أَصبحتُI have become بعدَكafter you فيin الحياةِlife كفَانِlike one perishing
أَصبحتُ بعدَك في الحياةِ كفَانِ
وقدand indeed اكتَفَيْتُI have had enough ولاand not أَقُولI say كَفَانِيit suffices me
وقد اكتَفَيْتُ ولا أَقُول كَفَانِي
After you, I have become like one dead in life,
After you, I have become like two palms in life,
and I have had enough, yet I do not say, 'It is enough for me.'
Satisfied, though I do not say I am satisfied.
أَبْكِيI weep فتَجْرِيso flows مُهْجَتيmy lifeblood فيin دَمْعَتيmy tear
أَبْكِي فتَجْرِي مُهْجَتي في دَمْعَتي
فكأَنَّso as though ماwhat أَجريتهُI made it flow أَجْرَانيmade me flow
فكأَنَّ ما أَجريتهُ أَجْرَاني
I weep, and my lifeblood flows in my tear,
I cry and my love flows in my tears,
as though what I made flow has made me flow.
As if what I shed were two rivers.
وتُحَمُّand grow feverish أَنْفَاسِيmy breaths ولمَّاand not yet يُنْجِهَاrelieves them
وتُحَمُّ أَنْفَاسِي ولمَّا يُنْجِهَا
دَمْعٌtears هوit is البُحْرانُthe fever's crisis بلrather بَحْرَانtwo seas
دَمْعٌ هو البُحْرانُ بل بَحْرَان
And my breaths grow feverish, not yet relieved
My breaths are stifled, and when a tear saves them,
by tears that are the fever's crisis—no, two seas.
That tear is two seas, nay two oceans.
مَسَخَتْtransformed وفاتُكَyour death أَدْمُعِيmy tears فلَكَمand how often جَرَتthey flowed
مَسَخَتْ وفاتُكَ أَدْمُعِي فلَكَم جَرَت
كالدُّرِlike pearls وهِيْand they are اليَوْمَtoday كالمرْجَانlike coral
كالدُّرِ وهِيْ اليَوْمَ كالمرْجَان
Your death has transformed my tears; how often they flowed
Your absence has hardened my tears, for how often they flowed
like pearls, though today they are like coral.
Like pearls, and today they are like coral.
لاَno بَلْrather هيthey العِقْيَانُgold سَالَflowed وإِنَّمَاand only
لاَ بَلْ هي العِقْيَانُ سَالَ وإِنَّمَا
أَبْكِيI weep العزيزَthe dear one عليto me بالعِقْيَانِwith gold
أَبْكِي العزيزَ علي بالعِقْيَانِ
No, rather, they are gold flowing; I only
No, they are springs that flowed, and I
weep for one dear to me with gold.
Only cry for my dear one with springs.
قَدْindeed سِلْنَthey flowed أَلواناًin colors ليُعلَمَso it may be known أَنَّنيthat I
قَدْ سِلْنَ أَلواناً ليُعلَمَ أَنَّني
فيin حَمْلbearing فرْطِthe excess of الحُزْنِgrief غيرُnot الْوَانِيfaltering
في حَمْل فرْطِ الحُزْنِ غيرُ الْوَانِي
They have flowed in colors, that it may be known that I
They have taken on colors so it may be known that I
do not falter in bearing overwhelming grief.
In bearing the excess of grief, am not fading.
وافانِيcame to me النَّاعيthe death-messenger لكيin order to يَنْعَاكَannounce your death ليto me
وافانِي النَّاعي لكي يَنْعَاكَ لي
ومضىand departed علىalong أَدْرَاجِهِhis tracks يَنْعَانِيannouncing my death
ومضى على أَدْرَاجِهِ يَنْعَانِي
The death-messenger came to announce your death to me,
The mourner came to me to mourn you,
and retraced his steps announcing my own.
And went on his way, mourning me.
وغَزَاand attacked وجيشُand the army of الحُزْنsorrow منamong أَعْوانِهِhis allies
وغَزَا وجيشُ الحُزْن من أَعْوانِهِ
فبرزْتُso I came forth والإِعْوَالُand wailing منamong أَعْوانيmy allies
فبرزْتُ والإِعْوَالُ من أَعْواني
He attacked, with sorrow's army among his allies,
And the army of sorrow attacked with its soldiers,
so I came forth, with wailing among my allies.
