أَجْدَىwould have availed كِفَاحُكَyour struggle لَوْif يُفِيدُavails كِفَاحُstruggle
أَجْدَى كِفَاحُكَ لَوْ يُفِيدُ كِفَاحُ
وَوَقَىand would have protected سِلَاحُكَyour weapon لَوْif يَذُودُdefends سِلَاحُa weapon
وَوَقَى سِلَاحُكَ لَوْ يَذُودُ سِلَاحُ
Your struggle would have availed, if struggle could avail;
and your weapon would have shielded you, if any weapon could defend.
وَإِذَاand when المَنِيَّةُdeath حَانَarrives حِينُthe time of وُقُوعِهَاits occurrence
وَإِذَا المَنِيَّةُ حَانَ حِينُ وُقُوعِهَا
عَجِزَis powerless الطَّبِيبُthe physician وَأَخْفَقَand fails الجَرَّاحُthe surgeon
عَجِزَ الطَّبِيبُ وَأَخْفَقَ الجَرَّاحُ
And when the hour of death's arrival comes,
the physician is powerless, and the surgeon fails.
مَاno sooner أَنْthat نَقُولَwe say: أَضَاءَshone مِصْبَاحٌa lamp هُنَاhere
مَا أَنْ نَقُولَ: أَضَاءَ مِصْبَاحٌ هُنَا
حَتَّىthan نَقُولَwe say: خَبَاwent out هُنَاhere مِصْبَاحُa lamp
حَتَّى نَقُولَ: خَبَا هُنَا مِصْبَاحُ
No sooner do we say, 'A lamp has shone here,'
than we say, 'A lamp has gone out here.'
يَاO رَوْضُgarden لَاmay never عَادَreturn الرَّبِيعُspring وَزَهْوُهُand its splendor
يَا رَوْضُ لَا عَادَ الرَّبِيعُ وَزَهْوُهُ
يَاO رَوْضُgarden مَاتَhas died هَزَارُكَyour nightingale الصَّدَّاحُfull-throated
يَا رَوْضُ مَاتَ هَزَارُكَ الصَّدَّاحُ
O garden, may spring and its splendor never return!
O garden, your full-throated nightingale has died.
فَلِمَنْso to whom تُرَىI wonder يُصْغِيlistens غَدِيرُكَyour pool بَعْدَهُafter him؟
فَلِمَنْ تُرَى يُصْغِي غَدِيرُكَ بَعْدَهُ؟
وَلِمَنْand for whom تُصَفِّقُclap فَوْقَكَabove you الأَدْوَاحُthe great trees؟
وَلِمَنْ تُصَفِّقُ فَوْقَكَ الأَدْوَاحُ؟
So to whom, I wonder, will your pool listen after him?
And for whom will the great trees above you clap?
لَاnot الوَرْدُthe roses وَرْدٌroses فِيكَin you بَعْدَafter نُزُولِهِhis descent
لَا الوَرْدُ وَرْدٌ فِيكَ بَعْدَ نُزُولِهِ
بَيْنَamong القُبُورِthe graves وَلَاnor الأَقَاحُthe daisies أَقَاحُdaisies
بَيْنَ القُبُورِ وَلَا الأَقَاحُ أَقَاحُ
The roses in you are no longer roses since his descent
among the graves, nor are the daisies daisies.
أَيُضِيعُcan it lose? رَوْضُthe garden of العِلْمِlearning بُسْتَانِيَّهُits gardener
أَيُضِيعُ رَوْضُ العِلْمِ بُسْتَانِيَّهُ
وَيَدُومُand endures فِيهِwithin it جَمَالُهُits beauty الوَضَّاحُradiant
وَيَدُومُ فِيهِ جَمَالُهُ الوَضَّاحُ
Can the garden of learning lose its gardener,
yet its radiant beauty endure within it,
وَيُرَىand is seen سُلَيْمَانٌSulayman ضَجِيعًاlying فِيin الثَّرَىthe dust
وَيُرَى سُلَيْمَانٌ ضَجِيعًا فِي الثَّرَى
وَيَضُوعُand wafts fragrance زَهْرُthe blossoms of الحِكْمَةِwisdom الفَوَّاحُfragrant؟!
