حركاتٌmovements إلىtoward السكونِstillness تؤولُcome to an end
حركاتٌ إلى السكونِ تؤولُ
كلُّevery حالٍcondition معwith اللياليthe nights تَحُولُchanges
كلُّ حالٍ مع الليالي تَحُولُ
Movements end in stillness.
Movements lead to stillness,
Every condition changes with the nights.
Every state changes with the nights.
لاnot يصحّis possible البقاءُpermanence فيin دارthe abode of دنياthis world
لا يصحّ البقاءُ في دار دنيا
وَمَتىand when صحّheld true فيin النّهَىreason المستحيلُthe impossible
وَمَتى صحّ في النّهَى المستحيلُ
There is no permanence in this world's abode;
Abiding in the house of life cannot be sound,
and when has reason ever found the impossible true?
And if sound, it is the impossible prohibition.
والبراياand creatures أغراضُtargets نَبْلِthe arrows of المناياdeath
والبرايا أغراضُ نَبْلِ المنايا
وهيand they are أُسْدٌlions لهاfor them منof الدهرِtime غِيلُthickets
وهي أُسْدٌ لها من الدهرِ غِيلُ
And creatures are targets for death's arrows,
The wilds are the goals of death’s arrows,
and deaths are lions, with time for their thickets.
They are lions fed by fate.
كيفhow لاnot تسْلبُseize النفوسَsouls وتُرْديand destroy
كيف لا تسْلبُ النفوسَ وتُرْدي
ولهاand they have فيin الحياةlife مرعىًa pasture وبيلُbaleful
ولها في الحياة مرعىً وبيلُ
How could they not seize souls and destroy them,
How can they not rob souls and cast them down
when they have a baleful pasture in life?
When in life they have pasture and separation.
ماتَdied منfrom قبلِbefore ذاthis أبوكَyour father بداءٍof an illness
ماتَ من قبلِ ذا أبوكَ بداءٍ
أَنتyou منfor أجلِهhis sake الصحيحُthe healthy العليلُthe ailing
أَنت من أجلِه الصحيحُ العليلُ
Before this, your father died of an illness;
One died before your father of a malady,
because of him, you are healthy yet ailing.
You, because of it, are the healthy, the sick.
وإذاand when أجتُثّis uprooted أصلُthe root of فرعٍa branch تَبَقّىremains
وإذا أجتُثّ أصلُ فرعٍ تَبَقّى
فيهin it ماءٌwater منof الحياةِlife قليلُa little
فيه ماءٌ من الحياةِ قليلُ
And when a branch's root is uprooted, there remains
And if the root of a branch is uprooted
in it only a little water of life.
Some water of life in it remains, little.
ماwhat لناwith us نتبعُwe follow الأمانيّhopes هلّاwhy not
ما لنا نتبعُ الأمانيّ هلّا
عَقَلَتْناrestrained us عنfrom الأَمانيhopes العقولُminds
عَقَلَتْنا عن الأَماني العقولُ
Why do we chase hopes? Why have
Why do we follow wishes, why not
our minds not restrained us from hopes?
Restrain ourselves from wishes through reason?
كمhow many جريحٍa wounded man تعلّقَclung الرّوحُthe soul منهof him
كم جريحٍ تعلّقَ الرّوحُ منه
بالتمنّيto wishing والجسمُand the body منهof him قتيلُslain
بالتمنّي والجسمُ منه قتيلُ
How many a wounded man's soul has clung
How many a wounded man whose soul
to wishes, though his body lay slain!
Clung to wishing while his body was slain.
وبطيءُand one slow in الآمالhopes يَسْعىstrives بحرْصٍwith eagerness
وبطيءُ الآمال يَسْعى بحرْصٍ
خَطَفَsnatched العيشَlife منهfrom him حَتْفٌdeath عجولُhasty
خَطَفَ العيشَ منه حَتْفٌ عجولُ
And one whose hopes are slow strives eagerly;
Slow hopes urgently hasten,
hasty death snatched life away from him.
Sudden death seizes him from them.
