حيِّsalute قبرًاa grave بجانبِbeside الآكامِthe hillocks
حيِّ قبرًا بجانبِ الآكامِ
بينَwithin جوفِthe depths of الثَّرَىthe earth بأزكىwith the purest سلامِgreeting
بينَ جوفِ الثَّرَى بأزكى سلامِ
Salute a grave beside the hillocks,
Live a grave beside the dunes,
within the depths of the earth, with the purest greeting.
Among the earth's depths with the best peace.
ياO أبيmy father قلtell ليme كيفhow أرضِيكَI may please you إنِّيindeed I
يا أبي قل لي كيف أرضِيكَ إنِّي
صارhas turned قلبيmy heart منِّيfrom me إلىtoward الآثامِsins
صار قلبي منِّي إلى الآثامِ
O father, tell me how I may please you; indeed,
Oh father, tell me how to please you, for
my heart has turned away from me toward sins.
My heart has become prone to sins.
وَثَوَتْand has lodged فيin الضلوعِthe ribs حُرقةُthe burning of وَجْدٍlonging
وَثَوَتْ في الضلوعِ حُرقةُ وَجْدٍ
تجلبُbrings الحتفَdeath مِنfrom جَوَىthe consuming anguish of الإيلامِpain
تجلبُ الحتفَ مِن جَوَى الإيلامِ
And a burning longing has lodged within my ribs,
And burning longing settles in the ribs,
bringing death through pain's consuming anguish.
Bringing doom from the heat of pain.
قِطَعُpieces of التُّرْبِearth تحتَbeneath جسمِكَyour body بُسْطٌcarpets
قِطَعُ التُّرْبِ تحتَ جسمِكَ بُسْطٌ
وغطاءٌand a covering مصقولةٌsmoothed برضامِwith piled stones
وغطاءٌ مصقولةٌ برضامِ
Pieces of earth beneath your body are carpets,
The earth pieces beneath your body are a carpet,
and a covering, smoothed with piled stones.
And a polished cover with satisfaction.
فأناso I اليومَtoday فيin أشدِّthe severest اكتئابٍdespondency
فأنا اليومَ في أشدِّ اكتئابٍ
أتلقَّىI receive نوائبَthe calamities of الأيامِthe days
أتلقَّى نوائبَ الأيامِ
So today I am in the deepest despondency,
Today I am in deepest gloom,
receiving the calamities of the days.
Bearing the calamities of days.
ياO ترابًاdust ثَوَىthat has lain بِجَوْفِinside ترابٍdust
يا ترابًا ثَوَى بِجَوْفِ ترابٍ
أينwhere أنتَyou اغتديتَhave gone at dawn بعدَafter وئامِharmony
أين أنتَ اغتديتَ بعدَ وئامِ
O dust that has lain within dust,
Oh dust dwelling the midst of dust,
where have you gone at dawn, after our harmony?
Where are you, enjoyed after harmony?
كانwas حًلْمًاa dream مضـىthat passed بعيدًاfar away وولَّىand vanished
كان حًلْمًا مضـى بعيدًا وولَّى
وانقضـىand ended أمْor حقيقةُthe reality of الأوهامِillusions
وانقضـى أمْ حقيقةُ الأوهامِ
Was it a dream that went far away and vanished,
It was a dream that went far away and turned,
and ended—or the reality of illusions?
Or is it the reality of illusions?
أينwhere عناfrom us ذهبتَhave you gone بعدafter اجتماعٍbeing together
أين عنا ذهبتَ بعد اجتماعٍ
فَبَقِينَاso we remained لِطُولِfor a long stretch of حُزْنٍsorrow دامِthat endured
فَبَقِينَا لِطُولِ حُزْنٍ دامِ
Where have you gone from us after we were together,
Where from us did you go after gathering,
leaving us to long, enduring sorrow?
Leaving us in lasting sadness?
فَبِرَبِّيso by my Lord خبِّرْtell me نأيتَhave you gone away بحقٍّtruly
فَبِرَبِّي خبِّرْ نأيتَ بحقٍّ
أمor عيونيmy eyes أعشتhave grown dim منfrom الإيلامِpain
أم عيوني أعشت من الإيلامِ
Then, by my Lord, tell me: have you truly gone away,
By my Lord, tell truly, did you come
or have my eyes grown dim from pain?
Or have my eyes lived from pain?
فَبِرَبِّيso by my Lord خبِّرْtell me نأيتَhave you gone away بحقٍّtruly
فَبِرَبِّي خبِّرْ نأيتَ بحقٍّ
أمor ظنونٌimaginings فيin غفوةِthe slumber of النُّوَّامِthe sleepers
أم ظنونٌ في غفوةِ النُّوَّامِ
Then, by my Lord, tell me: have you truly gone away,
By my Lord, tell truly, did you come
or mere imaginings in the sleepers' slumber?
