أنوماًwould you sleep? ووعدُwhile the promise of الحادثاتِcalamities وعيدُa threat
أنوماً ووعدُ الحادثاتِ وعيدُ
وحاديand the driver of المناياdeath ليسthere is not عَنْهُfrom him مَحيدُescape
وحادي المنايا ليس عَنْهُ مَحيدُ
Would you sleep, when calamities’ promise is a threat,
I sleep while misfortunes lie in wait,
and there is no escape from death’s driver?
And the guide of death allows no escape.
وفيand in كلِّevery يومٍday للخطوبِfor calamities وليلةٍand night
وفي كلِّ يومٍ للخطوبِ وليلةٍ
وقائعُonslaughts تُفْنيannihilate جَمْعَناour company وتُبيدand destroy
وقائعُ تُفْني جَمْعَنا وتُبيد
And in every day and night, calamities have
Each day and night bring tribulations
onslaughts that annihilate our company and destroy it.
That annihilate our group and exterminate.
خليليَّmy two friends هُبَّاarise, you two فانْدُباso mourn, you two متحملاًa departing one
خليليَّ هُبَّا فانْدُبا متحملاً
أجدَّhastened نوىًdeparture إنَّindeed اللقاءَreunion بعيدfar away
أجدَّ نوىً إنَّ اللقاءَ بعيد
My two friends, arise and mourn a departing one,
My two friends, come mourn, long-suffering,
who hastened his departure; reunion is far away.
For I have lost hope, the meeting is far.
ولاand do not تحسباsuppose, you two أنَّthat الفراقَparting لأوبةٍfor a return
ولا تحسبا أنَّ الفراقَ لأوبةٍ
ولاnor أنَّthat مَنْwhoever تحتَbeneath الترابِthe earth يعودreturns
ولا أنَّ مَنْ تحتَ الترابِ يعود
And do not suppose this parting will lead to a return,
Do not think that parting is transient
nor that anyone beneath the earth returns.
Or that one underground can return.
أأبصرتَhave you seen? هاماًheads حالَinterposed مِنْfrom دونِهbefore them الرَّدىdeath
أأبصرتَ هاماً حالَ مِنْ دونِه الرَّدى
فَبَشَّرَthen brought glad news منهُfrom them بالإيابِof return بريدa messenger
فَبَشَّرَ منهُ بالإيابِ بريد
Have you ever seen heads barred by death,
Have you seen a protector beyond whom is devastation
and a messenger from them announcing a return?
Bring glad tidings of his return, O courier?
أثالثَO third day of عيدِthe feast of الفطرbreaking the fast أبقيتَyou left للأسىfor grief
أثالثَ عيدِ الفطر أبقيتَ للأسى
بقلبيin my heart ندوباًscars ماas long as تأوَّبَreturns عيدُa feast
بقلبي ندوباً ما تأوَّبَ عيدُ
O third day of Eid al-Fitr, you have left for grief
You left in my heart on Eid al-Fitr
scars in my heart for as long as any feast returns.
Wounds of sorrow that no Eid can heal.
طوىfolded away حَسَنَاًHasan فيكَin you الجديدانday and night بعدماafter
طوى حَسَنَاً فيكَ الجديدان بعدما
تسرْبَلَdonned ثوبthe robe of العيشlife وهوwhile it was جديدnew
تسرْبَلَ ثوب العيش وهو جديد
The ever-renewing day and night folded Hasan away in you, after
You took away Hassan though time
he had donned life’s robe while it was still new.
Had just clothed life in new raiment.
ذكرتُI recalled زماناًa time منهof his ليسis not بعائدٍreturning
ذكرتُ زماناً منه ليس بعائدٍ
فأصبحتُso I began أُبديI reveal لوعةًanguish وأُعيدand repeat
فأصبحتُ أُبدي لوعةً وأُعيد
I recalled his days, which will not return,
I remembered a bygone era, never to return,
so I began to voice my anguish again and again.
So I began to express agony and repeat my lament.
أُصَعِّدُI send upward أنفاسيmy sighs لنجمٍfor a star رأيتهI saw him
أُصَعِّدُ أنفاسي لنجمٍ رأيته
يُهالُis heaped عليهupon him بالأكفِّby hands صعيدearth
يُهالُ عليه بالأكفِّ صعيد
I send my sighs upward for a star I saw,
I send up my sighs to a star I saw
with earth heaped over him by hands.
Pelted with palm fronds from the plain.
فواso, oh! حسرتاmy grief! لمdid not يَنتصرْgain victory لزمانهfor his days
فوا حسرتا لم يَنتصرْ لزمانه
وقدwhile already صَبّحَتْهُattacked him at dawn للحمامِof death جنودarmies
وقد صَبّحَتْهُ للحمامِ جنود
Alas, he could not defend his days,
Alas for one whose time did not bring him victory,
when death’s armies attacked him at dawn.
As pigeons attacked him at dawn!