عَمِيَbecame blind الخلقُhumankind عنto تعاديthe racing of خُيولٍsteeds
عَمِيَ الخلقُ عن تعادي خُيولٍ
ماnot لهاfor them فيin الهواءِthe air نَقْعٌdust مَهيلُbillowing
ما لها في الهواءِ نَقْعٌ مَهيلُ
People are blind to the racing of steeds
People are blind to the hostility of fate’s horses
that raise no billowing dust in the air.
With no restraints clanking in the air.
تنقلُcarry الناسَpeople منfrom حياةٍlife إلىto موdeath (first fragment)
تنقلُ الناسَ من حياةٍ إلى مو
تٍdeath (final fragment) علىalong ذاكَthat مرّpassed جيلٌa generation فجيلُthen a generation
تٍ على ذاكَ مرّ جيلٌ فجيلُ
They carry people from life to
Transporting people from a life to a death,
death; along that course, generation after generation has passed.
A generation passes, then a generation.
وَبِدهمٍand with black ones تمرّpass منهاamong them وشهبٍand gray ones
وَبِدهمٍ تمرّ منها وشهبٍ
أمِنَis it from الليلِthe night والنهارِand the day خيولُsteeds
أمِنَ الليلِ والنهارِ خيولُ
And among them pass black and gray steeds—
With them pass nights and shooting stars,
are these horses of night and day?
Secured from night and day, steeds.
سَهّلواthey eased منfrom نفوسهمْtheir souls كلّevery صعبٍhardship
سَهّلوا من نفوسهمْ كلّ صعبٍ
فالرّدىfor death لاnot يُقيلُgrants release to مَنْwhoever يَسْتقيلُseeks release
فالرّدى لا يُقيلُ مَنْ يَسْتقيلُ
They made light of every hardship in their souls;
They made easy in themselves every hardship,
for death grants no release to those who seek release.
So misery does not lighten one who becomes miserable.
واستدلّواand they sought proof علىof النفادِextinction بعادٍthrough ʿĀd
واستدلّوا على النفادِ بعادٍ
يُذْهبُdispels الشكَّdoubt باليقينِwith certainty الدليلُproof
يُذْهبُ الشكَّ باليقينِ الدليلُ
And they took ʿĀd as proof of extinction;
And they inferred perishing with distant proofs
proof drives doubt away through certainty.
That remove doubt with certain proof.
أيّwhat a رزءٍcalamity حكاهُhe related it مِقْوَلُthe tongue of ناعٍa death-announcer
أيّ رزءٍ حكاهُ مِقْوَلُ ناعٍ
صمّmay it grow deaf هذاthis الزمانُage عمّاto what يقولُhe says
صمّ هذا الزمانُ عمّا يقولُ
What a calamity the death-announcer's tongue proclaimed!
What broken bits can the saying of a self-blamer report
May this age be deaf to what he says!
When this age is deaf to his saying?
فلقدfor indeed فتّتَshattered القلوبَhearts وكادتْand nearly
فلقد فتّتَ القلوبَ وكادتْ
راسياتُthe firmly rooted الجبالِmountains منهbecause of it تَزُولُshift
راسياتُ الجبالِ منه تَزُولُ
For it has indeed shattered hearts, and almost
You have shattered hearts and almost
dislodged the firmly rooted mountains.
Made the mountains’ foundations crumble.
لمdid not يمتْdie أحمدAhmad أخوbrother of البأسِvalor حتّىuntil
لم يمتْ أحمد أخو البأسِ حتّى
ماتَdied ماthat which بينناamong us العزاءُconsolation الجميلُbeautiful
ماتَ ما بيننا العزاءُ الجميلُ
Ahmad, brother of valor, did not die until
Ahmed the brother of valor did not die until
beautiful consolation had died among us.
The beautiful condolence between us died.
يومَon the day قامتْrose بفقْدهِat his loss نائحاتٌmourning women
يومَ قامتْ بفقْدهِ نائحاتٌ
فيin لَبُوسٍa garb منof حُزْنِهِنّtheir grief يَهُولُterrifies
في لَبُوسٍ من حُزْنِهِنّ يَهُولُ
On the day mourning women rose at his loss,
On the day his loss raised wailing women
in a garb of their grief that struck terror,
In robes of tumultuous grief.