So I went out, and my supporters were my soldiers.
لاnot أَدّعيI claim أَنَّthat النَّعيَّthe death-tidings أَصمَّنيdeafened me
لا أَدّعي أَنَّ النَّعيَّ أَصمَّني
فيamong منthose whom أَصَمَّit deafened وإِنَّماbut rather أَصْمَانيit struck me dead
في من أَصَمَّ وإِنَّما أَصْمَاني
I do not claim that the death-tidings deafened me
I do not claim that mourning has deafened me,
among those they deafened; rather, they struck me dead.
But mourning has deafened me.
ياO ثالثَthird beside القَمرَيْنِthe two moons (sun and moon) حُسناًin beauty قدindeed بكىwept
يا ثالثَ القَمرَيْنِ حُسناً قد بكى
حزناًin grief لأَجْلbecause of مُصابِكَyour loss القَمَرَانِthe two moons (sun and moon)
حزناً لأَجْل مُصابِكَ القَمَرَانِ
O third beside the sun and moon in beauty, they have wept—
O you who were the third in beauty to the two moons,
in sorrow at your loss, the sun and moon.
The two moons have wept in sorrow for your affliction.
دينارُthe gold dinar of وَجْهِكَyour face حينwhen أُهْبِطَwas lowered فيinto الثَّرىthe earth
دينارُ وَجْهِكَ حين أُهْبِطَ في الثَّرى
كَادَتْalmost تَفِرُّflees الشَمْسُthe sun للمِيزَانِto the Scales (Libra)
كَادَتْ تَفِرُّ الشَمْسُ للمِيزَانِ
When the dinar of your face was lowered into the earth,
The gold coin of your face when it was lowered into the soil—
the sun almost fled to the Scales.
The sun almost fled to the scale.
وسيُوفُand the swords of بَرْقِthe lightning of الجوّthe sky لماwhen أُغْمِدتَwere sheathed
وسيُوفُ بَرْقِ الجوّ لما أُغْمِدتَ
صَفَحاتُthe surfaces of ذاكَthat الوجهِface فيin الأَكْفَانِthe shrouds
صَفَحاتُ ذاكَ الوجهِ في الأَكْفَانِ
And the sky's swords of lightning, when there were sheathed
And the swords of the lightning of the sky when you were shrouded—
the surfaces of that face within the shrouds,
The pages of that face in the shroud.
ودَّتwished لوif only انْغَمَدَتْthey were sheathed ولكنbut تَفْتَدِيransom
ودَّت لو انْغَمَدَتْ ولكن تَفْتَدِي
هَامَthe heads of الورَىhumankind بَدَلاًinstead منof الأَجْفَانscabbards
هَامَ الورَى بَدَلاً من الأَجْفَان
wished they too were sheathed, yet ransom
It wished that it had been sheathed, but it redeems
the heads of humankind in place of scabbards.
The minds of people instead of the eyelids.
ورياضُand the gardens of ذَاكَthat الحسْنbeauty لمَّاwhen صَوَّحَتْwithered
ورياضُ ذَاكَ الحسْن لمَّا صَوَّحَتْ
غَادَرْتُI left فيهِin it الدّمعَthe tears كالغُدْرَانِlike pools
غَادَرْتُ فيهِ الدّمعَ كالغُدْرَانِ
And when the gardens of that beauty withered,
And the gardens of that beauty when they were devastated—
I left tears there like pools.
I left my tears in them like the mice.
ياO تُرْبُearth ماnot أَنصفْتَyou were fair to نُضْرَةَthe freshness of غُصْنِهhis branch
يا تُرْبُ ما أَنصفْتَ نُضْرَةَ غُصْنِه
أَكذاis this how صَنِيعُthe treatment of التُّربِearth بالأَغْصَانِtoward branches
أَكذا صَنِيعُ التُّربِ بالأَغْصَانِ
O earth, you were not fair to the freshness of his branch;
O soil, you were not fair to the blossoms of its branch.
is this how earth treats branches?
Is this how soil treats branches?
غُصْنٌa branch فُنُونُvarieties of الثُّمْرfruit فيon أَفْنَانِهits boughs
غُصْنٌ فُنُونُ الثُّمْر في أَفْنَانِه
تَعْلُوrise علىabove الجَانِيthe picker وهُنَّand they دَوَانِwithin reach
تَعْلُو على الجَانِي وهُنَّ دَوَانِ
A branch: the many kinds of fruit upon its boughs
A branch whose fruits are the arts in its times
rise above the picker, though they hang within reach.
