صدقَتwere truthful فيماin what حكتtold عنكِabout you الدموعthe tears
صدقَت فيما حكت عنكِ الدموع
وشعورand the feeling القلبof the heart بالموتof death يروعterrifies
وشعور القلب بالموت يروع
The tears were truthful in what they told of you.
What your tears told of you was true
And the heart's sense of death strikes terror.
And the heart's sense of death's fright
وكأنand as though الموتdeath لاnot دمعthe tears النوىof parting
وكأن الموت لا دمع النوى
ذلكthat الجارىflowing علىon الخدthe cheek سريعswift
ذلك الجارى على الخد سريع
And it was as though death, not the tears of parting,
As though death itself, not the tears of sorrow
Were what flowed swiftly down the cheek.
That quickly flowed down the cheek
كنتyou were تبكينweeping لظعنيat my departure ظاهراًoutwardly
كنت تبكين لظعني ظاهراً
وهوand it فيin الأصلessence وداعa farewell للجميعto everyone
وهو في الأصل وداع للجميع
Outwardly, you were weeping at my departure,
You seemed to weep for my pain
Yet in truth it was a farewell to everyone.
When in truth it was farewell to all
بينbetween ليلnight ونهارand day قدalready خلتhad become empty
بين ليل ونهار قد خلت
فجأةsuddenly منof شخصكyour person الغاليcherished الربوعthe dwellings
فجأة من شخصك الغالي الربوع
Between night and day, empty lay
Between night and day you departed
The dwellings, suddenly bereft of your cherished presence.
Suddenly, from your dear self the breeze blew
ومشىand walked خلفكbehind you للرمسto the grave الورىthe people
ومشى خلفك للرمس الورى
ليتهمif only they زفوكthey escorted you in procession للعرسto the wedding الجموعthe crowds
ليتهم زفوك للعرس الجموع
And the people walked behind you to the grave;
And followed you to the bridal bed
If only the crowds had escorted you to your wedding!
Would that the crowds had escorted you to the wedding feast
ويحناalas for us منat نارa fire حزنof grief سعّرتwas kindled
ويحنا من نار حزن سعّرت
بدلاinstead منof نارa fire عرسof a wedding منfrom شموعcandles
بدلا من نار عرس من شموع
Alas for us: a fire of grief was kindled
While I burn in the fire of sorrow you kindled
Instead of the fire of wedding candles.
Instead of the fire of a wedding with candles
تعبtoil يوديbrings ruin بهto it الموتdeath سدىin vain
تعب يودي به الموت سدى
حينwhen يجتثuproots الأصولthe roots والفروعand the branches
حين يجتث الأصول والفروع
Toil is brought to nothing by death,
A fatigue that leads to meaningless death
When it uproots both roots and branches.
When roots and branches are uprooted
وعلىand for مwhat الجهدthe toil فيin الزرعsowing إذاif
وعلى م الجهد في الزرع إذا
كانit is قبلbefore النضجripening يوديbrings ruin بالزروعto the crops
كان قبل النضج يودي بالزروع
And why the toil of sowing, if
And no matter the effort in planting
It destroys the crops before they ripen?
If before ripening it destroys the crops
كلماwhenever حاولتI try تدوينwriting down رثاan elegy
كلما حاولت تدوين رثا
أذكرI remember الموتdeath فيعرونيand overtakes me الخشوعreverent awe
أذكر الموت فيعروني الخشوع
Whenever I try to write an elegy,
Whenever I try to write elegy
I remember death, and reverent awe overtakes me.
I recall death and am filled with awe
إنif يكنthere were فيon الأرضearth خلدimmortality خلدwould have made immortal
إن يكن في الأرض خلد خلد
اللهGod فيin الدنياthis world محمدMuhammad ويسوعand Jesus
الله في الدنيا محمد ويسوع
If there were immortality on earth, it would have been bestowed
If there is eternity on earth, eternal
By God in this world upon Muhammad and Jesus.
Are God, Muhammad and Jesus in this life
فليكنso let it be هذاthis عزاءًa consolation سائغاًacceptable
فليكن هذا عزاءً سائغاً
عندfor منwhoever خرhas fallen لدىbefore الموتdeath صريعlaid low
عند من خر لدى الموت صريع
So let this be an acceptable consolation
Let that be soothing solace
For whoever has fallen, laid low before death.
For one struck down lifeless by death
Sol 6.1