وَand لَقَدْindeed جهلتُI did not know مِنof البُكاweeping معناهُits meaning
وَ لَقَدْ جهلتُ مِن البُكا معناهُ
حتَّىuntil تَفَتَّقَburst open خاطريmy mind فبكاهُthen wept for him
حتَّى تَفَتَّقَ خاطري فبكاهُ
And I had not known what weeping meant,
I did not know the meaning of crying
Until my mind burst open and wept for him.
Until my innermost thoughts cried for him
وَand تحدَّرتُI streamed down أنداءُdews رُوحيmy soul إثْرَهin his wake
وَ تحدَّرتُ أنداءُ رُوحي إثْرَه
وَاشَّعَّبتْand branched out فيin مُهْجَتِيmy heart's blood ذِكراهُhis memory
وَاشَّعَّبتْ في مُهْجَتِي ذِكراهُ
And the dews of my soul streamed down in his wake,
The echoes of my soul flowed after him
And his memory branched within my heart's blood.
And his memory branched out in my mind
وَand غرقتُI drowned فيin دَمعِtears الهواجِسِanxious thoughts وَand الأسىsorrow
وَ غرقتُ في دَمعِ الهواجِسِ وَ الأسى
وَمضيتُand I went on كالخَرِفِlike a dotard المُضَيِّعِwho has lost فاهُhis mouth
وَمضيتُ كالخَرِفِ المُضَيِّعِ فاهُ
And I drowned in the tears of anxious thoughts and sorrow,
I drowned in the tears of worries and sorrow
And I went on like a dotard who had lost his mouth.
And went on like a lost lamb
وَand فَررتُI fled مِنfrom قَوسِthe bow المَنَاياdeath بِالنَّوىthrough distance
وَ فَررتُ مِن قَوسِ المَنَايا بِالنَّوى
حتَّىuntil رَمانِيstruck me سَهمُهاits arrow ينعاهُannouncing his death
حتَّى رَمانِي سَهمُها ينعاهُ
And I fled the bow of death into distance,
I fled from the bow of death with purpose
Until its arrow struck me, announcing his death.
Until its arrow hit me, crying out to him
وَand وَجدتُI found فيin جُرمِthe bulk الجوانِحِthe ribs لوعةburning grief ً
وَ وَجدتُ في جُرمِ الجوانِحِ لوعة ً
مِنfrom وَجدِthe anguish حُزنِيmy sorrow , مِنfrom جَنَىthe fruit مَنآهُhis absence
مِن وَجدِ حُزنِي , مِن جَنَى مَنآهُ
And within the frame of my ribs I found burning grief,
I found in the crime of my soul a pain
From the anguish of my sorrow, from the fruit of his absence.
From the passion of my grief, from the harvest of his groan
وَand سَقِمْتُI sickened منfrom صبرِpatience يعضُّgnaws حَشاشتيmy life's last spark
وَ سَقِمْتُ من صبرِ يعضُّ حَشاشتي
فالصبرُfor patience وَحشٌa beast وَand البُكاweeping نَاباهُits two fangs
فالصبرُ وَحشٌ وَ البُكا نَاباهُ
And I sickened from patience gnawing at my life's last spark,
And I grew sick from a patience that gnaws my gentleness
For patience is a beast, and weeping its two fangs.
For patience is desolate and crying is its remedy
أوَّاهُAh! ياO أبتاهُmy father! بعثرَنِيscattered me الرَّدىdeath
أوَّاهُ يا أبتاهُ بعثرَنِي الرَّدى
إبَّانَat the time of موتِكَyour death ياO أبِيmy father أوَّاهُAh!
إبَّانَ موتِكَ يا أبِي أوَّاهُ
Ah, my father! Death scattered me,
Oh my father, the calamity scattered me
At your death, my father—ah!
When you died, oh my father
سَكنَsettled الشَّقاءُmisery بِداخِليinside me , وَand احتَلَّنيoccupied me
سَكنَ الشَّقاءُ بِداخِلي , وَ احتَلَّني
مَنْwho لِيfor me بِبُعدِكَin your absence أَشتهِيI long for لُقياهُmeeting him ؟
مَنْ لِي بِبُعدِكَ أَشتهِي لُقياهُ ؟
Misery settled inside me and took possession of me.
Misery settled inside me, and possessed me
Whom do I have in your absence whose meeting I long for?
Who can I have after you that I wish to meet?
