مَلَكَ النُهى لا تَبعُدي

مَلَكَ النُهى لا تَبعُدي

فَالخَلقُ في الدُنيا سِيَر

فَالخَلقُ في الدُنيا سِيَر

O Malak of wisdom, be not far away;

Angel of propriety, do not wander far,

for people in this world are the lives they lead.

For people in this world take different paths.

إِنّي أَرى لَكِ سيرَةً

إِنّي أَرى لَكِ سيرَةً

كَالرَوضِ أَرَّجَهُ الزَهَر

كَالرَوضِ أَرَّجَهُ الزَهَر

I see your life story

I see you have a conduct

like a garden made fragrant by flowers.

Like a garden made fragrant with flowers.

رَبّى أَبوكِ الناشِئي

رَبّى أَبوكِ الناشِئي

نَ فَعاشَ مَحمودَ الأَثَر

نَ فَعاشَ مَحمودَ الأَثَر

Your father nurtured the young men,

Your father raised you, O eminent one,

and lived with his influence held in praise.

So you lived a praiseworthy life.

وَسَلَكتِ أَنتِ سَبيلَهُ

وَسَلَكتِ أَنتِ سَبيلَهُ

في الناشِئاتِ مِنَ الصِغَر

في الناشِئاتِ مِنَ الصِغَر

And you followed his path

And you took his path

among the young girls, from childhood.

Among girls from an early age.

رَبَّيتِهِنَّ عَلى الفَضي

رَبَّيتِهِنَّ عَلى الفَضي

لَةِ وَالطَهارَةِ وَالخَفَر

لَةِ وَالطَهارَةِ وَالخَفَر

You raised them in virtue,

He raised them in excellence, purity, and modesty,

and purity and modesty;

And to follow the Law revealed in the suras.

وَعَلى اِتِّباعِ شَريعَةٍ

وَعَلى اِتِّباعِ شَريعَةٍ

نَزَلَت بِها آيُ السُوَر

نَزَلَت بِها آيُ السُوَر

and in following a religious law

So your home has virtue over all the living,

revealed in the verses of the surahs.

Female or male.

فَلِبَيتِكُم فَضلٌ عَلى ال

فَلِبَيتِكُم فَضلٌ عَلى ال

أَحياءِ أُنثى أَو ذَكَر

أَحياءِ أُنثى أَو ذَكَر

So your household has bestowed benefits upon

May God bless you if you scatter pearls,

the living, female or male.

And bless my lap if you scatter pearls.

لِلَّهِ دَرُّكِ إِن نَثَر

لِلَّهِ دَرُّكِ إِن نَثَر

تِ وَدَرُّ حِفني إِن نَثَر

تِ وَدَرُّ حِفني إِن نَثَر

God bless your gift when you write prose,

You were a good wife

and Hifni's gift when he writes prose!

In the desert and city you lived.

قَد كُنتِ زَوجاً طَبَّةً

قَد كُنتِ زَوجاً طَبَّةً

في البَدوِ عاشَت وَالحَضَر

في البَدوِ عاشَت وَالحَضَر

You were an accomplished wife,

You excelled over castle dwellers

who lived among nomads and townsfolk.

And made tent dwellers blacken their eyes.

سادَت عَلى أَهلِ القُصو

سادَت عَلى أَهلِ القُصو

رِ وَسَوَّدَت أَهلَ الوَبَر

رِ وَسَوَّدَت أَهلَ الوَبَر

She rose above the people of palaces,

Western in your knowledge,

and ennobled the dwellers of hair-cloth tents.

Distinguished among families.

غَربِيَّةٌ في عِلمِها

غَربِيَّةٌ في عِلمِها

مَرموقَةٌ بَينَ الأُسَر

مَرموقَةٌ بَينَ الأُسَر

Western in her learning,

Eastern in your nature,

esteemed among families;

Sheltered among the stones.

شَرقِيَّةٌ في طَبعِها

شَرقِيَّةٌ في طَبعِها

مَخدورَةٌ بَينَ الحُجَر

مَخدورَةٌ بَينَ الحُجَر

Eastern in her nature,

While you can see her reading the stars

sheltered within her chambers.

And learning from the lessons of time,

بَينا تَراها في الطُرو

بَينا تَراها في الطُرو

سِ تَخُطُّ آياتِ العِبَر

سِ تَخُطُّ آياتِ العِبَر

While you see her over the pages,

And showing you the wisdom of experience

inscribing passages full of lessons,

That handled events and tested.