ألاah! ليتَif only شِعْريmy knowledge مَنْwho يقومrises لنصرِهِto aid him
ألا ليتَ شِعْري مَنْ يقوم لنصرِهِ
وأُسْرَتُهُwhile his family الأدْنَوْنَthe closest عَنْهُaway from him قُعودsitting idle
وأُسْرَتُهُ الأدْنَوْنَ عَنْهُ قُعود
Ah, would that I knew who would rise to help him,
Oh, would that I knew who will rise to defend him
while his closest kin sit idle, apart from him.
While his closest of kin from him aloof remain.
علىdespite الرغمunwillingness منّاon our part صِرْتَyou became رَهْنَa captive of تهائمٍlowlands
على الرغم منّا صِرْتَ رَهْنَ تهائمٍ
يغالطُdeceives منهنَّamong them العيونَthe eyes نُجودuplands
يغالطُ منهنَّ العيونَ نُجود
Against our will, you became a captive of lowlands,
Though we cared for you, by ill fate you were bound,
where uplands deceive the eyes.
Deceived by eyes whose glance feigns affection.
عزيزٌhard عليناupon us أنْthat سكنتَyou settled in منازلاًdwellings
عزيزٌ علينا أنْ سكنتَ منازلاً
تَشابَهُare alike أحرارٌfree men بهاin them وعبيدand slaves
تَشابَهُ أحرارٌ بها وعبيد
It is hard upon us that you have settled in dwellings
Dear to us that you dwelt in abodes
where free men and slaves are alike.
Where free and slave are equal.
أقمتَyou settled بدارٍin an abode لاno أنيسَcompanion بأرضهاon its ground
أقمتَ بدارٍ لا أنيسَ بأرضها
وإنeven though حلَّهاsettles in it بعدَafter الوفودthe companies وفودcompanies
وإن حلَّها بعدَ الوفود وفود
You have settled in an abode with no companion on its ground,
You stayed in a land comfortless,
though company after company has settled there.
Though tribe after tribe of visitors flocked to it.
وإنand indeed الغريبَthe stranger الفذَّthe solitary one مثلُكَone like you لاnot الذيthe one who
وإن الغريبَ الفذَّ مثلُكَ لا الذي
دُوَيْنَjust short of معانيهِhis aims صَحاصحُopen plains بيدdesert wastes
دُوَيْنَ معانيهِ صَحاصحُ بيد
And truly, the lone stranger is one like you, not one
A noble stranger like you is not one
with broad, barren desert plains between him and what he seeks.
Whose ideas the common people grasp.
وإنيand I indeed وقدand now أمسيتُI have become فيin دارِan abode of غُرْبةٍestrangement
وإني وقد أمسيتُ في دارِ غُرْبةٍ
فريداًalone لمنبتُّsurely cut off from العزاءِconsolation فريدalone
فريداً لمنبتُّ العزاءِ فريد
And I, now living in an abode of estrangement,
Now I in the land of exile remain alone,
alone, am surely bereft of solace, utterly alone.
Unique in my consolation, peerless in my agony.
نَفَضْتُI waved بألاّفيat my intimates يديmy hand وعشيرتيand my kin
نَفَضْتُ بألاّفي يدي وعشيرتي
وقلتand I said إليكمْaway with you فالمصابُfor the calamity شديدgrievous
وقلت إليكمْ فالمصابُ شديد
I waved my hand at my intimates and my kin,
I drove away my family and my clan,
and said, ‘Away with you, for the calamity is grievous.’
Crying the disaster is too great to bear!
أليسَis it not عظيماًa grave thing أنْthat أثرىI grow rich فيin جماعةٍa company
أليسَ عظيماً أنْ أثرى في جماعةٍ
وأنتwhile you بهاamong them قَيْدَfettered by الرِّجامgrave-stones وحيدalone
وأنت بها قَيْدَ الرِّجام وحيد
Is it not grievous that I should be rich in company,
Is it not grave that I in a group take joy
while you are there alone, fettered by the grave-stones?
While you are alone, fettered and shackled?
قليلٌlittle بُكاناour weeping أَلْفَa thousand حولٍa year وإنeven though قضىdecreed
قليلٌ بُكانا أَلْفَ حولٍ وإن قضى
بإكمالِfor completing حولٍa year بالبكاءin weeping لبيدLabid
بإكمالِ حولٍ بالبكاء لبيد
Our weeping for a thousand years is little, though it was decreed
Our weeping matters little if a year
by Labid that a full year be spent in tears.
Passes with weeping filling it completely.
وماand not جَمَدَتْstayed dry عَيْنُthe eye of امرئٍa man يومَon the day of بَيْنِهِhis parting
وما جَمَدَتْ عَيْنُ امرئٍ يومَ بَيْنِهِ
ولكنَّbut عيناًan eye لمdid not تجُدْكَshed freely for you جَمُودdry
ولكنَّ عيناً لم تجُدْكَ جَمُود
And no man’s eye stayed dry on the day of his parting,
No eye of any man since your loss is dry,
but an eye that did not flow for you is truly dry.
But an eye that cannot find you knows no tears.
