لاdo not تَنوحيlament عَلىover ذَهابِthe departure العَميدِthe leader
لا تَنوحي عَلى ذَهابِ العَميدِ
فَسُلَيمانُfor Sulayman فيin ضَميرِthe innermost heart الخُلودِimmortality
فَسُلَيمانُ في ضَميرِ الخُلودِ
Do not lament the leader's departure,
Do not lament the loss of the leader
for Sulayman is in the heart of immortality.
For Suleiman lives on in the conscience of eternity
إِنif قَضىhas died قائِدcommander اليَراعِthe reed pen شَهيداًas a martyr
إِن قَضى قائِد اليَراعِ شَهيداً
فَلَقَدthen indeed دَبَّhas coursed روحُهhis spirit فيin الجُنودthe soldiers
فَلَقَد دَبَّ روحُه في الجُنود
If the commander of the reed pen has died a martyr,
If the shepherd of the flock died a martyr
then his spirit has indeed coursed through the soldiers.
Then his spirit has permeated the soldiers
ياO اِبنَةَdaughter الضادِthe letter ḍād لاdo not تَنوحيlament عَلَيهِover him
يا اِبنَةَ الضادِ لا تَنوحي عَلَيهِ
فَهوَfor he أَبقىmore enduring منthan ركنكِyour pillar المَهدودِthe shattered
فَهوَ أَبقى من ركنكِ المَهدودِ
O daughter of ḍād, do not lament him,
O daughter of glory, do not mourn him
for he outlasts your shattered pillar.
For he is more enduring than your time-worn pillar
لاdo not تَخافيfear أَلّاthat you will not توفّيهpay him fully حقاًhis due
لا تَخافي أَلّا توفّيه حقاً
سَتوفّيwill pay in full الدهورthe ages حقَّthe due الفَقيدِthe departed
سَتوفّي الدهور حقَّ الفَقيدِ
Do not fear that you will fail to give him his due;
Do not fear you cannot do him justice
the ages will give the departed his due.
The ages will fulfill the rights of the departed
نَحنُwe لَمdid not نَخشَfear أَنthat يَبيدَhe would perish وَلكِنand yet
نَحنُ لَم نَخشَ أَن يَبيدَ وَلكِن
نَحنُwe نَخشىfear منfrom بَعدِهِafter him أَنthat تَبيديyou perish
نَحنُ نَخشى من بَعدِهِ أَن تَبيدي
We did not fear that he would perish, but
We did not fear he would perish, but
we fear that you may perish after him.
We fear that after him you will perish
فَسُلَيمانُfor Sulayman غابَdeparted عَنّاfrom us لِيُحييto revive
فَسُلَيمانُ غابَ عَنّا لِيُحيي
فيin مَواتِthe deadness الأَجداثِthe graves روحَthe spirit الجُدودِthe forefathers
في مَواتِ الأَجداثِ روحَ الجُدودِ
For Sulayman has departed from us to revive
So Suleiman left us to revive
the forefathers' spirit amid the deadness of the graves.
In the barren wilds the spirit of glory
ياO أَميرَprince الكَلامِspeech أَيُّwhich ضَريحٍtomb
يا أَميرَ الكَلامِ أَيُّ ضَريحٍ
أَنتyou تَختارُchoose فيin التُرابِthe soil البَعيدِthe distant
أَنت تَختارُ في التُرابِ البَعيدِ
O prince of speech, what tomb
O prince of words, which tomb
do you choose in the distant soil?
Do you choose in the distant soil?
عُدreturn لِلُبنانَto Lebanon فَهوَfor it أَرحبُmore spacious صَدراًin breast
عُد لِلُبنانَ فَهوَ أَرحبُ صَدراً
فيin ذِراعَيهِits two arms حرمَةreverence للشَهيدِfor the martyr
في ذِراعَيهِ حرمَة للشَهيدِ
Return to Lebanon, for its breast is more spacious;
Return to Lebanon, for it has the most spacious chest
in its arms is reverence for the martyr.
In its arms, sanctity for the martyr
عُدreturn إِلَيهِto it ميتاًdead فَيمسيso becomes ثراهits soil
عُد إِلَيهِ ميتاً فَيمسي ثراه
بِبقاياكَthrough your remains ذاpossessing فُؤادٍa heart وَدودِloving
بِبقاياكَ ذا فُؤادٍ وَدودِ
Return to it dead, and its soil will become,
Return to it dead, and with your remnants
through your remains, endowed with a loving heart.
It will become, possessed of an affectionate heart
رُبَّmany a خَلقٍa nature فيin جانِبَيكَyour two sides كَريمٍnoble
رُبَّ خَلقٍ في جانِبَيكَ كَريمٍ
يَتَمَشّىwalks جَلالُهits majesty فيamong الدودِthe worms
يَتَمَشّى جَلالُه في الدودِ
Many a noble nature within your sides—
What a noble company by your side
its majesty walks among the worms.