وَتُريكَ حِكمَةَ نابِهٍ

وَتُريكَ حِكمَةَ نابِهٍ

عَرَكَ الحَوادِثَ وَاِختَبَر

عَرَكَ الحَوادِثَ وَاِختَبَر

and showing you the wisdom of an astute man

And there she is in the kitchen

who has grappled with events and gained experience,

Cooking food in measure.

فَإِذا بِها في مَطبَخٍ

فَإِذا بِها في مَطبَخٍ

تَطهو الطَعامَ عَلى قَدَر

تَطهو الطَعامَ عَلى قَدَر

suddenly there she is in a kitchen,

And there she sits sewing

cooking food in proper measure;

And mending, piercing needles through.

وَإِذا بِها قَعَدَت تَخي

وَإِذا بِها قَعَدَت تَخي

طُ وَتَرتَضي وَخزَ الإِبَر

طُ وَتَرتَضي وَخزَ الإِبَر

and there she is, seated, sewing,

She honored her father and mother

content to bear the prick of needles.

With her excellence and took pride.

فَخَرَت بِوالِدِها وَوا

فَخَرَت بِوالِدِها وَوا

لِدُها بِحِليَتِها اِفتَخَر

لِدُها بِحِليَتِها اِفتَخَر

She took pride in her father, and her father

With knowledge she adorned her heart,

took pride in her adornment.

Not with pearls and gems.

بِالعِلمِ حَلَّت صَدرَها

بِالعِلمِ حَلَّت صَدرَها

لا بِاللَآلِئِ وَالدُرَر

لا بِاللَآلِئِ وَالدُرَر

With knowledge she adorned her breast,

So consider the features of her mind

not with pearls and jewels.

On the Day of Assembly before God.

فَاُنظُر شَمائِلَ فِكرِها

فَاُنظُر شَمائِلَ فِكرِها

بِاللَهِ يَومَ المُؤتَمَر

بِاللَهِ يَومَ المُؤتَمَر

So behold the qualities of her thought,

And read the minutes of the journal

by God, on the day of the conference;

And the precious articles.

وَاِقرَأ مُحاضَرَةَ الجَري

وَاِقرَأ مُحاضَرَةَ الجَري

دَةِ وَالمَقالاتِ الغُرَر

دَةِ وَالمَقالاتِ الغُرَر

and read the Al-Jarida lecture

And refer back to what she deposited

and the brilliant articles;

With the great journals.

وَاِرجِع إِلى ما أَودَعَت

وَاِرجِع إِلى ما أَودَعَت

عِندَ المَجَلّاتِ الكُبَر

عِندَ المَجَلّاتِ الكُبَر

and revisit what she entrusted

You will know that we have lost

to the major journals.

The best of teachers of thought.

تَعلَم بِأَنّا قَد فَقَد

تَعلَم بِأَنّا قَد فَقَد

نا خَيرَ رَبّاتِ الفِكَر

نا خَيرَ رَبّاتِ الفِكَر

You will know that we have lost

The sin of death's timing

the finest of women thinkers.

In taking her youth cannot be forgiven.

ذَنبُ المَنِيَّةِ في اِغتِيا

ذَنبُ المَنِيَّةِ في اِغتِيا

لِ شَبابِها لا يُغتَفَر

لِ شَبابِها لا يُغتَفَر

Death's crime in murdering

I wish she had lived for Egypt

her youth cannot be forgiven.

And the grave had not hidden her.

يا لَيتَها عاشَت لِمِص

يا لَيتَها عاشَت لِمِص

رَ وَلَم تُغَيِّبها الحُفَر

رَ وَلَم تُغَيِّبها الحُفَر

Would that she had lived for Egypt,

She would have been a good example,

and the graves had not hidden her away!

Hoped for and treasure stored away.

كانَت مِثالاً صالِحاً

كانَت مِثالاً صالِحاً

يُرجى وَكَنزاً يُدَّخَر

يُرجى وَكَنزاً يُدَّخَر

She was a worthy model,

I saw ignorant travelers

looked to with hope, and a treasure to preserve.

In danger.

إِنّي رَأَيتُ الجاهِلا

إِنّي رَأَيتُ الجاهِلا

تِ السافِراتِ عَلى خَطَر

تِ السافِراتِ عَلى خَطَر

I have seen uneducated women,

And I saw among them chastity

unveiled, in peril;

And virtue endangered.

