بكُلّwith every والدةmother تفدىshe is ransomed وماand what ولدتshe bore
بكُلّ والدة تفدى وما ولدت
زهراءradiant طيبةpure الأعراقthe lineages مذكارُa bearer of sons
زهراء طيبة الأعراق مذكارُ
May every mother and all she has borne be offered as ransom
With every mother who sacrifices herself although she gave birth
for a radiant woman, pure of lineage, a bearer of sons.
To a beautiful, pure-blooded daughter endowed with glory
أحلَّهاhe placed her منfrom among ذُرىheights عدنانAdnan فيin شرفhonor
أحلَّها من ذُرى عدنان في شرف
عاليlofty الذرىthe summits مالهit has no منamong ذاthis الورىhumankind جارneighboring peer
عالي الذرى ماله من ذا الورى جار
She was placed among Adnan's heights in honor
She descends from the best lineage of Adnan with eminent nobility
of lofty summits, with no peer in this world.
None in this world can match her stature
بلrather ليتَif only شعريmy knowledge ماwhat يغنيavails الفداءُthe ransom وقدand already
بل ليتَ شعري ما يغني الفداءُ وقد
تشبثتhave fastened للعناياbelonging to calamities فيكinto you أظفارclaws
تشبثت للعنايا فيك أظفار
Yet would that I knew what ransom avails, when
Yet, alas, of what use is sacrificing when
calamity's claws have fastened upon you.
Claws of tribulation cling fast to you
ياO أكرمnoblest الأمهاتِthe mothers الطاهراتthe pure لقدindeed
يا أكرم الأمهاتِ الطاهرات لقد
أودعتِyou lodged قلبيmy heart غليلاburning anguish دونهbeneath it النارُfire
أودعتِ قلبي غليلا دونه النارُ
O noblest of pure mothers, you have indeed
O most generous of pure mothers, indeed
lodged in my heart an anguish fiercer than fire.
You have left in my heart distress that only fire can relieve
بينيbetween me وبينكand between you بُعدdistance المشرقينthe two easts علىdespite
بيني وبينك بُعد المشرقين على
قٌربnearness المزارthe resting place وماand not شَّطتgrew distant بكwith you الدارُthe abode
قٌرب المزار وما شَّطت بك الدارُ
Between you and me lies the distance of the two easts, despite
Between us is the breadth of two horizons, yet
your resting place being near; your abode has not taken you far.
Your shrine is near, though you did not reside here
سقاmay water ثراكِyour grave's earth وللسقياand for watering حللتyou settled بهin it
سقا ثراكِ وللسقيا حللت به
كفافُهُenough for it دِيمةsteady gentle rain وَطفاءُdense-clouded مِدرارَpouring abundantly
كفافُهُ دِيمة وَطفاءُ مِدرارَ
May your grave's earth be watered—you settled there to receive rain—
Your tomb is watered, and for watering it
with all it needs, by steady, dense-clouded, abundantly pouring rain.
A perpetually flowing spring suffices
إذاwhen بكتwept فوقهabove it انداؤهاits dewdrops ضحكتlaughed
إذا بكت فوقه انداؤها ضحكت
خِلالَهamid it منof أنيقlovely النبتthe plants أزهارflowers
خِلالَه من أنيق النبت أزهار
When its dewdrops weep above it, there laugh
When the echo of her weeping sounded above it
amid it flowers of lovely growth.
From amidst the delicate plants, flowers laughed
قلsay للجَنوبِto the south wind إذاwhen وافتarrived مُسَلِّمةًbearing greetings
قل للجَنوبِ إذا وافت مُسَلِّمةً
واستصحبتهاand accompanied it عشيَّاتُevenings وأسحارُand predawn hours
واستصحبتها عشيَّاتُ وأسحارُ
Tell the south wind, when it arrives bearing greetings,
Tell the south wind, when it comes greeting
with evenings and predawn hours accompanying it:
Accompanied by evenings and dawns
عُوجيturn aside علىtoward مسجدmosque الأقدامthe footprints واعتمديand head toward
عُوجي على مسجد الأقدام واعتمدي
سمتthe direction الشمالnorth ولاand do not يأخذكcarry you away تسيارُwandering
سمت الشمال ولا يأخذك تسيارُ
'Turn toward the Mosque of the Footprints, and take
Bend toward the Mosque of the Feet, and depend
a northerly course; let no wandering carry you away.
On the direction of the north, and let not wandering distract you
ونكسيand bring low الجوسقthe pavilion العاليthe lofty ولاand do not تقفيstop
ونكسي الجوسق العالي ولا تقفي
ماas long as لمnot تُلاقِكmeet you أعلامٌlandmarks وأحجارand stones
ما لم تُلاقِك أعلامٌ وأحجار
Bring low the lofty pavilion, and do not stop
Lower the high saddlebag, and do not stop
until landmarks and stones meet you,
Until flags and stones meet you
عنon يسرةthe left side المسجدthe mosque المشهورthe well-known معرفةrecognition
عن يسرة المسجد المشهور معرفة
بذيas the one with العمودينthe two columns عرفانfamiliar folk وأنكارand strangers
بذي العمودين عرفان وأنكار
to the left of the mosque widely known
On the right side of the well-known mosque—the one
as the Two Columns, to familiar folk and strangers alike.