Rise above the gatherer while they are shelters.
تَسْتَوقِفُhalt الرّائيthe beholder مَعانِيthe qualities of حُسْنِهاtheir beauty
تَسْتَوقِفُ الرّائي مَعانِي حُسْنِها
عجباًin wonder بهاat them فكأَنَّهُنَّso as though they were مَغَانِdwelling places
عجباً بها فكأَنَّهُنَّ مَغَانِ
The qualities of their beauty arrest the beholder
They stop the onlooker, the meanings of their beauty
in wonder at them, as though they were dwelling places.
Amazing him, as if they are songs.
كمhow often مَادَhe swayed منfrom سُكْرِthe intoxication of الشَّبابyouth فهلso did دَرَىknow
كم مَادَ من سُكْرِ الشَّباب فهل دَرَى
أَنَّاthat we نَمِيدُsway بسَكْرَةِwith the intoxication of الأَشْجَانsorrows
أَنَّا نَمِيدُ بسَكْرَةِ الأَشْجَان
How often he swayed with youth's intoxication! Did he know
How often it was drunk on the wine of youth! Did it know
that we sway in the drunkenness of sorrow?
That we die from the hangover of sorrows?
قدindeed كانhe was يرفُلُwalking proudly فيin ثِيَابِthe garments of شَبِيبَةٍyouth
قد كان يرفُلُ في ثِيَابِ شَبِيبَةٍ
أَردانُهاtheir sleeves طَهُرَتْwere pure منof الأَدْرَانِstains
أَردانُها طَهُرَتْ من الأَدْرَانِ
He once walked proudly in the robes of youth,
It used to be clad in the garb of youth,
whose sleeves were free of stains.
Its silk purified from blemishes.
جمعتcombined خلائِقُهhis traits لهfor him وصفَاتُهand his qualities
جمعت خلائِقُه له وصفَاتُه
حُلُمَthe forbearance of الكُهولِmature men ويَقْظَةَand the alertness of الشُّبَّانِyoung men
حُلُمَ الكُهولِ ويَقْظَةَ الشُّبَّانِ
His character and qualities brought together for him
Its traits gathered virtues for it,
the forbearance of mature men and the alertness of the young.
The forbearance of elders and the vigor of youth.
ياO أَسعداًAs'ad شَقِيتْhave suffered جُنُوبٌsides بَعْدَهُafter him
يا أَسعداً شَقِيتْ جُنُوبٌ بَعْدَهُ
جعلتmade مفارِشَهاtheir bedding منof السَّعْدَانِsa'dan thorns
جعلت مفارِشَها من السَّعْدَانِ
O As'ad, sides have suffered since his loss,
O happiest one, after it, couches were miserable
making their bedding of sa'dan thorns.
Making their mattresses out of thorns.
أَصبحتُI have become بَعْدَكafter you مُفْرَداًalone مُتَغَرِّباًexiled
أَصبحتُ بَعْدَك مُفْرَداً مُتَغَرِّباً
مُقْصىًbanished عنfrom الأَحبابِloved ones والأَوطانِand homelands
مُقْصىً عن الأَحبابِ والأَوطانِ
After you, I have become alone, an exile,
After you, I have become solitary, exiled,
banished from loved ones and homelands.
Cut off from loved ones and homelands.
والفرقُand the difference أَنَّكthat you فيin الجِنَانِparadise وأَنَّنيand that I
والفرقُ أَنَّك في الجِنَانِ وأَنَّني
منfor أَجلthe sake of فقدكlosing you صِرْتُI became فيin النِّيرَانِthe fires
من أَجل فقدك صِرْتُ في النِّيرَانِ
The difference is that you are in paradise, while I,
The difference is that you are in Paradise and I
because I lost you, am now amid the fires.
Because of losing you, am in the fires.
قدindeed كُنْتُI was أَحْمِلُbearing همَّthe anguish of بَيْنٍparting واحدٍone
قد كُنْتُ أَحْمِلُ همَّ بَيْنٍ واحدٍ
فأَتَتْso came وفاتُكyour death ليto me بِبَيْنٍwith a parting ثَانِsecond
فأَتَتْ وفاتُك لي بِبَيْنٍ ثَانِ
I had been bearing the anguish of one parting,
I used to bear one concern,
then your death brought me a second parting.