وَيَضُوعُ زَهْرُ الحِكْمَةِ الفَوَّاحُ؟!
and Sulayman be seen lying in the dust,
while wisdom's fragrant blossoms spread their scent?!
«هوميرHomer» قُمْrise رَحِّبْwelcome بِضَيْفِكَyour guest وَاحْتَفِلْand celebrate
«هومير» قُمْ رَحِّبْ بِضَيْفِكَ وَاحْتَفِلْ
بِقُدُومِهِat his arrival حَيْثُwhere الخُلُودُimmortality مُتَاحُis granted
بِقُدُومِهِ حَيْثُ الخُلُودُ مُتَاحُ
Homer, rise, welcome your guest, and celebrate
his arrival, where immortality is granted.
أَرْدَاهُstruck him down دَاؤُكَyour illness وَهْوَand it is دَاءُthe illness of نَوَابِغٍgeniuses
أَرْدَاهُ دَاؤُكَ وَهْوَ دَاءُ نَوَابِغٍ
أَصْمَىblinded عُيُونَهُمُtheir eyes الذكاbrilliance الفَضَّاحُall-revealing
أَصْمَى عُيُونَهُمُ الذكا الفَضَّاحُ
Your illness struck him down—the illness of geniuses;
their all-revealing brilliance struck their eyes blind.
وَلَقَدْand indeed تَرَىsee الأَحْدَاقُthe eyes وَهْيَwhile they are مَرِيضَةٌailing
وَلَقَدْ تَرَى الأَحْدَاقُ وَهْيَ مَرِيضَةٌ
مَاwhat لَاnot تَرَىsee الأَحْدَاقُthe eyes وَهْيَwhile they are صِحَاحُhealthy
مَا لَا تَرَى الأَحْدَاقُ وَهْيَ صِحَاحُ
Indeed, eyes, though ailing, may see
what healthy eyes cannot.
وَشَّىembroidered نُبُوغَكَyour genius فِيin الحَيَاةِlife نُبُوغُهُhis genius
وَشَّى نُبُوغَكَ فِي الحَيَاةِ نُبُوغُهُ
فَتَمَازَجَتْso mingled قَبْلَbefore اللِّقَاthe meeting الأَرْوَاحُthe souls
فَتَمَازَجَتْ قَبْلَ اللِّقَا الأَرْوَاحُ
His genius embroidered your genius in life,
so your souls mingled before you met.
هَذِيthese بَدَائِعُكَyour masterpieces المِلَاحُlovely تَزِينُهَاadorn them
هَذِي بَدَائِعُكَ المِلَاحُ تَزِينُهَا
مِنْهُfrom him بَدَائِعُmasterpieces، لَاnot تُنَالُcan be equaled، مِلَاحُlovely
مِنْهُ بَدَائِعُ، لَا تُنَالُ، مِلَاحُ
These are your lovely masterpieces, adorned
by lovely masterpieces of his that none can equal.
لُغَةُthe language of الرَّسُولِthe Messenger وِشَاحُهَاtheir mantle أَكْرِمْhow noble بِهَاthey are
لُغَةُ الرَّسُولِ وِشَاحُهَا أَكْرِمْ بِهَا
فِيin أَصْلِهَاtheir original آيًاverses وَنِعْمَand how excellent وِشَاحُa mantle!
فِي أَصْلِهَا آيًا وَنِعْمَ وِشَاحُ!
The Messenger's language is their mantle—how noble they are
as verses in their original, and what a splendid mantle!
سَكِرَتْgrew drunk بِهَاon them الدُّنْيَاthe world وَمَاthough not كَلِمَاتُهَاtheir words
سَكِرَتْ بِهَا الدُّنْيَا وَمَا كَلِمَاتُهَا
رَاحٌwine وَلَاnor أَبْيَاتُهَاtheir verses أَقْدَاحُcups
رَاحٌ وَلَا أَبْيَاتُهَا أَقْدَاحُ
The world grew drunk on them, though their words are not
wine, nor their verses cups.
لَكِنْyet هُنَالِكَthere كُلُّevery سَطْرٍline سُورَةٌa Qur'anic chapter
لَكِنْ هُنَالِكَ كُلُّ سَطْرٍ سُورَةٌ
فِيهَاwithin them وَكُلُّand every صَحِيفَةٍpage إِصْحَاحُa biblical chapter
فِيهَا وَكُلُّ صَحِيفَةٍ إِصْحَاحُ
Yet there each line is a surah
within them, and every page a biblical chapter.