With two columns—is recognition and denial
خَليleave aside الصفاتِthe descriptions ولكنbut حيثماwherever سطعتshone
خَلي الصفاتِ ولكن حيثما سطعت
منfrom القرافةal-Qarafa أضواءgleams وأنوارand lights
من القرافة أضواء وأنوار
Leave descriptions aside; rather, wherever there shine
Bypass the porticoes, but wherever lights
from al-Qarafa gleams and lights,
And illuminations shine from the dome
وفاضand overflowed عَرفfragrance كماas قدalready فَضّunsealed فيamid ملأٍa gathering
وفاض عَرف كما قد فَضّ في ملأٍ
منof التجارmerchants عيابَsacks المسكmusk عطّارُa perfumer
من التجار عيابَ المسك عطّارُ
and fragrance overflows, as though unsealed amid a gathering
And fragrance overflows as musk perfume overflowed
of merchants were a perfumer's sacks of musk,
Among throngs of merchants and perfumers
فثمّthere, then حُطَّتwas lowered عنfrom الأعوادِthe wooden bier ساريةa night-traveler
فثمّ حُطَّت عن الأعوادِ سارية
منof الغمامthe clouds ثناهاturned it back الدهرTime مسيارever-roaming
من الغمام ثناها الدهر مسيار
there, then, was lowered from the bier a night-traveling
There the curtains were lowered from the pillars—
cloud, turned back by Time, the ceaseless wanderer.
The vicissitudes of time wore them threadbare
وثمand there بابa gate إلىto الفردوسParadise مختصرshortened
وثم باب إلى الفردوس مختصر
منهfrom it الطريقthe path فنعمso excellent is البابُthe gate والدارand the abode
منه الطريق فنعم البابُ والدار
And there is a gate to Paradise, with a shortened
And there is a door leading to Paradise, a shortcut
path leading from it—how excellent the gate and the abode!'
By which is the path—so excellent is the door and the house
ياO ربّLord كنbe عندtrue to ظنيmy expectation فيكof You ليfor me ولهاand for her
يا ربّ كن عند ظني فيك لي ولها
كذاكthus يفعلacts رحبُboundless الطولbounty غفارُever-forgiving
كذاك يفعل رحبُ الطول غفارُ
Lord, be true to my hopes in You, for me and for her;
O Lord, be as I think You are to me and to her
thus acts the One of boundless bounty, the Ever-Forgiving.
So does the Most Forgiving, Vast in Generosity, act
قدindeed كنتُI was أحسبهمI thought them فيamong القاطنينthe settled residents معيwith me
قد كنتُ أحسبهم في القاطنين معي
ماnot كنتI was أحسبthinking أنthat القومthe people زوّارُvisitors
ما كنت أحسب أن القوم زوّارُ
I had thought them among those settled with me;
I used to think they were residing with me
I never thought those people were merely visitors.
I did not think they were visitors
لاmay not غَرَّنيdeceive me أملhope منfrom بعدهاafter her أبداًever
لا غَرَّني أمل من بعدها أبداً
هيهاتfar from it! كُلٌall منof التأميلhoping غرَّارُdeceptive
هيهات كُلٌ من التأميل غرَّارُ
May no hope ever deceive me after her;
No hope after her will ever delude me
Far from it! All hoping is deceitful.
Far from it! All hope misleads
منwho كانwould have يخبرنيtell me والدارwhile the house جامعةholding everyone together
من كان يخبرني والدار جامعة
أنthat الأحبةthe loved ones بعدafter العينactual presence آثارtraces
أن الأحبة بعد العين آثار
Who would have told me, while the house held us together,
If only someone had told me while the house was full
that loved ones, once gone from sight, become mere traces?
That the loved ones were, after loss, but traces
ياO منزلاhouse باتbecame منof سُكانهits inhabitants عُطلاempty
يا منزلا بات من سُكانه عُطلا
ماقscarcely (fragment) يلwas said (fragment) حلُّوهthey settled in it حتىuntil قيلit was said قدalready سارواthey departed
ماق يل حلُّوه حتى قيل قد ساروا
O house, left empty of your inhabitants,
O dwelling that some of its inhabitants spent the night in it
scarcely was it said, 'They settled here,' before it was said, 'They have departed.'
Then, before morning, it was said they departed
قضيتyou fulfilled منهمومنfrom them and from إيناسهمtheir comforting company وطراًa desire
قضيت منهمومن إيناسهم وطراً
وقدand indeed بقىremained لكfor you أوطارdesires وأوطارand desires
وقد بقى لك أوطار وأوطار
You fulfilled a longing through them and their comforting company,
I spent happy moments with them, and they were
yet longing upon longing still remains for you.
