رزئت بمن لا أملك العين بعدهُ

رزئت بمن لا أملك العين بعدهُ

ففي كلِّ ما حين لها عبرةٌ تترى

ففي كلِّ ما حين لها عبرةٌ تترى

I was bereaved of one after whom I have no command over my eyes;

I have been bereaved of one; after him I cannot restrain my eye.

at every moment, tear follows tear from them.

For at every moment, tears follow one another from it.

وإنّي لأنساهُ ذُهولاً وحَيرَةً

وإنّي لأنساهُ ذُهولاً وحَيرَةً

وما ذلك النّسيان إلا من الذكرى

وما ذلك النّسيان إلا من الذكرى

Indeed, in my bewilderment and confusion, I forget him—

And I do forget him, in stunned distraction and bewilderment;

yet that forgetting arises only from remembrance.

Yet that forgetfulness comes only from remembrance.

عدمت أبا مروانَ حين وجدتُهُ

عدمت أبا مروانَ حين وجدتُهُ

ولم تبقَ في يُسرى خلائقه عسرا

ولم تبقَ في يُسرى خلائقه عسرا

I lost Abu Marwan just when I had found him,

I lost Abu Marwan just when I had found him,

when no hardship remained amid the gentleness of his nature.

And no hardship remained amid the ease of his character,

وحين أقرَّ العينَ شرخُ شبابه

وحين أقرَّ العينَ شرخُ شبابه

وتمت به النُعمى وحفت به البشرى

وتمت به النُعمى وحفت به البشرى

Just when the first bloom of his youth delighted the eye,

And when the bloom of his youth delighted the eye,

when blessings were perfected through him and glad tidings surrounded him.

And blessing was complete in him, and glad tidings surrounded him.

وكنتُ إذا أيقظته لملمةٍ

وكنتُ إذا أيقظته لملمةٍ

أخذتُ الكرى عن مقلةٍ منه لا تكرى

أخذتُ الكرى عن مقلةٍ منه لا تكرى

Whenever some crisis roused him,

And whenever I woke him for a calamity,

I drove sleep from my eye because of him; it would not sleep.

I took slumber from an eye of his that never grew drowsy.

وطارَت به الجُلَّى إلى كل هَيعَةٍ

وطارَت به الجُلَّى إلى كل هَيعَةٍ

واثباجُها تُطوى وأوداجها تُفرى

واثباجُها تُطوى وأوداجها تُفرى

Grave dangers bore him flying toward every cry of alarm,

And the great calamity bore him flying toward every cry of alarm,

while broad backs were folded beneath him and jugulars slit.

With its broad backs folded and its jugular veins slit.

ومن قبلُ ما خاضَ البحارَ مُصَمّماً

ومن قبلُ ما خاضَ البحارَ مُصَمّماً

إلى البيتِ حتى استلأَم الرّكنَ والحِجرا

إلى البيتِ حتى استلأَم الرّكنَ والحِجرا

Before that, he had resolutely crossed the seas

And earlier he had braved the seas, resolute,

to the Sacred House, until he touched the Corner and the Stone,

Toward the House, until he touched the Corner and the Hijr.

وقفى إلى قبر الرسُول بزورةٍ

وقفى إلى قبر الرسُول بزورةٍ

فَقَضى ووفى الحقَّ والفَرض والنذرا

فَقَضى ووفى الحقَّ والفَرض والنذرا

then went on to the Messenger’s tomb for a visit,

Then followed that with a visit to the Messenger's tomb,

discharging and fulfilling every right, duty, and vow.

And so discharged and fulfilled the due, the obligation, and the vow.

وعفر في تلكَ المعالم وجهَهُ

وعفر في تلكَ المعالم وجهَهُ

سجوداً لمولىً يملك الخلق والأمرا

سجوداً لمولىً يملك الخلق والأمرا

At those holy sites he rubbed his face in the dust,

And at those sacred landmarks he rubbed his face in the dust,

prostrating to a Lord who rules creation and command.

Prostrating before a Lord who possesses creation and command.

وقد كنتُ في تلكَ السبيل احتسبته

وقد كنتُ في تلكَ السبيل احتسبته

وأضمرت يأساً عن لقائي له صبرا

وأضمرت يأساً عن لقائي له صبرا

On that journey I had already resigned myself to losing him for God’s reward,

And on that journey I had counted him lost, trusting in divine reward,

and patiently harbored despair of ever meeting him again.

And patiently harbored despair of meeting him.