مَاتَdied السِّيَاسِيُّthe statesman الوَزِيرُthe minister وَلَمْand did not يَمُتْdie
مَاتَ السِّيَاسِيُّ الوَزِيرُ وَلَمْ يَمُتْ
إِلَّاexcept وَزِينةُwhile the adornment of بُرْدَتَيْهِhis two robes صَلَاحُvirtue
إِلَّا وَزِينةُ بُرْدَتَيْهِ صَلَاحُ
The statesman, the minister, died, yet did not die
except with virtue adorning both his robes.
وَعَلَىand upon مَآثِرِهِhis noble deeds وَفِيand in آثَارِهِhis works
وَعَلَى مَآثِرِهِ وَفِي آثَارِهِ
غُرَرٌshining glories كَآيَاتِlike the signs of الصَّبَاحِdawn صِبَاحُfair
غُرَرٌ كَآيَاتِ الصَّبَاحِ صِبَاحُ
Upon his noble deeds, and in his works,
are shining glories, fair as the signs of dawn.
عَلِقَhe loved السِّيَاسَةَpolitics وَهْيَwhile she was بِكْرٌa virgin حُرَّةٌfreeborn
عَلِقَ السِّيَاسَةَ وَهْيَ بِكْرٌ حُرَّةٌ
وَأَشَاحَand turned away عَنْهَاfrom her الوَجْهَhis face وَهْيَwhile she was وَقَاحُshameless
وَأَشَاحَ عَنْهَا الوَجْهَ وَهْيَ وَقَاحُ
He loved politics when she was a freeborn virgin,
and turned his face from her when she became shameless.
تَاللهِby God مَاnot تَنْسَىwill forget فُرُوقُFuruq إِبَائِهِhis proud refusal
تَاللهِ مَا تَنْسَى فُرُوقُ إِبَائِهِ
لَمَّاwhen دَعَاcalled دَاعِيthe herald of الجِهَادِholy war وَصَاحُواand they shouted
لَمَّا دَعَا دَاعِي الجِهَادِ وَصَاحُوا
By God, Furuq will not forget his proud refusal
when the herald of holy war called and they shouted,
يَوْمَthe day اسْتَعَدَّتْshe prepared لِلكِفَاحِfor battle فَرَدَّدَتْso echoed
يَوْمَ اسْتَعَدَّتْ لِلكِفَاحِ فَرَدَّدَتْ
صَوْتَthe voice of الضَّمِيرِconscience قَوَاضِبٌkeen blades وَصِفَاحُand broadswords
صَوْتَ الضَّمِيرِ قَوَاضِبٌ وَصِفَاحُ
the day she readied herself for battle, and there echoed
conscience's voice from keen blades and broadswords;
وَرَأَتْand she saw سُلَيْمَانًاSulayman يَقُولُsaying وَنَفْسُهُwhile his soul
وَرَأَتْ سُلَيْمَانًا يَقُولُ وَنَفْسُهُ
عَصَفَتْraged بِهَاthrough it مِمَّاbecause of what رَآهُhe saw it رِيَاحُwinds
عَصَفَتْ بِهَا مِمَّا رَآهُ رِيَاحُ
and she saw Sulayman saying, while his soul
was buffeted by winds stirred by what he saw:
أُناI لَاnot أُظَاهِرُكُمْsupport you عَلَىin حَربٍa war وَلَوْeven if
أُنا لَا أُظَاهِرُكُمْ عَلَى حَربٍ وَلَوْ
كَانَwere النَّصِيبَthe share النصرُvictory وَالأرْبَاحُand gains
كَانَ النَّصِيبَ النصرُ وَالأرْبَاحُ
'I will not support you in a war, even if
our share were victory and gains.
فَإِذَاthen if تَشَبَّثْتُمْyou insist بِخوضِon plunging into غِمَارِهَاits depths
فَإِذَا تَشَبَّثْتُمْ بِخوضِ غِمَارِهَا
أَنَاI أَسْتَقِيلُresign وَمَاand not عَلَيَّupon me جُنَاحُblame
أَنَا أَسْتَقِيلُ وَمَا عَلَيَّ جُنَاحُ
But if you insist on plunging into its depths,
I resign, and no blame rests on me.'