غُمِستْwere immersed فيin السوادblackness بيضُwhite وجوهٍfaces
غُمِستْ في السواد بيضُ وجوهٍ
فكأنّand so, as though الطلوعَrising فيهwithin it أُفُولُsetting
فكأنّ الطلوعَ فيه أُفُولُ
white faces were dipped in black,
White faces were dyed black
as though sunrise within that blackness were sunset.
As if the rising were sunset in them.
وعلىand upon مجلسِthe gathering of التنعّمِpleasure بُؤسٌmisery
وعلى مجلسِ التنعّمِ بُؤسٌ
فبديلُso the replacement for السّماعِmusic فيهِin it العويلُwailing
فبديلُ السّماعِ فيهِ العويلُ
And misery lay upon the gathering of delight;
And in the sitting of bliss, wretchedness,
wailing there replaced music.
So the substitute for merriment in it is wailing.
وَتَولَّتْand it turned away عِندَat التناهيthe utmost height افتراقاًin separation
وَتَولَّتْ عِندَ التناهي افتراقاً
ومضىand passed away ربّهُits master الوفيّthe loyal الوَصُولُthe generous giver
ومضى ربّهُ الوفيّ الوَصُولُ
And at its utmost height, joy gave way to parting,
And at the limit of fading, separation turned away
and its loyal, generous master passed away.
While his faithful Lord attained arrival.
أسمعَmade heard الرعدُthunder فيهfor him صرخةَa cry of حُزْنٍgrief
أسمعَ الرعدُ فيه صرخةَ حُزْنٍ
ملْءُfilling ليلthe night of الحزينthe grieving one فيهfor him أَليلُgroaning
ملْءُ ليل الحزين فيه أَليلُ
Thunder sounded a cry of grief for him;
Thunder heard in it a shriek of sadness
the mourner's night was filled with groaning for him.
As the night of sadness in it moaned.
ودموعُand the tears of السماءِthe sky فيin كلّevery أرْضٍland
ودموعُ السماءِ في كلّ أرْضٍ
فوقَover خدthe cheek of الثرىthe earth عليهِfor him تَجُولُwander
فوقَ خد الثرى عليهِ تَجُولُ
And the sky's tears, in every land,
And the sky’s tears in every land
wander over earth's cheek for him.
Wander over the cheek of the ground,
وحشاand the breast of الجوِّthe air حَشْوُهits filling نارُthe fire of برقٍlightning
وحشا الجوِّ حَشْوُه نارُ برقٍ
إنّهindeed it is فيin ضلوعِهِits ribs لَغَلِيلُsurely burning anguish
إنّه في ضلوعِهِ لَغَلِيلُ
And the air's breast is filled with lightning's fire;
Loneliness crowded the air, the kindling of lightning’s fire,
surely it is burning anguish within its ribs.
In its ribs is ample discontent.
أترىdo you think الغيثَthe rain باتspent the night يبكيweeping for أخاهُits brother
أترى الغيثَ بات يبكي أخاهُ
فبكاءُand the weeping of العُلىglory عَلَيهِover him طَويلُlong
فبكاءُ العُلى عَلَيهِ طَويلُ
Do you think the rain spent the night weeping for its brother?
Do you see rain crying for its brother
And glory's weeping over him is long.
So the crying of the sublime for him is long?
قائدَleader of الخيلِthe steeds بالكماةِwith armored warriors سِرَاعاًswiftly
قائدَ الخيلِ بالكماةِ سِرَاعاً
والضحىand the forenoon منfrom قَتامِهنّtheir dark dust أصيلُevening
والضحى من قَتامِهنّ أصيلُ
O leader of steeds bearing armored warriors swiftly,
The cavalry leader with perfect spears, hastily,
while forenoon was evening from their dust!
And dawn because of their darkness, original.