فرُدَّ على رغم الخُطوبِ مُسَلَّماً

فرُدَّ على رغم الخُطوبِ مُسَلَّماً

وقد حازَ من آثاره في التُّقى فَخرا

وقد حازَ من آثاره في التُّقى فَخرا

Yet He returned him safely to me despite the perils,

Yet he was returned unharmed, despite calamities,

after he had won from that journey glory in piety.

And had won honor through his deeds of piety.

وزشدت به وجداً كما ازدادَ غِبطةً

وزشدت به وجداً كما ازدادَ غِبطةً

وحُزتُ إلى عُمري بريعانهِ عُمرا

وحُزتُ إلى عُمري بريعانهِ عُمرا

My yearning for him grew as he grew in happiness,

And my love for him grew as his happiness increased,

and through the springtime of his youth I gained another lifetime beyond my own.

And through his youthful bloom I gained another life beside my own.

وطوَّلتُ آمالي رجاءَ بقائِهِ

وطوَّلتُ آمالي رجاءَ بقائِهِ

فأسفَر ذاك الطُّول عن مُدّةٍ قَصرا

فأسفَر ذاك الطُّول عن مُدّةٍ قَصرا

I prolonged my hopes, hoping he might remain;

And I lengthened my hopes, hoping he would remain,

but that prolonging disclosed the shortness of my allotted term.

Yet that length yielded only a short span.

وأسلمني في كُربَة مُدلَهِمّةٍ

وأسلمني في كُربَة مُدلَهِمّةٍ

نزلتُ ولم أملك على حُكمها قسرا

نزلتُ ولم أملك على حُكمها قسرا

It delivered me into pitch-black anguish,

And he left me in pitch-dark anguish,

which descended while I had no power to resist its decree.

I sank into it, with no power to resist its rule.

تقسّمني ما بين حَيٍّ وميّتٍ

تقسّمني ما بين حَيٍّ وميّتٍ

فمن مَعشَرٍ قَتلى ومن مَعشَرٍ أسرى

فمن مَعشَرٍ قَتلى ومن مَعشَرٍ أسرى

It divided me between one living and one dead:

It divides me between the living and the dead:

part of me among a company of the slain, and part among a company of captives.

One company lies slain, another is captive.

وكان ظهيراً لي عَليهم وفيهمُ

وكان ظهيراً لي عَليهم وفيهمُ

أشدُّ به أزراً وأحمي به ظهرا

أشدُّ به أزراً وأحمي به ظهرا

He had been my supporter against them and among them;

And he was my supporter against them and among them;

through him I strengthened my arm and shielded my back.

Through him I braced my loins and guarded my back.

فهوَ عند فقده فقد من مضى

فهوَ عند فقده فقد من مضى

وصارَت به الكُبرى التي كانت الصُّغرى

وصارَت به الكُبرى التي كانت الصُّغرى

Thus, when I lost him, I lost all those who had passed before,

Thus his loss was the loss of those who had gone before,

and through him the calamity that had been the lesser became the greater.

And through him the lesser grief became the greater.

وما ماتَ إلا بعدَما مات قِرنُهُ

وما ماتَ إلا بعدَما مات قِرنُهُ

ولاقَاهُ من هَبَّاتِهِ الضَّيغمُ الأضرى

ولاقَاهُ من هَبَّاتِهِ الضَّيغمُ الأضرى

He did not die until his peer had died,

And he died only after his opponent had died,

and amid his fierce assaults the fiercest lion met him.

And the fiercest lion met him amid his charges.

فَراه بِيُمناهُ بصارمِ نفسهِ

فَراه بِيُمناهُ بصارمِ نفسهِ

وخلّى على كُرهٍ لصاحبهِ اليُسرى

وخلّى على كُرهٍ لصاحبهِ اليُسرى

He clove him with his right hand, with the sharp sword of his spirit,

He cleft him with his right hand, with his own keen blade,

and, unwillingly, left his opponent the left hand.

And reluctantly left his left hand to his companion.

وما زالَ أقران الظهور مُقاتلاً

وما زالَ أقران الظهور مُقاتلاً

وكيفَ تَوقّي المَوتِ من حيثُ لا يُدرى

وكيفَ تَوقّي المَوتِ من حيثُ لا يُدرى

He never ceased fighting mounted peers—

And he never ceased fighting mounted rivals;

but how can death be warded off when it comes from an unknown quarter?

How can one guard against death from an unknown quarter?