Walking in majesty through the burial grounds
لَمnot تُضاهِyou rivaled الأَعمىthe blind man الإِلهِيَّthe divine إِلّاexcept
لَم تُضاهِ الأَعمى الإِلهِيَّ إِلّا
وَرماكَand he cast upon you الأَعمىthe blind man بِعَينِwith the eye الحَسودِthe envious one
وَرماكَ الأَعمى بِعَينِ الحَسودِ
No sooner had you rivaled the divine blind man
None rivals the divine blind poet
than the blind man cast an envious eye upon you.
But the jealous blind man assailed you
فَفَقَدتَso you lost العَينَthe eye البَصيرَةَthe seeing حِفظاًto preserve
فَفَقَدتَ العَينَ البَصيرَةَ حِفظاً
لِمُراعاةِfor observing حرمَةsanctity فيin اللحودِthe graves
لِمُراعاةِ حرمَة في اللحودِ
So you lost your seeing eye, to preserve
So you lost the seeing eye out of deference
reverence for sanctity within the graves.
For sanctity among the cheeky
ياO رَسولَmessenger الفِكرِthought الجَديدthe new سَلامٌpeace
يا رَسولَ الفِكرِ الجَديد سَلامٌ
كَمhow often هَديتَyou guided العُلىthe heights بِفِكرٍwith thought جَديدِnew
كَم هَديتَ العُلى بِفِكرٍ جَديدِ
O messenger of new thought, peace to you!
O messenger of new thought, greetings
How often you guided the heights with new thought!
How you have guided the lofty with novel thinking
إِنَّماnothing but الفِكرُthought عالمa world ماnot لهُit has حَlimit (first fragment)
إِنَّما الفِكرُ عالم ما لهُ حَ
دُّlimit (final fragment) عَلاrose فَوقَabove عالمa world محدودِbounded
دُّ عَلا فَوقَ عالم محدودِ
Thought is but a world that has no limit,
Thought is a world that has no limit
risen above a bounded world.
Above the limited world
وَعمادٌand a pillar عِيَunclear (likely 'are') العُقولُthe minds مُقيمٌstanding
وَعمادٌ عِيَ العُقولُ مُقيمٌ
فَوقَabove أَطوادِهاtheir great mountains جَلالُthe majesty الوُجودِexistence
فَوقَ أَطوادِها جَلالُ الوُجودِ
And minds [are] a pillar; there stands
And reason is a pillar, erect
atop their mountains the majesty of existence.
Above it, the majesty of existence
إِنif تَنوءthey strain بِالحَملِunder the load الثَقيلِthe heavy فَتَهويthen they fall
إِن تَنوء بِالحَملِ الثَقيلِ فَتَهوي
يَسقطِwill fall الكَونُthe universe بِالضَجيجِwith the din الشَديدِthe mighty
يَسقطِ الكَونُ بِالضَجيجِ الشَديدِ
If they buckle under the heavy burden and fall,
If it stoops under the heavy burden and collapses
the universe will fall with a mighty din.
The universe will crash with a loud noise
وَالنُفوسُand the souls الكِبارُthe great تَشقىsuffer طَويلاًfor a long time
وَالنُفوسُ الكِبارُ تَشقى طَويلاً
بَينَbetween جُدرانwalls صَدرِهاtheir breast المَفئودِthe heart-stricken
بَينَ جُدران صَدرِها المَفئودِ
And great souls suffer long
And great souls suffer for long
between the walls of their stricken breast.
Between the walls of their lost breasts
هيَthey مِثلlike الطُيورِthe birds تَخفقُflutter حيناًfor a while
هيَ مِثل الطُيورِ تَخفقُ حيناً
ثُمَّthen تَقضيperish فيin سِجنِهits prison المَوصوِsealed (truncated in source)
ثُمَّ تَقضي في سِجنِه المَوصوِ
They are like birds, fluttering for a while,
They are like birds fluttering at times
then perishing in its sealed prison.
Then perishing in their confining prison
ياO سُلَيمانSulayman أَيُّwhat نَعشٍa bier مجيدglorious
يا سُلَيمان أَيُّ نَعشٍ مجيد
حلَّsettled فيهِwithin it جَلالthe majesty صَدرِa breast مَجيدِglorious
حلَّ فيهِ جَلال صَدرِ مَجيدِ
O Sulayman, what a glorious bier—
O Suleiman, what glorious bier
within it has settled the majesty of a glorious breast!
Contains the majesty of a majestic chest?
ذلِكَthat النَعشُthe bier ياO أُوليpeople of العِلمِlearning قدسٌa sacred object
ذلِكَ النَعشُ يا أُولي العِلمِ قدسٌ
فَخُذوهُso take it ذَخائِراًtreasured relics لِلجيدِfor the neck
فَخُذوهُ ذَخائِراً لِلجيدِ
That bier, O people of learning, is sacred;
That bier, O learned ones, is sanctified
so take it as treasured relics for your necks.