Or are these fancies in the sleep of slumberers?
فَبَنُوso the sons of مَرعِيMar‘i هلwill...? يرونكَthey see you يومًاone day
فَبَنُو مَرعِي هل يرونكَ يومًا
حينwhen تُغْديyou bring at dawn الأرحامَkinsfolk للأرحامِto kinsfolk
حين تُغْدي الأرحامَ للأرحامِ
So will Banu Mar‘i see you one day,
Will the sons of Mar'i see you one day,
when you bring kinfolk to kinfolk at dawn?
When wombs become kins for wombs?
حينwhen ناداهمُcalled them المناديthe caller بصوتٍwith a voice
حين ناداهمُ المنادي بصوتٍ
مقشعرٍّshuddering لسطوةِat the onslaught of الأحلامِdreams
مقشعرٍّ لسطوةِ الأحلامِ
When the caller summoned them with a voice
When the caller calls them in trembling voice
shuddering at the onslaught of dreams,
For the power of dreams.
قالsaid أقوامٌsome people: كانhe was فيناamong us فكيفso how اصـbeginning of 'caught'
قال أقوامٌ: كان فينا فكيف اصـ
ـطادهcompletion of 'caught him' الموتُdeath دونwithout أدنىthe slightest كلامِword
ـطاده الموتُ دون أدنى كلامِ
some people said, 'He was among us—so how did
Some say: He was among us, so how
death catch him without the slightest word?'
Did death hunt him without the slightest word?
أنتَyou حينَwhen الصيامُfasting يُهلكُdestroys قومًاpeople
أنتَ حينَ الصيامُ يُهلكُ قومًا
لمnot تكنyou were غيرَother than مقْبلٍeager صوَّامِmuch given to fasting
لم تكن غيرَ مقْبلٍ صوَّامِ
You, when fasting wears some people out,
You, when fasting destroys a people,
were never anything but eager and devoted to fasting.
Were not but facing, fasting.
أنتَyou حينَwhen القيامُstanding in prayer يُهلكُdestroys قومًاpeople
أنتَ حينَ القيامُ يُهلكُ قومًا
لمnot تكنyou were غيرَother than مقْبلٍeager قوَّامmuch given to prayer
لم تكن غيرَ مقْبلٍ قوَّام
You, when standing in prayer wears some people out,
You, when staying up destroys a people,
were never anything but eager and devoted to prayer.
Were not but facing, staying up.
لمnot تكنyou were خائنًاtreacherous كذوبًاhabitually lying خبيثًاwicked
لم تكن خائنًا كذوبًا خبيثًا
إنماrather أنتَyou مِنamong أجلِّthe noblest of الأنامِhumankind
إنما أنتَ مِن أجلِّ الأنامِ
You were not treacherous, given to lies, or wicked;
You were no traitor, liar, or wicked,
rather, you were among the noblest of humankind.
But the best of all people.
قدindeed مضـىhe departed نحوtoward ربِّهhis Lord فَجَزِعْنَاso we were distraught
قد مضـى نحو ربِّه فَجَزِعْنَا
بِصُـرُوفِat the vicissitudes of الأقدارِfates والأيامِand the days
بِصُـرُوفِ الأقدارِ والأيامِ
He has gone toward his Lord, and we were distraught
He left toward his Lord, so we panicked
at the vicissitudes of fate and time.
At the turns of fate and days.
فَبَقِينَاso we remained مِنfrom بعدِهِafter him كسـرابٍlike a mirage
فَبَقِينَا مِن بعدِهِ كسـرابٍ
حينَwhen ولَّىhe departed فُجَاءَةًsuddenly للسَّامِto death
حينَ ولَّى فُجَاءَةً للسَّامِ
So after him we remained like a mirage,
After him we remained like a mirage
when he suddenly departed into death.
When it suddenly turned to the toxic.
إنَّindeed ربيmy Lord بكلِّof every قلبٍheart عليمٌall-knowing
إنَّ ربي بكلِّ قلبٍ عليمٌ
ماnot سِواهanyone besides Him فيin الكونِthe universe مِنany علَّامِall-knowing one
ما سِواه في الكونِ مِن علَّامِ
Surely my Lord knows every heart;
My Lord knows every heart,
there is none all-knowing in the universe but Him.
None but Him in existence is All-Knowing.
ليتwould that أنِّيthat I فداؤُهُhis ransom لِسِهَامِfor the arrows of الْـthe (word continues)
ليت أنِّي فداؤُهُ لِسِهَامِ الْـ
ـموتِdeath (word completion) حينَwhen الهلاكُdestruction بالإقدامِthrough bold advance
ـموتِ حينَ الهلاكُ بالإقدامِ
Would that I were his ransom against the arrows of
If only I were his ransom from the arrows of death,
death, when destruction comes through bold advance.