Then your death came to me with another concern.
كيفhow اصْطِبَارِيmy endurance منthrough فراقٍa separation خَالدٍeverlasting
كيف اصْطِبَارِي من فراقٍ خَالدٍ
وقدand already افتضحتُI was disgraced منby الفِراقِthe separation الفَانِيtransient
وقد افتضحتُ من الفِراقِ الفَانِي
How can I endure an everlasting separation,
How can I have patience for an eternal separation,
when a passing separation has already exposed my weakness?
When I am exposed by the fleeting separation?
وتسُوءُand causes pain فُرقَةُparting from منone whom تحبُّyou love ولاand not ترَىyou see
وتسُوءُ فُرقَةُ من تحبُّ ولا ترَى
شيئاًanything يَسوءُcauses pain كفُرْقَةِlike parting from الإِخْوانbrothers
شيئاً يَسوءُ كفُرْقَةِ الإِخْوان
Parting from one you love brings pain, and you see
And the separation of one you love but do not see
nothing so painful as parting from brothers.
Is worse than the separation of brothers.
صبريmy patience وموتُكand your death فيin حشايَmy breast كلاَهُمَاboth of them
صبري وموتُك في حشايَ كلاَهُمَا
مُرَّانboth bitter مِثْلُlike أَسِنَّةِthe spearheads of المُرَّانash-wood lances
مُرَّان مِثْلُ أَسِنَّةِ المُرَّان
My patience and your death within my breast are both
My patience and your death are both
bitter, like the spearheads of ash-wood lances.
Like the two blades of scissors.
أَوْسَعْتُI lavished فيكfor your sake الدهرَTime عَتْبَاًreproach مُؤلِماًpainful
أَوْسَعْتُ فيك الدهرَ عَتْبَاً مُؤلِماً
فأَجابَنيso it answered me بالبَهْتِwith falsehood والبُهْتَانِand slander
فأَجابَني بالبَهْتِ والبُهْتَانِ
For your sake, I lavished painful reproach on Time,
I blamed fate for you extensively,
and it answered me with falsehood and slander.
But it answered me with confusion and chaos.
قلبيmy heart يحاسِبهُcalls it to account علىfor إِجْرَامِهits crimes
قلبي يحاسِبهُ على إِجْرَامِه
ويعدُّهاand counts them بأَنَامِلِwith the fingertips of الخَفَقَانِheartbeats
ويعدُّها بأَنَامِلِ الخَفَقَانِ
My heart calls it to account for its crimes,
My heart blames it for its crime
and counts them with the fingertips of its beating.
And counts them on its fluttering fingers.
غيريsomeone other than me هوhe is السّالِيthe one who moves on وإِنِّيand indeed I قائلٌsaying
غيري هو السّالِي وإِنِّي قائلٌ
ماhow أَقْبَحَugly السُّلوَانَceasing to mourn بالإِخْوَانِregarding brothers
ما أَقْبَحَ السُّلوَانَ بالإِخْوَانِ
Someone else moves on; as for me, I say:
Another is the one who asked, while I am saying,
How ugly it is to move on from one's brothers!
How ugly asking is among brothers!
فلئنso if indeed سَلَوْتُكI ceased mourning you ناسياًforgetfully لاnot عامداًdeliberately
فلئن سَلَوْتُك ناسياً لا عامداً
فالذَّنْبُthen the fault للنِّسْيَانِbelongs to forgetfulness لاnot السُّلْوَانِceasing to mourn
فالذَّنْبُ للنِّسْيَانِ لا السُّلْوَانِ
If I ever forget you unwittingly, not deliberately,
So if I asked you, forgetting, not intentionally,
the fault is forgetfulness, not the easing of grief.
Then the blame is on forgetfulness, not asking.
وعوائدُand the habits of النِّسبانforgetfulness (likely intended) فِينَاin us خَلَّةٌa trait
وعوائدُ النِّسبان فِينَا خَلَّةٌ
موروثةٌinherited منfrom ذَلِكَthat الإِنسانhuman being
موروثةٌ من ذَلِكَ الإِنسان
And the habits of forgetfulness are a trait within us,
And the habits of forgetting among us are a shortcoming,
inherited from that human being.
Inherited from that human.