Phases that for you remain, phase after phase
كلeveryone يفارقparts from فيin الدنياthis world أحبَّتهhis loved ones
كل يفارق في الدنيا أحبَّته
وإنماand it is only هوit إعجالٌhastening وانظارand reprieve
وإنما هو إعجالٌ وانظار
Everyone in this world parts from those he loves;
All in life are parted from their loved ones
it is only a matter of hastening and reprieve.
But it is only hastening and respite
ونحنand we سَفرtravelers مطاياناour mounts إلىtoward امدٍan appointed end
ونحن سَفر مطايانا إلى امدٍ
أعمارناour lifespans وفنونand the varieties العيشof life أسفارjourneys
أعمارنا وفنون العيش أسفار
We are travelers; our mounts toward an appointed end
Our journey on steeds is toward a time
are our lifespans, and life's varied ways are journeys.
When our lives and worldly arts are but travels
لاnot ينفعbenefits المرءa person إلاّexcept ماwhat يقدِّمهhe sends it ahead
لا ينفع المرء إلاّ ما يقدِّمه
لاno درهمdirham بعدهafter him يبقىremains ولاand no دارٌhouse
لا درهم بعده يبقى ولا دارٌ
Nothing benefits a person but what he sends ahead;
No man benefits except by what he puts forth
no dirham remains his afterward, nor any house.
No coins remain thereafter, nor dwellings
صبراًpatience! فماfor there is no لقتيلfor one slain الدهرTime منany قَودٍblood vengeance
صبراً فما لقتيل الدهر من قَودٍ
يُرجىcan be hoped for ولاand no لعقيرfor one struck down الموتdeath عَقّارremedy
يُرجى ولا لعقير الموت عَقّار
Patience! For one slain by Time, no blood vengeance
Patience, for the slain of time have no retaliation
can be hoped for, nor any remedy for death's stricken victim.
And for the venom of death there is no antidote
ياO دهرTime أعظمthe greatest شيءthing هدّنيcrushed me أسفاًwith grief
يا دهر أعظم شيء هدّني أسفاً
ظعينةa woman in a howdah لكof yours لمnot يدركwas attained لهاfor her ثارvengeance
ظعينة لك لم يدرك لها ثار
O Time, the greatest thing to crush me with grief
O Time, the greatest thing that saddened me
is the woman you bore away, for whom no vengeance was won.
Was misfortune for which no vengeance was attained
لوif كنتَyou were ياO دهرTime منsomeone who يلقىcan be faced مبارزةًin single combat
لو كنتَ يا دهر من يلقى مبارزةً
أوor كانwere يدفعbe repelled بالمقدارby fate مقدارfate
أو كان يدفع بالمقدار مقدار
If you, O Time, were one who could be met in single combat,
If you were, O Time, one who meets in battle
or if fate could be repelled by fate,
Or one who repays like for like
ثناكَwould have turned you back جيشan army يُثيرraises النقعthe dust مشتملenveloped
ثناكَ جيش يُثير النقع مشتمل
لكنّهyet it بالقناwith spears الخطِّيfrom al-Khatt خَطَّارُswaying vigorously
لكنّه بالقنا الخطِّي خَطَّارُ
an army would have turned you back, raising dust, cloaked in it,
I would rouse against you an army that stirs up pools
yet swaying with spears of al-Khatt.
But you are a coward in the narrowest sense
قضتshe died ونحنwhile we حواليهاaround her نُطيفcircle بهاabout her
قضت ونحن حواليها نُطيف بها
كأنهاas though she بينناamong us عقرىa slaughtered she-camel وأيسارُand lot-casters
كأنها بيننا عقرى وأيسارُ
She died while we stood around her, circling her,
While we roamed around her, it was as though
as though she were a slaughtered she-camel and we the lot-casters.
She was both to our right and left
يلقىmeets الفتىthe young man وهوwhile he مضطرٌcompelled مصائبهhis calamities
يلقى الفتى وهو مضطرٌ مصائبه
كأنماas though هوhe للتسليمfor surrender مختارُchoosing freely
كأنما هو للتسليم مختارُ
A man meets his calamities under compulsion,
The youth faces his afflictions though coerced
as though he freely chose to surrender.
As if he had chosen to submit
وكمand how many لناfor us فيin خِلالthe course of العيشlife منof قدمa step
وكم لنا في خِلال العيش من قدم
فُسَرّso rejoice (unclear form) أنthat تتقضَّىcome to an end وهيthough they are أعمارُlifetimes
فُسَرّ أن تتقضَّى وهي أعمارُ
And how many steps we take along life's course,
How many steps in the course of life
rejoicing that they pass, though they are lifetimes.
Were cut short though they were our lifespans
للمرءfor a person فيin المرءa person تنبيهa wake-up call وموعظةand a lesson
للمرء في المرء تنبيه وموعظة
لوif كانwere ينفعof use إعذارfull admonition وإنذارُand warning
لو كان ينفع إعذار وإنذارُ
In one person another finds a wake-up call and a lesson,
Man is admonished and exhorted by man
if thorough admonition and warning could avail.
If only regret and warning were of benefit
Sol 6.1