يَاO قَصْرَpalace of يَلْدِزَYildiz أَنْتَyou أَعْدَلُthe fairest شَاهِدٍwitness
يَا قَصْرَ يَلْدِزَ أَنْتَ أَعْدَلُ شَاهِدٍ
لَوْif أَمْكَنَwere possible الإِفْصَاحُplain speech وَالإِيضَاحُand explanation
لَوْ أَمْكَنَ الإِفْصَاحُ وَالإِيضَاحُ
O Yildiz Palace, you are the fairest witness,
if plain speech and explanation were possible.
مَرَّpassed الزَّمَانُtime بِحُلْوِهِwith its sweetness وَبِمُرِّهِand with its bitterness
مَرَّ الزَّمَانُ بِحُلْوِهِ وَبِمُرِّهِ
وَمَشَىand walked الرَّحِيمُthe merciful man عَلَيْكَupon you وَالسَّفَّاحُand the butcher
وَمَشَى الرَّحِيمُ عَلَيْكَ وَالسَّفَّاحُ
Time passed, with its sweetness and its bitterness,
and the merciful man and the butcher trod upon you.
وَسَخِرْتَand you scoffed بِالأيَّامِat the days حَتَّىuntil بُدِّلَتْthey were transformed
وَسَخِرْتَ بِالأيَّامِ حَتَّى بُدِّلَتْ
فَعَدَاthen assailed عَلَيْكَagainst you قَضَاؤُهَاtheir decree المُجْتَاحُdevastating
فَعَدَا عَلَيْكَ قَضَاؤُهَا المُجْتَاحُ
And you mocked the days until they were transformed;
then their devastating decree assailed you.
وَهوىand fell عُلَاكَyour grandeur بِمَنْwith those who عَلَيْهِupon it كَأَنَّهُas though it were
وَهوى عُلَاكَ بِمَنْ عَلَيْهِ كَأَنَّهُ
حُلْمُa dream of الكَرَىsleep وَكَأَنَّهُمْand as though they were أَشْبَاحُphantoms
حُلْمُ الكَرَى وَكَأَنَّهُمْ أَشْبَاحُ
And your grandeur fell with those upon it, as though it were
a dream in sleep, and they were phantoms.
وَلَوَand if انَّthat قَادَةَthe leaders of بَابِكَyour gate العَالِيthe sublime وَعَوْاthey heeded
وَلَوَ انَّ قَادَةَ بَابِكَ العَالِي وَعَوْا
مَاwhat قَالَhe said، مَاnot فَقَدُواthey lost العُرُوشَthe thrones وَطَاحُواand they fell
مَا قَالَ، مَا فَقَدُوا العُرُوشَ وَطَاحُوا
And had the leaders of your Sublime Porte heeded
what he said, they would not have lost their thrones and fallen.
وَإِذَاand when السَّفِينُthe ship غَوَىgoes astray حِجَىthe judgment of مُلَّاحِهِits sailors
وَإِذَا السَّفِينُ غَوَى حِجَى مُلَّاحِهِ
غَرِقَsinks السَّفينُthe ship وَأُدْرِجَand is shrouded المَلَّاحُthe sailor
غَرِقَ السَّفينُ وَأُدْرِجَ المَلَّاحُ
And when the sailors' judgment aboard a ship goes astray,
the ship sinks, and the sailor is shrouded.
يَاoh للسياسَةِfor politics! كَمْhow much لَهَاit has مِنْof نَشْوَةٍintoxication!
يَا للسياسَةِ! كَمْ لَهَا مِنْ نَشْوَةٍ!
آلُthe mirage of الغُرُورِdelusion مُدَامُهَاits wine لَاnot الرَّاحُwine
آلُ الغُرُورِ مُدَامُهَا لَا الرَّاحُ
Ah, politics! How much intoxication it holds!
Delusion's mirage is its vintage, not wine.
وَلَوَand if انَّthat أَرْبَابَthe masters of السياسَةِpolitics مِثْلُهُlike him
وَلَوَ انَّ أَرْبَابَ السياسَةِ مِثْلُهُ
مَاnot كَانَthere would be حَرْبٌwar فِيamong الورَىhumankind وَسِلَاحُand weapons
مَا كَانَ حَرْبٌ فِي الورَى وَسِلَاحُ
And if the masters of politics were like him,
there would be neither war nor weapons among humankind.