أيّwhich فضلٍvirtue نبكيهshall we mourn it منكَof yours بدمعٍwith tears
أيّ فضلٍ نبكيه منكَ بدمعٍ
ساكبٍstreaming فيهin them كلّevery نفسٍsoul تسيلُflows
ساكبٍ فيه كلّ نفسٍ تسيلُ
Which of your virtues shall we mourn with tears
What merit in you should we cry with
streaming, in which every soul dissolves?
Pouring tears in which every soul flows?
أَعَفافاًis it chastity أمor نجدةًvalor كنتyou were فيهاin it
أَعَفافاً أم نجدةً كنت فيها
قَسْوَرَthe lion of الغيلthe thicket والكريهةُand battle غولُa ghoul
قَسْوَرَ الغيل والكريهةُ غولُ
Your chastity, or the valor in which you were
Chastity, or rescue in which you were
the thicket's lion, while battle was a ghoul?
A horseman against wrongs and calamities?
أمor شباباًyouth كأنّماas though كانit was روضاًa garden
أم شباباً كأنّما كان روضاً
ناضراًlush فاغتدىthen came عليهِupon it الذبولُwithering
ناضراً فاغتدى عليهِ الذبولُ
Or your youth, as though it were a garden,
Or youth that was as if an orchard, flourishing,
lush, then overtaken by withering?
Then fading befell it.
وَاكتسىand became clothed فيin ثرىًearth تغيّبَwas hidden فيهin it
وَاكتسى في ثرىً تغيّبَ فيه
صدأًrust ذلكَthat الجبينُbrow الصقيلُpolished
صدأً ذلكَ الجبينُ الصقيلُ
And in the earth where it lay hidden,
And it was clothed in dust in which was lost
that polished brow became clothed in rust.
The rust of that polished forehead.
كنتyou were كالسِّيدlike a wolf للعدىto enemies والمناياand deadly fates
كنت كالسِّيد للعدى والمنايا
مقبلاتٌadvancing كأنَّهُنَّas though they were سيولُtorrents
مقبلاتٌ كأنَّهُنَّ سيولُ
You were like a wolf to foes, while deadly fates
You were like the master of foes and fate
advanced as though they were torrents.
Advancing while they are floods.
ولِصَوْبِand for the falling of السهامِarrows حوْليكَaround you وَبْلٌa downpour
ولِصَوْبِ السهامِ حوْليكَ وَبْلٌ
لاخضرارfor the greenness of الحياةِlife مِنهُfrom it ذُبولُwithering
لاخضرار الحياةِ مِنهُ ذُبولُ
And the arrows falling all around you were a downpour;
The arrows around you, a confusion,
from it, life's greenness withered.
For the greenery of life from it, withering.
طارَflew صَرفُthe stroke of الرّدىdeath إِلَيكَtoward you بِرَشقٍwith a volley
طارَ صَرفُ الرّدى إِلَيكَ بِرَشقٍ
خفّwas light والخطبُand the calamity فيin شباهُits sharp point ثقيلُheavy
خفّ والخطبُ في شباهُ ثقيلُ
The stroke of death flew toward you in a volley;
Ill-fortune cast you a glance and struck down
it was light, though the calamity in its point was heavy.
One whose affairs were weighty.
سَهمُan arrow غَربٍof unknown origin أصابَstruck ضَيغَمَa lion of حربٍwar
سَهمُ غَربٍ أصابَ ضَيغَمَ حربٍ
خاضَplunged فيinto العيشِlife منهfrom it نَصلٌan arrowhead قَتولُdeadly
خاضَ في العيشِ منه نَصلٌ قَتولُ
A stray arrow struck a lion of war;
An arrow of fate hit the sun of a war
its deadly point plunged into his life.
In life a cutting sword severed.
هابكَfeared you الموتُdeath إذwhen رآكit saw you مِسَحّاًswift in assault
هابكَ الموتُ إذ رآك مِسَحّاً
بطلاًa hero لاnot يصولُit attacks حَيثُwhere تَصولُyou attack
بطلاً لا يصولُ حَيثُ تَصولُ
Death feared you when it saw you charging,
Death feared you when it saw you wiping away
a hero—it does not charge where you charge.