So take it as treasure for the excellent
لامَسَtouched المَوتُdeath قَلبَهُhis heart فَهَنيئاًthen blessed
لامَسَ المَوتُ قَلبَهُ فَهَنيئاً
لِأَصابيعِto the fingers قَبضَتِهits grasp السودِthe black
لِأَصابيعِ قَبضَتِه السودِ
Death touched his heart—blessed, then,
Death touched his heart, so congratulations
are the black fingers of its grasp!
To the fingers of its black grip
وَهَنيئاًand blessed لِلتُربِto the soil يَلثَمkisses جَفنَيtwo eyelids
وَهَنيئاً لِلتُربِ يَلثَم جَفنَي
هِhis وَيَهويand falls عَلىupon جَمالِthe beauty الخُدودِthe cheeks
هِ وَيَهوي عَلى جَمالِ الخُدودِ
And blessed is the soil that kisses his eyelids
And congratulations to the soil that kisses
and falls upon the beauty of his cheeks.
His eyelids and sinks upon the beauty of his cheeks
كَتَبَwrote اللَهُGod فيin مَصاحِفthe scriptures خَدَّيtwo cheeks
كَتَبَ اللَهُ في مَصاحِف خَدَّي
هِhis سُطوراًlines شَريفَةnoble منfrom نَشيدِa song
هِ سُطوراً شَريفَة من نَشيدِ
God wrote in the scriptures of his cheeks
God wrote in the pages of his cheeks
noble lines of a song.
Noble verses of hymn
فَاِقرَأوهاso read them وَاِجثواand kneel لَدَيهاbefore them خُشوعاًin humility
فَاِقرَأوها وَاِجثوا لَدَيها خُشوعاً
كَجثوِّlike the kneeling العَبيدِthe slaves لِلمَعبودِbefore the worshipped one
كَجثوِّ العَبيدِ لِلمَعبودِ
So read them, and kneel before them in humility,
So read them and bow before them reverently
as slaves kneel before the one they worship.
Like the prostration of servants before their worshipped Lord
حجَّةan authority العِلمlearning وَالسِياسَةand politics فيin الماthe past (first fragment)
حجَّة العِلم وَالسِياسَة في الما
ضيpast (final fragment) وَركنٌand a pillar منamong الكِرامِthe noble الصيدِthe proud
ضي وَركنٌ من الكِرامِ الصيدِ
An authority in learning and politics in the past,
The proof of knowledge and politics in the past
and a pillar among the proud and noble.
And a pillar of generous chiefs
شبَّgrew up طِفلاًas a child علىin مَحَبَّةlove لبناLebanon (first fragment)
شبَّ طِفلاً على مَحَبَّة لبنا
نَLebanon (final fragment) فَكانَso became الإِخلاصُdevotion فَرضَthe duty العَميدِthe leader
نَ فَكانَ الإِخلاصُ فَرضَ العَميدِ
As a child he grew up loving Lebanon,
As a child he clung to the love of Lebanon
and devotion became the leader's duty.
So dedication became the leader's duty
أَوفَدتَهُsent him as a delegate البِلادُthe country لِلذودِto defend عَنهاon its behalf
أَوفَدتَهُ البِلادُ لِلذودِ عَنها
فيin فُروقFuruq فَكانَso he was فَخرَthe pride الوُفودِthe delegations
في فُروق فَكانَ فَخرَ الوُفودِ
The country sent him to defend it
The country dispatched him to defend it
in Furuq, and he was the pride of the delegations.
So he became the pride of missions
وَاِصطَفاهُand chose him عَبدAbd (servant) الحَميدal-Hamid (the Praiseworthy) وَلكِنand yet
وَاِصطَفاهُ عَبد الحَميد وَلكِن
لَمnot يَكُنwas مِنamong رِجالthe men عَبدِAbd (servant) الحَميدِal-Hamid (the Praiseworthy)
لَم يَكُن مِن رِجال عَبدِ الحَميدِ
And Abd al-Hamid chose him, but
And Abdul Hamid handpicked him, but
he was not one of Abd al-Hamid's men.
He was not of the men of Abdul Hamid
ياO أَميرَprince الحجيreason أَفاقَawoke العَذارىthe maidens
يا أَميرَ الحجي أَفاقَ العَذارى
مِنfrom سُباتslumber بِجفنِهاupon their eyelid مَعقودِbound
مِن سُبات بِجفنِها مَعقودِ
O prince of reason, the maidens have awakened
O prince of awakened virgins
from a slumber bound upon their eyelids.
From the slumber of their shut eyelids
وَأَعدَّتand prepared وَلائِمfeasts العرسِthe wedding فيin الخلeternity (first fragment)
وَأَعدَّت وَلائِم العرسِ في الخل
دِeternity (final fragment) وَزفَّتand led as a bride إِلَيكَto you بِنتdaughter الخُلودِimmortality
دِ وَزفَّت إِلَيكَ بِنت الخُلودِ
And they prepared wedding feasts in eternity,
And prepared wedding feasts in seclusion
and led the daughter of immortality to you as a bride.
And sent you the daughter of eternity
Sol 6.1