When doom comes suddenly without pausing.
لَرَصَدْتُI would surely have awaited الهلاكَdestruction للنفسِfor the soul منِّيof mine
لَرَصَدْتُ الهلاكَ للنفسِ منِّي
ساعيًاstriving نحوهtoward it علىon الأقدامِfeet
ساعيًا نحوه على الأقدامِ
I would surely have awaited destruction for my own soul,
I would have lain in wait for doom upon myself,
striving toward it on foot.
Hastening toward it on foot.
لستُI am not حينَwhen المنونُdeath ترصُدُlies in wait for نفسـيmy soul
لستُ حينَ المنونُ ترصُدُ نفسـي
ممسكًاwithholding عنهاfrom it النفسَthe soul بالإحجامِby shrinking back
ممسكًا عنها النفسَ بالإحجامِ
When death lies in wait for my soul, I am not
When death lies in wait for my soul,
one to withhold my soul from it by shrinking back.
I do not restrain it from reluctance.
ياO أبيmy father هلhave...? رضيتَyou been pleased عنِّيwith me وهلand does...? يُرbeginning of 'please'
يا أبي هل رضيتَ عنِّي وهل يُر
ضِيكَcompletion of 'please you' ذاكthat الرثاءُelegy بعدَafter السَّامِdeath
ضِيكَ ذاك الرثاءُ بعدَ السَّامِ
O father, have you been pleased with me, and does
Oh father, are you pleased with me, and will
that elegy please you after death?
This elegy please you after farewell?
إنْif يكنْit be ليسnot ذاكthat قُمْrise! أسْعَI shall strive للموbeginning of 'for death'
إنْ يكنْ ليس ذاك قُمْ أسْعَ للمو
تِcompletion of 'death' فِدًىas a ransom غيرَnot واجِلٍfearful محجامِshrinking back
تِ فِدًى غيرَ واجِلٍ محجامِ
If that is not so, rise—I shall strive for
If that is not so, rise, listen to death,
death as a ransom, neither fearful nor shrinking back.
Ransom without hesitation or pausing.
إنماonly الموتُdeath وقْعُهits occurrence دونwithout شكٍّdoubt
إنما الموتُ وقْعُه دون شكٍّ
بقضاءٍby a decree يقتادُناthat leads us بخطامِby a halter
بقضاءٍ يقتادُنا بخطامِ
Death's stroke, without a doubt, comes only
Surely the impact of death undoubtedly
by a decree that leads us by a halter.
Leads us onward by a tether.
فيقودُso it leads الورىhumankind إليهto it جميعًاall together
فيقودُ الورى إليه جميعًا
لبحورٍto seas أمواجُهُنَّtheir waves طوامِsurging high
لبحورٍ أمواجُهُنَّ طوامِ
and leads all humankind toward it,
It thus leads all of creation toward it,
to seas whose waves surge high.
With waves whose billows are surging.
وكأنَّand as though المنونَdeath راعٍa shepherd وإنَّاand we indeed
وكأنَّ المنونَ راعٍ وإنَّا
لَرَعَاياindeed subjects تجرُّهمit drags them بزمامِby a rein
لَرَعَايا تجرُّهم بزمامِ
It is as though death were a shepherd, and we
As if death is a shepherd, and we
are indeed its charges, whom it drags by a rein.
Are flocks it drags by the lead.
وَضَعَhas placed الموتُdeath كلَّevery خلقٍcreature إليهbefore it
وَضَعَ الموتُ كلَّ خلقٍ إليه
نصْبَin front of عينٍan eye يعدُّهمit prepares them لمرامِfor an aim
نصْبَ عينٍ يعدُّهم لمرامِ
Death has set every creature before it,
Death has set out every creature toward it,
in its sights, preparing them for its aim,
Aiming them for its goal.
ليقودَto lead الجميعَeveryone نحوَtoward صفيحٍflat stone slabs
ليقودَ الجميعَ نحوَ صفيحٍ
حيثُwhere وارَىit buried الآطامَthe fortresses بالآطامِbeneath the fortresses
حيثُ وارَى الآطامَ بالآطامِ
to lead them all toward flat stone slabs,
To guide all toward a narrow pit,
where it buried fortresses beneath fortresses.
Where it has buried the skulls upon skulls.
ليسthere is not فيin الدنياthe world مِنany خلودٍimmortality لخلقٍfor a creature
ليس في الدنيا مِن خلودٍ لخلقٍ
كلُّevery خلقٍcreature مصيرُهُits destination لِرِجامِto heaps of stones
كلُّ خلقٍ مصيرُهُ لِرِجامِ
There is no immortality in this world for any creature;
In life there is no eternity for any creature,
every creature is destined for heaps of stones,
Every creature's fate is to fall.