وما ساقَ ذلكَ الحَتفَ إلا شهادةٌ

وما ساقَ ذلكَ الحَتفَ إلا شهادةٌ

تركتَ بِها في كُلِّ مَنزِلَةٍ نَشرا

تركتَ بِها في كُلِّ مَنزِلَةٍ نَشرا

That doom brought him nothing but martyrdom,

And nothing brought that death but martyrdom,

leaving his renown spread through every station.

Through which you left a fragrance at every station.

تَعوّضتَ من فانٍ بباقٍ مُخَلَّدٍ

تَعوّضتَ من فانٍ بباقٍ مُخَلَّدٍ

وعَوّضتني منكَ التَّأسِّيَ والأَجرا

وعَوّضتني منكَ التَّأسِّيَ والأَجرا

I exchanged one mortal for one abiding and immortal,

You exchanged the fleeting for the abiding and everlasting,

and in your place I was granted consolation and reward:

And in place of yourself you gave me consolation and reward.

فَمِن مَنزِل البَلوى إلى منزِل الرِّضى

فَمِن مَنزِل البَلوى إلى منزِل الرِّضى

ومِن عَرَض الدُّنيا إلى جَوهر الأُخرى

ومِن عَرَض الدُّنيا إلى جَوهر الأُخرى

from the abode of affliction to the abode of divine favor,

So from the abode of trial to the abode of contentment,

from this world’s transient show to the enduring substance of the next.

And from this world's passing goods to the substance of the next.

سأصبر إلا عن سَوابقِ عَبرَةٍ

سأصبر إلا عن سَوابقِ عَبرَةٍ

أَرى أبداً جَفني بتصريفها يُغرى

أَرى أبداً جَفني بتصريفها يُغرى

I shall be patient, except before the onrush of a tear;

I shall be patient, save for the racing tears,

I always see my eyelid incited to pour it.

I see my eyelid always driven to let them flow.

وما عذَّبَ الرَّحمنُ بالدَّمع باكياً

وما عذَّبَ الرَّحمنُ بالدَّمع باكياً

يُداري بدَمع العَينِ في قَلبِه جَمرا

يُداري بدَمع العَينِ في قَلبِه جَمرا

The Merciful has never tormented a mourner with tears,

And the All-Merciful has never punished a weeper for tears,

who, with the eye’s tears, soothes the embers in his heart.

Who soothes with the eye's tears the embers in his heart.

وما مَفزَعُ إلا إلى البُكا

وما مَفزَعُ إلا إلى البُكا

وكُل حزازاتِ القلوب به تُقرا

وكُل حزازاتِ القلوب به تُقرا

I have no refuge except in weeping,

And there is no refuge except in weeping,

by which every festering pang of the heart is assuaged.

And through it all the aching pains of hearts are stilled.

وفي وجد يعقوبٍ بيوسفَ أُسوة

وفي وجد يعقوبٍ بيوسفَ أُسوة

فلا تَعذِلُوني اليَومَ في عَبرَةٍ تُذرى

فلا تَعذِلُوني اليَومَ في عَبرَةٍ تُذرى

In Jacob’s grief for Joseph there is an example for me;

And Jacob's grief for Joseph offers an example,

so do not reproach me today when tear follows tear.

So do not reproach me today for a tear that is shed.

وكُلُّ فتىً قد كانَ للعينِ قُرّةً

وكُلُّ فتىً قد كانَ للعينِ قُرّةً

سَيَملَؤها حرّاً كما مُلئت قُرّا

سَيَملَؤها حرّاً كما مُلئت قُرّا

Every youth who once brought cool delight to the eye

And every youth who once brought cool comfort to the eye

will fill it with grief, as once he filled it with delight.

Will fill it with heat, as once it was filled with coolness.

سَقَت جدثاً واراكَ كُلُّ غَمامةٍ

سَقَت جدثاً واراكَ كُلُّ غَمامةٍ

تُكشفُ عن أرضٍ حللت بها الضُّرا

تُكشفُ عن أرضٍ حللت بها الضُّرا

May every cloud water the grave that conceals you,

May every cloud water the grave that hides you,

unveiling itself above the earth where its downpour has settled.

Clearing harm from the land where you have settled.

وحيّاك عني كلُّ رَوحٍ ورَحمَةٍ

وحيّاك عني كلُّ رَوحٍ ورَحمَةٍ

وما شئت من نَورٍ ومن رَوضَة خَضرا

وما شئت من نَورٍ ومن رَوضَة خَضرا

May every breeze and mercy greet you on my behalf,

And may all comfort and mercy greet you on my behalf,

and may you have whatever you desire of light and a verdant garden.

And whatever you wish of blossoms and a green garden.