مَنْwho لِيfor me إذاwhen جَنَّfell الدُّجَىnight's darkness ياO وَالديmy father
مَنْ لِي إذا جَنَّ الدُّجَى يا وَالدي
يَسقيwaters فؤاديmy heart مِنfrom نَدىthe dew نجواهُhis whispers ؟
يَسقي فؤادي مِن نَدى نجواهُ ؟
Whom do I have when darkness falls, my father,
Who can I have, my father, when night falls
To water my heart with the dew of his whispers?
To water my heart with the dew of his intimacy?
مَنwho لِيfor me بِمِثلِكَwith someone like you لوif نَثرتُI scattered بِكَفِّهِinto his palm
مَن لِي بِمِثلِكَ لو نَثرتُ بِكَفِّهِ
رُوحيmy soul , فَفَاضَتْthen overflowed رَحْمَةًwith mercy كَفَّاهُhis two hands ؟
رُوحي , فَفَاضَتْ رَحْمَةً كَفَّاهُ ؟
Who is there for me like you, into whose palm I might scatter
Who can I have like you, if I spilled in his palm
My soul, so his two hands would overflow with mercy?
My soul, overflowing with mercy to suffice him?
وَand مَنِwho الذيthe one who لوif أحتويِهِI enfold him بأَضلُعيwithin my ribs
وَ مَنِ الذي لو أحتويِهِ بأَضلُعي
فَاغْرَورَقَتْthen brimmed بِدُموعِهِwith his tears عَيناهُhis two eyes ؟
فَاغْرَورَقَتْ بِدُموعِهِ عَيناهُ ؟
And who is there whom I might enfold within my ribs,
And who, if I embraced, would shed tears
So that his eyes would brim with his tears?
From his eyes out of my own passion?
أَوor مَنْwho عَلَىupon قَدَمَيهِhis two feet أسكبُI pour لَهْفَتِيmy longing
أَو مَنْ عَلَى قَدَمَيهِ أسكبُ لَهْفَتِي
قُبلاًkisses تُسكِّنُsoothe خَافِقيmy beating heart .. أبتاهُmy father! ؟
قُبلاً تُسكِّنُ خَافِقي .. أبتاهُ ؟
Or at whose feet can I pour out my longing
Or at whose feet can I pour my fervor
As kisses that soothe my beating heart, my father?
Kissing to quiet my fluttering, oh father?
ياO أنتَyou يَاوحْيَO revelation السَّمَاءheaven بِناظِريin my sight
يا أنتَ يَاوحْيَ السَّمَاء بِناظِري
أَوَلَسْتَand are you not مَنْthe one who نَشَرَspread السَّنَاradiance بدُعاهُthrough his prayer ؟
أَوَلَسْتَ مَنْ نَشَرَ السَّنَا بدُعاهُ ؟
O you, O heaven's revelation in my sight,
You, o vision of heaven in my eyes
And are you not the one who spread radiance through his prayer?
Were you not the one who spread goodness with his prayer?
أَولستَand are you not مَنْthe one who رَوَّىwatered الدٌّنَىthe worlds فِيin حَاضِريmy present
أَولستَ مَنْ رَوَّى الدٌّنَى فِي حَاضِري
وَرَجوتُand I hoped for غيثَكَyour rain أبتغيI seek سُقياهُits watering ؟
وَرَجوتُ غيثَكَ أبتغي سُقياهُ ؟
And are you not the one who watered the worlds in my present,
Were you not the one who watered the world in my presence
And I hoped for your rain, seeking a drink from it?
And I hoped for your rain, seeking its watering?
أَفديكَI would ransom you أنتَyou أَبِيmy father أَنَاI لَولاwere it not for الرَّدَىdeath
أَفديكَ أنتَ أَبِي أَنَا لَولا الرَّدَى
لَولاwere it not for القضاءُfate فَأنتَfor you مَنْthe one whom أَهواهُI love him
لَولا القضاءُ فَأنتَ مَنْ أَهواهُ
I would ransom you—you, my father—were it not for death,
I ransom you, you are my father, if not for fate
Were it not for fate, for you are the one I love.
And destiny ‒ you are the one I loved
أَنتَyou الذيthe one who أنعشتَyou revived روحيmy soul كُلمَاwhenever
أَنتَ الذي أنعشتَ روحي كُلمَا
آنستَyou comforted قلبيmy heart نازعًاremoving شكواهُits complaint
آنستَ قلبي نازعًا شكواهُ
You are the one who revived my soul whenever
You are the one who revived my soul whenever
You comforted my heart, removing its complaint.
You cheered my heart, relieving its complaints
وَand مضيتُI went on بعدَafter الفقدِthe loss فِيthrough عُمريmy life سُدىًin vain
وَ مضيتُ بعدَ الفقدِ فِي عُمري سُدىً
عَبداًa slave قَلَىhated بعدَafter الوَفاloyalty مولاهُhis master
عَبداً قَلَى بعدَ الوَفا مولاهُ
And after the loss I went through my life in vain,
After the loss, I went on pointlessly in my life
A slave who, after loyalty, hated his master.