إِيهٍspeak on رَبِيبَfosterling of الأرزِthe cedars وابْنَand son of جِبَالِهِtheir mountains
إِيهٍ رَبِيبَ الأرزِ وابْنَ جِبَالِهِ
رَفرِفْflutter بروحِكَwith your spirit فَالخُلُودُfor immortality جَنَاحُa wing
رَفرِفْ بروحِكَ فَالخُلُودُ جَنَاحُ
Speak on, fosterling of the cedars and son of their mountains;
flutter with your spirit, for immortality is a wing.
وَعِظِand admonish الوَرَىhumankind فَمَمَاتُfor the death of مِثْلِكَone like you مِلْؤُهُits fill
وَعِظِ الوَرَى فَمَمَاتُ مِثْلِكَ مِلْؤُهُ
عِبَرٌlessons، وَإِنْeven if سَكَتَfalls silent اللِّسَانُthe tongue، فِصَاحُeloquent
عِبَرٌ، وَإِنْ سَكَتَ اللِّسَانُ، فِصَاحُ
And admonish humankind, for the death of one like you is full
of eloquent lessons, though the tongue is silent.
قَالُواthey said تَقَدَّمَتِhave advanced الشُّعُوبُthe nations فَقُلْthen say لَهُمْto them
قَالُوا تَقَدَّمَتِ الشُّعُوبُ فَقُلْ لَهُمْ
هَذَاthis التَّقَدُّمُprogress لِلهَلَاكِtoward destruction رَوَاحُa march
هَذَا التَّقَدُّمُ لِلهَلَاكِ رَوَاحُ
They said, 'The nations have advanced.' Then tell them:
'This progress is a march toward destruction.'
مَاnot زَالَceased قَتْلُthe killing of النَّاسِpeople شَرْعًاa law جَائِزًاpermitted
مَا زَالَ قَتْلُ النَّاسِ شَرْعًا جَائِزًا
لَاno أَمْنَsafety نُؤْمِلُهُwe hope for it وَلَاnor إِصْلَاحُreform
لَا أَمْنَ نُؤْمِلُهُ وَلَا إِصْلَاحُ
Killing people is still sanctioned by law;
no safety can we hope for, nor reform.
فِيمَwhy التَّنَازعُstrife وَالحَياةُwhile life قَصِيرةٌshort
فِيمَ التَّنَازعُ وَالحَياةُ قَصِيرةٌ
وجَمِيعُنَاand all of us فِيin ساحِهَاits expanse سُيَّاحُtravelers؟!
وجَمِيعُنَا فِي ساحِهَا سُيَّاحُ؟!
Why this strife, when life is short
and all of us are travelers in its expanse?!
أينَwhere التَّمدُّنُcivilization ياO دُعَاةَproclaimers of وجودِهِits existence
أينَ التَّمدُّنُ يا دُعَاةَ وجودِهِ
وَالأَرضُwhile the earth يخضِبُهَاdyes it الدَّمُthe blood السحَّاحُgushing؟!
وَالأَرضُ يخضِبُهَا الدَّمُ السحَّاحُ؟!
Where is civilization, you who proclaim its existence,
while gushing blood dyes the earth?!
لَمْdid not تَنْدَمِلْheal فِيهَاupon it جِرَاحُthe wounds of شُعُوبِهَاits peoples
لَمْ تَنْدَمِلْ فِيهَا جِرَاحُ شُعُوبِهَا
إِلَّاexcept لتَخْلُفُهَاto replace them هُنَاكَthere جِرَاحُwounds
إِلَّا لتَخْلُفُهَا هُنَاكَ جِرَاحُ
Its peoples' wounds never heal upon it
without other wounds taking their place there.
إِنْif كَانَis هَذَاthis فِيin الحَيَاةِlife تَمَدُّنًاcivilization
إِنْ كَانَ هَذَا فِي الحَيَاةِ تَمَدُّنًا
فَلْيَهْنَأthen let him be content القَرَوِيُّthe villager وَالفَلَّاحُand the farmer
فَلْيَهْنَأ القَرَوِيُّ وَالفَلَّاحُ
If this is civilization in life,
then let the villager and the farmer rest content.
Sol 6.1