وَرَأَيتُ فيهِنَّ الصِيا

وَرَأَيتُ فيهِنَّ الصِيا

نَةَ وَالعَفافَ عَلى سَفَر

نَةَ وَالعَفافَ عَلى سَفَر

and I have seen, among them, propriety

No guardian, and they had set out,

and chastity journeying away.

An angel to protect them from harm.

لا وازِعٌ وَقَدِ اِنطَوَت

لا وازِعٌ وَقَدِ اِنطَوَت

مَلَكٌ يَقيهِنَّ الضَرَر

مَلَكٌ يَقيهِنَّ الضَرَر

No restraining guide—now that

Not like your day, a day when

Malak has passed away—shields them from harm.

Sorrow takes different forms.

لا كانَ يَومُكِ يَومَ لا

لا كانَ يَومُكِ يَومَ لا

حَ الحُزنُ مُختَلِفَ الصُوَر

حَ الحُزنُ مُختَلِفَ الصُوَر

Would that your day had never been, the day

You taught the singer of the castle

grief appeared in all its different forms!

To wail, and the trees to sob.

عَلَّمتِ هاتِفَةَ القُصو

عَلَّمتِ هاتِفَةَ القُصو

رِ نُواحَ هاتِفِهِ الشَجَر

رِ نُواحَ هاتِفِهِ الشَجَر

You taught the cooing bird of palaces

And you left your young friends

the lament of the cooing bird in the trees.

Grief that cuts their hair.

وَتَرَكتِ أَترابَ الصِبا

وَتَرَكتِ أَترابَ الصِبا

حُزنا يُقَطِّعنَ الشَعَر

حُزنا يُقَطِّعنَ الشَعَر

And you left the companions of your youth

They weep for your days of youth,

cutting off their hair in grief.

Morning and evening and dawn.

يَبكينَ عَهدَكِ في الصَبا

يَبكينَ عَهدَكِ في الصَبا

حِ وَفي المَساءِ وَفي السَحَر

حِ وَفي المَساءِ وَفي السَحَر

They weep for your days in the morning,

And you left your husband not knowing

and in the evening, and in the hour before dawn.

If Zayd was absent or present,

وَتَرَكتِ شَيخَكِ لا يَعي

وَتَرَكتِ شَيخَكِ لا يَعي

هَل غابَ زَيدٌ أَو حَضَر

هَل غابَ زَيدٌ أَو حَضَر

And you left your aged father unable to tell

Overburdened with worries when

whether Zayd was absent or present;

He persevered or faltered,

ثَمِلاً تُرَنِّحُهُ الهُمو

ثَمِلاً تُرَنِّحُهُ الهُمو

مُ إِذا تَحامَلَ أَو خَطَر

مُ إِذا تَحامَلَ أَو خَطَر

intoxicated, with sorrows making him sway

Like a branch shaken by winds

whenever he forces himself up or walks.

That twisted and then snapped,

كَالفَرعِ هَزَّتهُ العَوا

كَالفَرعِ هَزَّتهُ العَوا

صِفُ فَاِلتَوى ثُمَّ اِنكَسَر

صِفُ فَاِلتَوى ثُمَّ اِنكَسَر

Like a branch shaken by tempests,

Or a building about to collapse

that twisted, then broke;

From the impact of decay.

أَو كَالبِناءِ يُريدُ أَن

أَو كَالبِناءِ يُريدُ أَن

يَنقَضَّ مِن وَقعِ الخَوَر

يَنقَضَّ مِن وَقعِ الخَوَر

or like a building on the point

The hand of fate shook him

of collapsing under the impact of weakness.

And the hand of destiny convulsed him.

قَد زَعزَعَتهُ يَدُ القَضا

قَد زَعزَعَتهُ يَدُ القَضا

ءِ وَزَلزَلَتهُ يَدُ القَدَر

ءِ وَزَلزَلَتهُ يَدُ القَدَر

The hand of doom has shaken him,

I have not tasted the loss of sons

and the hand of destiny has made him quake.

Or daughters in old age.