A slave burned after the loyalty of his Master
وَand خَلوتُI withdrew وحديby myself أمتطيI ride بُؤساًmisery غَدَاbecame
وَ خَلوتُ وحدي أمتطي بُؤساً غَدَا
كَطلاسمٍlike riddles وَand حُلُولُهاtheir solutions مَعناهُits meaning
كَطلاسمٍ وَ حُلُولُها مَعناهُ
And I withdrew alone, riding a misery that became
I was left alone, riding misery in the morning
Like riddles, with their solutions as its meaning.
Like spells and their resolution is its meaning
وَand تَساقطتْfell فيin شَقوتيmy misery مِزَعُtatters الضَّناwasting illness
وَ تَساقطتْ في شَقوتي مِزَعُ الضَّنا
وَتبخَّرَتْand evaporated فيin حَسرتِيmy anguish دُنياهُhis world
وَتبخَّرَتْ في حَسرتِي دُنياهُ
And tatters of wasting illness fell amid my misery,
The crops of sorrow fell upon my misery
And his world evaporated in my anguish.
And the world evaporated in my grief
مَاnot تاهَstrayed عَنْfrom ذِكراكَyour memory نبضٌa pulse فيin دَميmy blood
مَا تاهَ عَنْ ذِكراكَ نبضٌ في دَمي
أوغابَor vanished صوتُكَyour voice ياO أبِيmy father وَand صَداهُits echo
أوغابَ صوتُكَ يا أبِي وَ صَداهُ
No pulse in my blood has strayed from your memory,
No pulse in my blood forgot your memory
Nor have your voice, my father, and its echo vanished.
Or did your voice, oh father, and its echo fade
وَand نَسيتُI forgot مَاقدwhat had ماتَdied مِنof زَمَنِthe age الغِنَىplenty
وَ نَسيتُ مَاقد ماتَ مِن زَمَنِ الغِنَى
وَنَسيتُand I forgot أنْto أَنسىforget الذيthe one who أغناهُenriched it
وَنَسيتُ أنْ أَنسى الذي أغناهُ
And I forgot what had perished of the age of plenty,
I forgot what died in the time of luxury
And I forgot to forget the one who enriched it.
And forgot to forget the one who made me wealthy
وَand لَقيتُI found فيwithin نَفسيmyself شَظاياshards سَلوةٍsolace
وَ لَقيتُ في نَفسي شَظايا سَلوةٍ
وسَلمتُand I recovered منfrom سَقميmy sickness وَand عِشتُI lived through قَذاهُits grit
وسَلمتُ من سَقمي وَ عِشتُ قَذاهُ
And I found within myself shards of solace,
And I found in myself fragments of serenity
And I recovered from my sickness, and lived with its grit.
And I recovered from my illness and lived its filth
وَand بكيتُI wept منfrom ذِكرىthe memory أحاديثٍconversations مضتْgone by
وَ بكيتُ من ذِكرى أحاديثٍ مضتْ
وَحَننتُand I yearned لَكنْbut , هلْis there? عَسىperhaps ؟ وَيلاهُAlas! !
وَحَننتُ لَكنْ , هلْ عَسى ؟ وَيلاهُ !
And I wept at the memory of conversations gone by,
I cried from the memory of conversations past
And I yearned—but is there hope? Alas!
And I wished, oh if only! But alas!
مَاnot زِلتَyou have ceased يَاO أبتاهُmy father! فِيin عَينيmy eye سَنَاradiance
مَا زِلتَ يَا أبتاهُ فِي عَيني سَنَا
لاmay ... not زلتَyou cease نبضَthe pulse تَشَوُّقِيmy longing وَand رَجاهُits hope
لا زلتَ نبضَ تَشَوُّقِي وَ رَجاهُ
You are still, my father, a radiance in my eye;
You are still, my father, youth in my eye
May you remain the pulse of my longing and its hope.
You are still the pulse of my longing and hope
مَاnot كُنتُI was أعلمُI know ياO أبِيmy father أَنِّيthat I إِذاwhen
مَا كُنتُ أعلمُ يا أبِي أَنِّي إِذا
فارقتُI parted from " عُمريmy life " غَابَvanished مَنْthe one who وَاساهُcomforted it
فارقتُ " عُمري " غَابَ مَنْ وَاساهُ
I did not know, my father, that when I
I did not know, my father, that when
Parted from 'my life,' the one who comforted it would vanish.
