جلّwas grave المصابُthe calamity وجاءand came عيدٌa festival مشرقُradiant
جلّ المصابُ وجاء عيدٌ مشرقُ
فبأيّso of what شيءthing ليتwould that شعريmy knowledge أنطقُI speak
فبأيّ شيء ليت شعري أنطقُ
Grievous is the calamity, and a radiant festival has come.
The affliction has set in, and a radiant feast has arrived,
So of what am I to speak—would that I knew?
With what can I speak, I wonder?
أمرانtwo events قدindeed عظُماboth grew momentous وُثمّand there is تنافرٌdiscord
أمران قد عظُما وُثمّ تنافرٌ
فالجمعُso the joining بينهماbetween them both مجالscope ضيقnarrow
فالجمعُ بينهما مجال ضيق
Two events have grown momentous, and there is discord;
Two matters have become grave, and discord emerged between them,
so the scope for bringing them together is narrow.
Bringing them together is a narrow space,
أمرانtwo events لاnot يدريknows القؤولُthe eloquent speaker لحيرةًfrom bewilderment
أمران لا يدري القؤولُ لحيرةً
أوصافُdescriptions أيwhich of الحادثينthe two events ينسّقhe arranges
أوصافُ أي الحادثين ينسّق
Two events: bewildered, the eloquent speaker cannot tell
Two matters the speaker knows not in perplexity,
which of the two events he should compose descriptions of.
Which of the two events' attributes to arrange,
خطبٌa calamity دَهَاstruck وتلاهand followed it عيدa festival قدindeed زهاshone splendidly
خطبٌ دَهَا وتلاه عيد قد زها
فعلامَso why أبوابَthe gates النهيreason لاnot تغلقare closed
فعلامَ أبوابَ النهي لا تغلق
A calamity struck, and a resplendent festival followed it.
Sad tidings occurred, followed by a feast that has adorned,
So why are the gates of reason not closed?
Why then are the gates of prohibition not closed?
إنif أوجبmade obligatory العيدُthe festival الجديدnew تهانئاًcongratulations
إن أوجب العيدُ الجديد تهانئاً
فوجوبthen the obligation آياتِtokens التعازيof condolence أسبَقtakes precedence
فوجوب آياتِ التعازي أسبَق
If the new festival makes congratulations a duty,
If the new feast necessitates congratulations,
then the duty to offer tokens of condolence comes first.
The obligation of condolences is more pressing,
أيطيعwill it obey? داعيthe call of البشرjoy أمor داعيthe call of الأسىsorrow
أيطيع داعي البشر أم داعي الأسى
قلبيmy heart ويحلوand becomes sweet الصفوserenity أمor يتمزقis torn apart
قلبي ويحلو الصفو أم يتمزق
Will the call of joy or the call of sorrow be heeded
Shall I obey the caller of joy, or the caller of sorrow?
by my heart—and will serenity be sweet, or my heart be torn apart?
My heart is torn between sweetness and agony.
ماnever أخلدتsettled into repose منهاfrom them العيونthe eyes لقرةfor comfort
ما أخلدت منها العيون لقرة
إلاّexcept that وقيّدَهنand shackled them دمعٌtears مطلقunfettered
إلاّ وقيّدَهن دمعٌ مطلق
Never did the eyes find in them a comforting repose
No cheer has lasted in their eyes,
without unfettered tears shackling them.
Except shackled by overflowing tears.
Sol 6.1