ويا كبدي هلا تفطرتِ حَسرَةً

ويا كبدي هلا تفطرتِ حَسرَةً

ويا أدمعي هلا جريتِ له حُمرا

ويا أدمعي هلا جريتِ له حُمرا

O my heart, why did you not burst apart from grief?

And O my liver, why have you not split with grief?

O my tears, why did you not flow blood-red for him?

And O my tears, why have you not flowed red for him?

ويا فرطي إنّي ذخرتُك لي غنىً

ويا فرطي إنّي ذخرتُك لي غنىً

ليومٍ يَعُودُ الأغنياءُ به فقرا

ليومٍ يَعُودُ الأغنياءُ به فقرا

O my forerunner, I had treasured you as riches for myself

And O my forerunner, I have stored you up as wealth for myself,

against a Day when the rich man will be reckoned poor.

For a day on which the rich become poor.

ويا مُودعيهِ في الثرى هل علمتمُ

ويا مُودعيهِ في الثرى هل علمتمُ

بأن لهُ في غير أرضِكُم قَبرا

بأن لهُ في غير أرضِكُم قَبرا

O you who laid him in the earth, did you know

And O you who laid him in the earth, did you know

that beyond your ground he has another grave?

That he has a grave elsewhere than in your land?

نعم كُلُّ قَبرٍ قبره فإذا بَدا

نعم كُلُّ قَبرٍ قبره فإذا بَدا

قرأتُ عليه من تَذكُّرِه سَطرا

قرأتُ عليه من تَذكُّرِه سَطرا

Yes—every grave is his grave; whenever one appears,

Yes, every grave is his grave; whenever one appears,

I read upon it a verse in remembrance of him.

I read upon it a line drawn from remembrance of him.

وإن لم أزُره في الحياةِ ورُبَّما

وإن لم أزُره في الحياةِ ورُبَّما

فَموعِدُنا المَضرُوب نَجعَلُهُ الحَشرا

فَموعِدُنا المَضرُوب نَجعَلُهُ الحَشرا

Though I did not visit him in life, perhaps

And if I do not visit him in this life—though perhaps I may—

we shall make the appointed Resurrection our meeting.

Then we shall make the Gathering our appointed meeting.

وقال لي الإخوانُ هلا نقلتهُ

وقال لي الإخوانُ هلا نقلتهُ

وما نقل من بَوَّأتُهُ القَلبَ والصَّدرا

وما نقل من بَوَّأتُهُ القَلبَ والصَّدرا

My friends said to me, “Why did you not move him?”

And my brethren said to me, 'Why not move him?'

But one whom I have lodged in heart and breast has never been moved.

But what need to move one I have lodged in heart and breast?

أأقربُ من فكري وذكري وخاطري

أأقربُ من فكري وذكري وخاطري

فأمضي له ظهراً وأحدُو به سَفرا

فأمضي له ظهراً وأحدُو به سَفرا

Is anything nearer than my thought, remembrance, and mind,

Is anything nearer than my thought, my remembrance, and my mind,

that I should ride a mount to him and urge it onward in travel?

That I should send a mount for him and urge him onward on a journey?

أعُقُّ بها أوصالهُ لو فعلتهُ

أعُقُّ بها أوصالهُ لو فعلتهُ

وأرهقُهُ في غيرِ محمَدةٍ عُسرا

وأرهقُهُ في غيرِ محمَدةٍ عُسرا

Were I to do so, I would load his limbs upon it

I would wrong his limbs through it, were I to do so,

and burden him, to no praiseworthy end, with hardship.

And burden him with hardship to no praiseworthy end,

وأنصِبُ من رَدَّ الإلهُ حياتَه

وأنصِبُ من رَدَّ الإلهُ حياتَه

وأوسَعها لمّا طوى عُمرَهُ نَشرا

وأوسَعها لمّا طوى عُمرَهُ نَشرا

Should I weary one whose life God has reclaimed,

And weary one whose life God has restored

and unfold again what his lifetime has folded up?

And spread wide when He folded up his span of years.

ألا إنني استَودَعتُهُ وحدَهُ

ألا إنني استَودَعتُهُ وحدَهُ

وحَسبي بِنَصرِ اللَه في ظُلمَةٍ نَصرا

وحَسبي بِنَصرِ اللَه في ظُلمَةٍ نَصرا

Behold, I have entrusted him to God alone;

Behold, I have entrusted him to Him alone,

God’s aid in the darkness is sufficient victory for me.

And God's aid in the darkness is aid enough for me.