ومنand who ذاthat one الذيwho يَنْهَىrestrains المدامعَtearful eyes بعدماafter
ومن ذا الذي يَنْهَى المدامعَ بعدما
رأىhe saw الموتَdeath فيin روضthe garden of الشبابِyouth يَرودُroams
رأى الموتَ في روض الشبابِ يَرودُ
And who is there to restrain the weeping eyes, after
Who can forbid tears now that
seeing death roam in the garden of youth?
Death is seen frolicking in the garden of youth?
أتاناit came to us بفرعٍwith a bough للشبيبةِof youth مائدٍswaying
أتانا بفرعٍ للشبيبةِ مائدٍ
تكادalmost جبالُthe mountains of الأرضِthe earth منهbecause of it تميدsway
تكاد جبالُ الأرضِ منه تميد
It came to us with a swaying bough of youth,
You were a branch whose table
at which the mountains of the earth almost sway.
Almost caused mountains to shift.
وكيفand how بقاءُthe survival of الغصْنِthe branch بينamid عواصفٍstorms
وكيف بقاءُ الغصْنِ بين عواصفٍ
منَfrom الدَّهْرِtime لاnot يُرْجىis hoped for لهنَّfor them ركودstillness
منَ الدَّهْرِ لا يُرْجى لهنَّ ركود
And how can a branch endure amid storms
How can a branch mid tempests stay upright
of time, with no hope that they will subside?
When tranquility is not hoped for from them?
لئنalthough جَزِعَتْwas distraught نفسيmy soul عليهover him فإنَّنيyet I indeed
لئن جَزِعَتْ نفسي عليه فإنَّني
علىover غَيْرِهِanyone else شَهْمُbrave الفؤادِof heart جَليدsteadfast
على غَيْرِهِ شَهْمُ الفؤادِ جَليد
Though my soul is distraught over him, I am indeed
If my soul laments him, toward others
in mourning others, stout-hearted and steadfast.
My heart is resolute, cold and calm.
وماand not الدمعُtears فيin كلِّevery الرزاياcalamities مذمَّمٌblameworthy
وما الدمعُ في كلِّ الرزايا مذمَّمٌ
ولاnor الصَّبْرُpatience عنْat the loss of كلِّall الأنامِhumankind حميدpraiseworthy
ولا الصَّبْرُ عنْ كلِّ الأنامِ حميد
And tears are not blameworthy in every calamity,
Tears are not blamed for every tragedy,
nor is patience over every human loss praiseworthy.
Nor is patience over all men praised.
رُزِئْتَyou were bereft of عَزائيmy solace بعدafter ماthat قارَعَit battled الأسىgrief
رُزِئْتَ عَزائي بعد ما قارَعَ الأسى
عليهover him إلىuntil أنْthat ماتit died وهوwhile it was شهيدa martyr
عليه إلى أنْ مات وهو شهيد
You were bereft of my solace after it battled grief
You ridiculed my consolation after sorrow
over him, until it died a martyr.
Assaulted it until it died a martyr's death.
ولوand if كنتُI were أسْطيعُI can التَّصَبُّرَself-imposed patience رَدَّنيwould bring me back
ولو كنتُ أسْطيعُ التَّصَبُّرَ رَدَّني
لحزميto my resolve وفاءٌloyalty طارفٌnewly acquired وتليدand long-held
لحزمي وفاءٌ طارفٌ وتليد
And if I could make myself endure, I would be brought back
Even if I had the firmness to show patience,
to my resolve by loyalty, newly acquired and long-held.
My ardor and custom of faithfulness returned me.
سقتكmay they water you أخيmy brother غُرَّthe bright ones of السحابِthe clouds وجونهاand their dark ones
سقتك أخي غُرَّ السحابِ وجونها
وإنeven though لمhas not يَزَلْceased دمعيmy tears عليكupon you يجودpour freely
وإن لم يَزَلْ دمعي عليك يجود
May the clouds, bright and dark, water you, my brother,
I gave you, my brother, the pure rain of clouds,
although my tears still rain upon you.
While my tears for you still pour down.
هجودكَyour sleep فيamong تلكthose الصفائحِstone slabs مانعٌprevents
هجودكَ في تلك الصفائحِ مانعٌ
جُفونيَmy eyelids أنْthat يسموrises لهنَّto them هجودsleep
جُفونيَ أنْ يسمو لهنَّ هجود
Your sleep among those stone slabs prevents
In those sheets, your shroud bars
sleep from rising to my eyelids.
My eyelids from rising to such heights.
فنومُكso your sleep منfrom تحتِbeneath الترابِthe earth مُسَكَّنٌsettled
فنومُك من تحتِ الترابِ مُسَكَّنٌ
وَنَوْميَand my sleep منfrom فوقِabove الترابthe earth شريدa fugitive
وَنَوْميَ من فوقِ التراب شريد
So your sleep beneath the earth is settled,
So while you sleep underneath the soil,
while my sleep above the earth is a fugitive.
My sleep above the soil wanders destitute.
Sol 6.1