أَنا لَم أَذُق فَقدَ البَني

أَنا لَم أَذُق فَقدَ البَني

نَ وَلا البَناتِ عَلى الكِبَر

نَ وَلا البَناتِ عَلى الكِبَر

I have not tasted the loss of sons,

But when I saw his heart

nor of daughters, in old age;

Shattered and torn,

لَكِنَّني لَمّا رَأَي

لَكِنَّني لَمّا رَأَي

تُ فُؤادَهُ وَقَدِ اِنفَطَر

تُ فُؤادَهُ وَقَدِ اِنفَطَر

but when I saw

And saw him almost set aflame

his heart, split asunder,

His visitors when he sighed,

وَرَأَيتُهُ قَد كادَ يُح

وَرَأَيتُهُ قَد كادَ يُح

رِقُ زائِريهِ إِذا زَفَر

رِقُ زائِريهِ إِذا زَفَر

and saw him almost scorch

And witnessed him stumbling

his visitors whenever he sighed,

However he stepped, carefully or not,

وَشَهِدتُهُ أَنّى خَطا

وَشَهِدتُهُ أَنّى خَطا

خَطواً تَخَبَّلَ أَو عَثَر

خَطواً تَخَبَّلَ أَو عَثَر

and saw that wherever he took

I understood the meaning of the sorrow, the grief

a step, he faltered or stumbled,

Of parents, and how bitter!

أَدرَكتُ مَعنى الحُزنِ حُز

أَدرَكتُ مَعنى الحُزنِ حُز

نِ الوالِدَينِ فَما أَمَرّ

نِ الوالِدَينِ فَما أَمَرّ

I grasped the meaning of grief—the grief

And I saw your husband bowed down,

of parents: how bitter it is!

Lonely amid the conversation,

وَشَهِدتُ زَوجَكِ مُطرِقاً

وَشَهِدتُ زَوجَكِ مُطرِقاً

مُستَوحِشاً بَينَ السَمَر

مُستَوحِشاً بَينَ السَمَر

And I saw your husband, head bowed,

Like the perplexed wanderer in the waste,

desolate amid the evening conversation,

Misguided by the moon.

كَالمُدلِجِ الحَيرانِ في ال

كَالمُدلِجِ الحَيرانِ في ال

بَيداءِ أَخطَأَهُ القَمَر

بَيداءِ أَخطَأَهُ القَمَر

like a bewildered night traveler in the

So I knew you were the bond of his bliss,

desert, whom the moon had failed to reach.

Now scattered.

فَعَلِمتُ أَنَّكِ كُنتِ عِق

فَعَلِمتُ أَنَّكِ كُنتِ عِق

دَ هَنائِهِ وَقَدِ اِنتَثَر

دَ هَنائِهِ وَقَدِ اِنتَثَر

So I knew you had been the necklace

Patience, Abu Malik, patience,

of his happiness, now scattered.

For the patient have what remains.

صَبراً أَبا مَلَكٍ فَإِن

صَبراً أَبا مَلَكٍ فَإِن

نَ الباقِياتِ لِمَن صَبَر

نَ الباقِياتِ لِمَن صَبَر

Patience, father of Malak, for

And by the measure of the afflicted’s patience

what endures belongs to those who are patient.

Is the length and shortness of calamity.

وَبِقَدرِ صَبرِ المُبتَلى

وَبِقَدرِ صَبرِ المُبتَلى

طولُ المُصيبَةِ وَالقِصَر

طولُ المُصيبَةِ وَالقِصَر

And by the measure of the sufferer's patience

Be yourself when things go badly,

is measured affliction's length or brevity.

Be yourself when things go well.

كُن أَنتَ أَنتَ إِذا تُسا

كُن أَنتَ أَنتَ إِذا تُسا

ءُ كَأَنتَ أَنتَ إِذا تُسَرّ

ءُ كَأَنتَ أَنتَ إِذا تُسَرّ

Be yourself, your very self, when saddened,

O dutiful daughter to her parents,

as you are your very self when gladdened.

Your father after you has no peace.

يا بَرَّةً بِالوالِدَي

يا بَرَّةً بِالوالِدَي

نِ أَبوكِ بَعدَكِ لا يَقِرّ

نِ أَبوكِ بَعدَكِ لا يَقِرّ

O you who were dutiful to your parents,

So ask your God for solace

your father finds no rest after you.

For your father, for he needs it most.

فَسَلي إِلَهَكِ سُلوَةً

فَسَلي إِلَهَكِ سُلوَةً

لِأَبيكِ فَهوَ بِهِ أَبَرّ

لِأَبيكِ فَهوَ بِهِ أَبَرّ

So ask your God for consolation

And may the new loss make him calm,

for your father, for He is kinder to him.

For that is the lasting home.

وَليَهنِكِ الخِدرُ الجَدي

وَليَهنِكِ الخِدرُ الجَدي

دُ فَذاكَ دارُ المُستَقَرّ

دُ فَذاكَ دارُ المُستَقَرّ

And may your new chamber bring you joy,

for that is the abode of lasting rest.