I lost “my life,” the one who consoled it was gone
إِنِّيindeed I زَهدتُI renounced الحرفَthe written word يُشْبهَهُresembles it العَمَىblindness
إِنِّي زَهدتُ الحرفَ يُشْبهَهُ العَمَى
لولاهُbut for him ماnot انتفضتْstirred يَديmy hand لولاهُbut for him
لولاهُ ما انتفضتْ يَدي لولاهُ
I have renounced the written word; blindness resembles it.
I care little for words resembling blindness
But for him, my hand would not have stirred—but for him.
If not for it, my hand would not have moved
وَand زَهدتُI turned away مِنfrom بَوحٍan outpouring يُشاكلُهُresembles it العَنَاsuffering
وَ زَهدتُ مِن بَوحٍ يُشاكلُهُ العَنَا
بعدَafter الذيthe one who بالأَمْنِwith safety قدْhad سَاوَاهُequated it
بعدَ الذي بالأَمْنِ قدْ سَاوَاهُ
And I renounced an outpouring akin to suffering,
And I care little for a revelation resembling misery
After the one who had equated it with safety.
After the one who equaled it in safety
وَand نَشرتُI spread شِعرِيmy poetry هائِماًwandering فيin ذَاتِهِits essence
وَ نَشرتُ شِعرِي هائِماً في ذَاتِهِ
وَand تَركتُI left فِكْرِيmy mind ساهِماًpensive يَرْعَاهُtending it
وَ تَركتُ فِكْرِي ساهِماً يَرْعَاهُ
And I spread my poetry, wandering within its essence,
I released my poetry wandering in itself
And I left my mind pensive, tending it.
And I left my thoughts roaming free to graze
وَand نَظمتُI composed مِنfrom وَجديmy grief لَفائِحَsearing blasts لَوعَتيmy anguish
وَ نَظمتُ مِن وَجدي لَفائِحَ لَوعَتي
فَتَبَعْثرتْthen scattered فيwithin هَدأتِيmy stillness ذِكْرَاهُhis memory
فَتَبَعْثرتْ في هَدأتِي ذِكْرَاهُ
And from my grief I composed the searing blasts of my anguish,
And I composed from my passion poems of my burning pain
Then his memory scattered within my stillness.
So his memory was scattered in my stillness
سَكَنَhe dwelt الثَّرىthe soil وَand سَكَنْتُI dwelt لكنْbut فَوقَهُabove him
سَكَنَ الثَّرى وَ سَكَنْتُ لكنْ فَوقَهُ
لَيتَif only الذيthe one who أخْفَاهhid him قدhad نَجَّاهُsaved him
لَيتَ الذي أخْفَاه قد نَجَّاهُ
He dwelt in the soil, and I dwelt, but above him.
The earth is still and I am still above it
If only the one who hid him had saved him.
If only the one it hid, it had saved
رُحماكَYour mercy! ربِّيmy Lord هَبْgrant لَهُto him نِعْمَexcellent الحِمَىrefuge
رُحماكَ ربِّي هَبْ لَهُ نِعْمَ الحِمَى
جَناتِgardens عَدْنٍEden بِالجَزَاas a reward مَثواهُhis abode
جَناتِ عَدْنٍ بِالجَزَا مَثواهُ
Your mercy, my Lord! Grant him the finest refuge,
May God have mercy on him, grant him the best refuge
The gardens of Eden, his abode as a reward.
The gardens of Eden as his dwelling
أَغْدِقْpour abundantly عَلَىupon أَحنائِهِhis body's contours فيضَa flood الرِّضاfavor
أَغْدِقْ عَلَى أَحنائِهِ فيضَ الرِّضا
وَand اسقِwater الثَّرىthe soil , سُقياكَYour watering يَاO اللهُGod
وَ اسقِ الثَّرى , سُقياكَ يَا اللهُ
Lavish upon his body's contours a flood of favor,
Rain upon his soul the abundance of contentment
And water the soil with the water You grant, O God.
And quench the earth ‒ may You water him, O God
ربَّاهO my Lord وَand اجمعناbring us together نَعِشmay we live أبداًforever معًاtogether
ربَّاه وَ اجمعنا نَعِش أبداً معًا
ربَّاهO my Lord فيin رَوضِthe meadow المُنَىwishes ربَّاهُO my Lord
ربَّاه في رَوضِ المُنَى ربَّاهُ
O my Lord, bring us together, that we may live forever together,
Raise him, O Lord, and gather us to live happy together forever
O my Lord, in the meadow of wishes, O my Lord.
Raise him in the garden of the retreat ‒ raise him, O Lord
Sol 6.1