A hero whom it does not assail where you assail.
لَوif بَداit appeared صورةًin bodily form إِلَيكَbefore you لَأضْحَىit would have become
لَو بَدا صورةً إِلَيكَ لَأضْحَى
فيin ثرَىthe earth of القبرِthe grave وهوand it would be منكَfor you بديلُa substitute
في ثرَى القبرِ وهو منكَ بديلُ
Had it appeared to you in bodily form,
If an apparition of you appeared to it
it would have lain in the grave's earth in your stead.
It would become in the grave’s dust but your substitute.
فَرَمَىso it shot عنfrom دُجُنَّةِthe gloom of النقعِthe dust نَحراًa throat
فَرَمَى عن دُجُنَّةِ النقعِ نَحراً
منكَof yours والجوّand the air بالظلامِwith darkness كَحيلُkohl-darkened
منكَ والجوّ بالظلامِ كَحيلُ
So from the dust's gloom it shot at your throat,
So it shot you in the throat from the quiver of doom
while the air was kohled with darkness.
While the atmosphere was darkly cloudy.
وإذاand when خافَfears منof شجاعٍa brave man جبَانٌa coward
وإذا خافَ من شجاعٍ جبَانٌ
غَالَهُhe struck him down by stealth منهfrom him جاهداًstriving hard ماwhatever يَغولُkills by stealth
غَالَهُ منه جاهداً ما يَغولُ
And when a coward fears a brave man,
And when a coward fears a valiant man
he strives to strike him down by stealth, with whatever can kill.
What he imagines about him is madness.
كنتَyou were سهمَthe arrow of البلاءِcalamity يرْفعis raised سهمٌan arrow
كنتَ سهمَ البلاءِ يرْفع سهمٌ
فيهwithin it للنفسِto the soul بالحِمامِwith death رسولُa messenger
فيه للنفسِ بالحِمامِ رسولُ
You were calamity's arrow; an arrow is raised,
You were the arrow of ordeal that an arrow raises
within it a messenger bringing death to the soul.
In which for the soul with the doves is a messenger.
كمhow many جوادٍa steed بكاكَwept for you غيرَnot صبورٍpatient
كم جوادٍ بكاكَ غيرَ صبورٍ
فنياحٌso a lament عليكَfor you منهfrom it الصّهيلُneighing
فنياحٌ عليكَ منه الصّهيلُ
How many a steed wept for you, unable to endure!
How many a steed wept for you, impatient,
Its neighing is a lament for you.
So neighing for you from it is the whinny.
وحسامٍand a keen sword أطالَprolonged فيin الجَفْنِthe scabbard نوماًsleep
وحسامٍ أطالَ في الجَفْنِ نوماً
لمdid not يُنَبّهْهُawaken it بالقرَاعِthrough clashing الصّليلُthe clang
لم يُنَبّهْهُ بالقرَاعِ الصّليلُ
And many a keen sword prolonged its sleep in the scabbard;
And a sword that lengthened sleep in the eyelid
the clang of combat has not awakened it.
The ringing of mail did not wake it.
أيّهاO القائدُcommander الأبيّthe unyielding عزاءًtake consolation
أيّها القائدُ الأبيّ عزاءً
فثواءُfor the stay of المقيمِthe one remaining منّاamong us رحيلُdeparture
فثواءُ المقيمِ منّا رحيلُ
O unbowed commander, take consolation:
O noble commander, condolences,
for the stay of those of us who remain is departure.
For he who stays the departure is departure.
وجليلٌand grievous مُصَابُthe loss of أحمدَAhmad لكنْbut
وجليلٌ مُصَابُ أحمدَ لكنْ
يُصْبِرُgives patience to النفسَthe soul للجليلِfor the grievous loss الجليلُthe great one
يُصْبِرُ النفسَ للجليلِ الجليلُ
And grievous is the loss of Ahmad, yet
Great is Ahmed’s affliction but
the great one gives the soul patience for grievous loss.
The noble makes the soul patient for the noble.
Sol 6.1