاً عَفوَ الإِلَهِ عَنِ الوَرى

حَتّى كَأَنَّكَ وَحدَكَ المَسؤولُ

حَتّى كَأَنَّكَ وَحدَكَ المَسؤولُ

Calling down God's pardon for humankind,

Seeking the forgiveness of God for mankind,

Imploring God's forgiveness for mankind,

So that it seemed you alone bore the responsibility.

As if you alone are the questioned,

As if the burden of responsibility were yours alone.

تَبغي اللَذاذاتِ النُفوسُ وَتَشتَهي

تَبغي اللَذاذاتِ النُفوسُ وَتَشتَهي

وَاللَهُ ما تَبغيهِ وَالإِنجيلُ

وَاللَهُ ما تَبغيهِ وَالإِنجيلُ

Souls seek pleasures and desire them,

Souls desire pleasures and crave them,

Souls seek after pleasures and desire them,

But what you seek is God and the Gospel.

Yet God does not desire them, nor the Bible,

But your desire was only God and the Gospel.

لَولا مَدارِسُ شُدتَها وَكَنائِسٌ

لَولا مَدارِسُ شُدتَها وَكَنائِسٌ

ما كانَ إِلّا الجَهلُ وَالتَعطيلُ

ما كانَ إِلّا الجَهلُ وَالتَعطيلُ

Were it not for schools you built, and churches,

Were it not for schools whose discipline is harsh,

Were it not for the schools and churches you raised,

There would be only ignorance and godlessness.

and churches - there would only be ignorance and paralysis,

Nothing would remain but ignorance and void.

أَنفَقتَ عُمرَكَ في الإِلَهِ مُجاهِداً

أَنفَقتَ عُمرَكَ في الإِلَهِ مُجاهِداً

أَجرُ المُجاهِدِ في الإِلَهِ جَزيلُ

أَجرُ المُجاهِدِ في الإِلَهِ جَزيلُ

You spent your life striving in God's service;

You spent your life struggling in God,

You spent your life striving for the sake of God;

The reward of one who strives for God is abundant.

The reward of one who struggles in God is plentiful.

And the reward of one who strives for God is vast.