هوىfell منfrom نظامthe string of الملكkingship واسطةthe central jewel of العقدthe necklace
هوى من نظام الملك واسطة العقد
ولمand not يكthere was منfrom صرفthe stroke of المنيةdeath منany بدescape
ولم يك من صرف المنية من بد
The central jewel has fallen from the necklace of kingship,
He inclined from the order of the majestic king, and the mediator of the pact
and there was no escaping death's stroke.
And he was not to be diverted from the course of fate
فماso what للرماحfor the spears السمرbrown مشرعةleveled القناthe spear shafts
فما للرماح السمر مشرعة القنا
وماand what للصفاحfor the sword blades البيضwhite مرهفةhoned الحدthe edge
وما للصفاح البيض مرهفة الحد
So what use are the brown spears with their shafts leveled,
So why are the dark spears widespread with sharp blades?
and what use are the white blades with their edges honed?
And why are the white swords unsheathed?
أمنis it from بعدafter فقدانthe loss of العزيزal-ʿAzīz محمدMuḥammad
أمن بعد فقدان العزيز محمد
تدورturns رحىthe millstone of حربwar علىupon صافنٍa steed poised on three legs نهدtall and sturdy
تدور رحى حرب على صافنٍ نهد
Is it after the loss of al-ʿAzīz Muḥammad
Is it after the loss of the dear Muhammad
that war's millstone turns upon a powerful, poised steed?
That the millstone of war revolves on a polished grindstone?
اذاif عطلتis emptied منof هذهthese حومةthe heart of الوغىbattle
اذا عطلت من هذه حومة الوغى
فماso what تصنعdo الفرسانthe horsemen بالقضبwith the swords والملدand the supple spears
فما تصنع الفرسان بالقضب والملد
If the heart of battle is emptied of these,
If you refrain from this tumult of turmoil
what can the horsemen do with swords and supple spears?
What will the horsemen do with the bamboo and the tents?
لقدindeed جلّis too great هذاthis الرزءcalamity عنfor وصفthe description of واصفa describer
لقد جلّ هذا الرزء عن وصف واصف
كماjust as كلّgrew dull عنat إدراكهgrasping it حدَّthe keenness of ذيone possessing حدّacuity
كما كلّ عن إدراكه حدَّ ذي حدّ
Indeed, this calamity exceeds any describer's account,
This calamity is too grave to be described by any describer
as a keen mind's edge grows dull trying to fathom it.
Just as it is beyond the comprehension of anyone with reason
سقىmay water جدثاًa grave ضمenfolded المكارمnoble virtues تربهits earth
سقى جدثاً ضم المكارم تربه
ولحداًand a burial niche حوىheld تلكthose المناقبnoble qualities منof لحدa burial niche
ولحداً حوى تلك المناقب من لحد
May a grave whose earth enfolds noble virtues be watered,
He watered a grave that embraced all virtues with its soil
and a tomb that holds those merits—what a tomb!—
And a tomb that contained those merits within its enclosure
مواطرُshowers of دمعtears ماnot تزالcease تمدهاreplenishing them
مواطرُ دمع ما تزال تمدها
سحائبclouds تحدوهاdrive them onward مواسمseasons منof وجدِgrief
سحائب تحدوها مواسم من وجدِ
by showers of tears, unceasingly replenished
The clouds of weeping are still supplemented
by clouds urged onward by seasons of grief.
By seasons of grief that motivate them
فللهso, by God! ماhow أذكىfragrant ثراهhis earth كأنماas though
فلله ما أذكى ثراه كأنما
تنفسbreathed فيin روضthe garden of المراحمmercies عنforth ندِfragrant incense
تنفس في روض المراحم عن ندِ
By God, how fragrant his earth—as though
By Allah, how fragrant is his dust, as if
it breathed forth incense in the garden of mercies.
It breathes in the garden of mercy from close by
لئنif indeed أظلمتgrew dark دنياthe world of العفاةthose seeking bounty لفقدهbecause of losing him
لئن أظلمت دنيا العفاة لفقده
فقدyet indeed اشرقتgrew radiant منfrom وجههhis face جنةthe Garden of الخلدِeternity
فقد اشرقت من وجهه جنة الخلدِ
Though losing him has darkened the world of those seeking bounty,
If the world of mortals has darkened due to losing him
yet his face has made the Garden of Eternity radiant.
His face has illuminated the eternal Garden
عليكupon you سلامthe peace of اللهGod ياO خيرbest of مالكrulers
عليك سلام الله يا خير مالك
مضىdeparted غيرnot مصحوبaccompanied سوىexcept by حلهthe robe of الحمدِpraise
مضى غير مصحوب سوى حله الحمدِ
God's peace be upon you, O best of rulers,
Peace be upon you, O best of angels
who departed with no companion save the robe of praise.
He passed away accompanied only by his praiseworthiness
Sol 6.1