وسِلامٍand stones منfrom حولهنَّaround them سِلامٌstones
وسِلامٍ من حولهنَّ سِلامٌ
فيin قبورٍgraves قدindeed سُتِّرَتْhave been covered بِسِلامِwith stones
في قبورٍ قد سُتِّرَتْ بِسِلامِ
and stones, with stones all around them,
And peace be upon them, peace,
in graves that have been covered with stones.
In graves garbed in peace.
ليتwould that شعريmy knowledge متىwhen يكونُwill be قضائيmy appointed end
ليت شعري متى يكونُ قضائي
لأراهso I may see him فيin حفرةِthe pit of الأنسامِsouls
لأراه في حفرةِ الأنسامِ
Would that I knew when my appointed end will come,
I wonder when my appointed time will be,
so I may see him in the pit of souls.
To see it in the burrow of forgetfulness.
كيفhow قادled الرَّدَىdeath أبيmy father اليومَtoday عنَّاaway from us
كيف قاد الرَّدَى أبي اليومَ عنَّا
كيفhow أمسيتَyou came to evening دُونَنَاapart from us لِلْحِمامِto death
كيف أمسيتَ دُونَنَا لِلْحِمامِ
How did death lead my father away from us today?
How has loss today taken my father from us?
How has evening found you apart from us, given over to death?
How have you become distanced without us for intimates?
كيفhow أحياI live وقدand already هلكتَyou have perished وكيفand how الـthe (word continues)
كيف أحيا وقد هلكتَ وكيف الـ
ـعيشُlife (word completion) منِّيfor me يطيبُbecomes sweet بالأيامِwith the days
ـعيشُ منِّي يطيبُ بالأيامِ
How can I live when you have perished, and how can
How do I live when you are gone, and how is
life be sweet to me as the days go by?
Living sweet for me with the days?
لاnot أرىI see نفسـيmy soul ترغبُdesires العيشَlife يومًاever
لا أرى نفسـي ترغبُ العيشَ يومًا
بمرورِwith the passing of الأيامِthe days والأعوامِand years
بمرورِ الأيامِ والأعوامِ
I do not see my soul ever desiring life,
I do not see myself desiring life ever,
as days and years pass.
With the passage of days and years.
قدindeed طواهhas folded him away الرَّدَىdeath فأصبحتُso I became تعْسًاwretched
قد طواه الرَّدَى فأصبحتُ تعْسًا
بعدَafter عزٍّhonor ظننتُهI thought it لِدَوَامِfor permanence
بعدَ عزٍّ ظننتُه لِدَوَامِ
Death has folded him away, and I have become wretched,
Loss has shrouded him, so I have become miserable
after the honor I thought would last forever.
After power I thought everlasting.
أيُّwhat خطْبٍcalamity قدindeed فاجَأَhas surprised القلبَthe heart فارفَـbeginning of 'so it scattered'(مline-continuation marker)
أيُّ خطْبٍ قد فاجَأَ القلبَ فارفَـ(م)
ـضَّcompletion of 'scattered' كئيبًاsorrowful كَعَصْفِlike the scattering of عَصْفِchaff الحُطَامِbroken stalks
ـضَّ كئيبًا كَعَصْفِ عَصْفِ الحُطَامِ
What calamity suddenly struck the heart, so that it
What misfortune has suddenly struck my heart,
scattered in sorrow like windblown chaff from broken stalks?
Grieving, like the debris of collapse?
ياO نسيمَbreeze of القبورِthe graves إنْif جئتَyou come فاحمِلْthen carry
يا نسيمَ القبورِ إنْ جئتَ فاحمِلْ
مِنfrom أبيmy father نحوناtoward us أجلَّthe noblest سَلامِgreeting
مِن أبي نحونا أجلَّ سَلامِ
O breeze of the graves, if you come, then carry
Oh breeze of the graves, if you come, carry
from my father to us the noblest greeting.
The finest peace from my father to us.
ولئنand if indeed عدتَyou return نحوهtoward him فاحمِلِthen carry البِـbeginning of 'the filial devotion'(مline-continuation marker)
ولئن عدتَ نحوه فاحمِلِ البِـ(م)
ـرَّcompletion of 'filial devotion' إليهto him وكلَّand every شوقٍlonging دامِthat endures
ـرَّ إليه وكلَّ شوقٍ دامِ
And if you return toward him, then carry
If you return to him, carry love
filial devotion to him, and all the longing that endures.
And every lasting longing to him.
Sol 6.1