يأَيهاO you المولَىthe master السديدُupright ومَنْand one who غداhas become
يأَيها المولَى السديدُ ومَنْ غدا
أَوْلَىmost worthy الورَىhumankind بالصَّبْرِof patience والإِيمانand faith
أَوْلَى الورَى بالصَّبْرِ والإِيمان
O upright master, you who have become
O Master, the righteous one, and whoever tomorrow
most worthy among humankind of patience and faith,
Is the most worthy of the people in patience and faith—
صبراًpatience جميلاًnoble يَقْتَديmay follow قَلْبيmy heart بهby it
صبراً جميلاً يَقْتَدي قَلْبي به
فهوfor it is المُعَنَّىthe tormented one بالهمومِby cares العَانِيthe captive
فهو المُعَنَّى بالهمومِ العَانِي
show noble patience, which my heart may follow,
Patience, beautiful patience that my heart follows it,
for it is tormented by cares, a captive.
For it is the one concerned with enduring sorrows.
اللهGod يَعلَمُknows ماwhat حَوَتْهُhave contained it جَوَانِحيmy breast
الله يَعلَمُ ما حَوَتْهُ جَوَانِحي
مماof what دَهاكَbefell you وماand what أَجَنَّconcealed جنَانيmy heart
مما دَهاكَ وما أَجَنَّ جنَاني
God knows what my breast has held
God knows what my feelings contained,
of what befell you, and what my heart conceals.
Of what hurt you and what saddened my soul.
ولئنand if indeed غداhas become منيfrom me الرثاءِthe elegy مؤخَّراًdelayed
ولئن غدا مني الرثاءِ مؤخَّراً
منfor أَجلthe sake of شغلthe occupation of القلبthe heart بالأَحزانwith sorrows
من أَجل شغل القلب بالأَحزان
And if my elegy has been delayed,
And if elegy from me was delayed
because my heart was occupied with sorrows,
Because my heart was preoccupied with sorrows,
فلقدthen indeed رَثَتْlamented عينيmy eye بِنَظمِin the verse of مَدَامعيmy tears
فلقد رَثَتْ عيني بِنَظمِ مَدَامعي
وأَرىand I see الدموعَtears مراثىelegies الأجفانeyelids
وأَرى الدموعَ مراثى الأجفان
then my eye has indeed lamented in the verse of my tears,
My eyes had already elegized you with the meter of my tears,
and I see tears as the elegies of eyelids.
And I see tears as the elegies of eyelids.
لمnot يَرْثهِlamented him عنيon my behalf لسانٌa tongue واحدٌsingle
لم يَرْثهِ عني لسانٌ واحدٌ
لكنbut رَثَتْlamented بمدامِعيwith my tears عَيْنَانtwo eyes
لكن رَثَتْ بمدامِعي عَيْنَان
Not a single tongue has lamented him for me,
No one tongue has elegized you except me,
but two eyes have lamented with my tears.
Rather, two eyes have elegized you with my tears.
خدِّيmy cheek كطِرْسِيlike my writing-sheet والمدامعُand the tears فوقَهupon it
خدِّي كطِرْسِي والمدامعُ فوقَه
شِعْرِيmy poetry وإِنسانِيand my eye's pupil كمِثْلِlike لِسَانِيmy tongue
شِعْرِي وإِنسانِي كمِثْلِ لِسَانِي
My cheek is like my writing-sheet, and the tears upon it
My cheek is like my poetry, and the tears atop it
are my poetry; my eye's pupil is like my tongue.
Are like my hair, my being, my tongue.
ولقدand indeed عَلمْتُI knew قُصورَthe inadequacy of ماwhat قدalready قُلْتُهI said it
ولقد عَلمْتُ قُصورَ ما قد قُلْتُه
فأَرَدْتُso I wanted أَودِعُهto lodge it حَشَاthe depths of كِتْمَانيmy concealment
فأَرَدْتُ أَودِعُه حَشَا كِتْمَاني
I knew the inadequacy of what I had said,
And I knew the inadequacy of what I have said,
so I wanted to lodge it in the depths of my concealment,
So I wanted to entrust it to the concealment of my interior,
حتىuntil علمتُI knew بأَنَّthat ماwhat أَرْثيI elegize بهwith it
حتى علمتُ بأَنَّ ما أَرْثي به
دُونٌinadequate ولوeven if رثَّيتُهI elegized him بِقُرَانwith the Qur'an
دُونٌ ولو رثَّيتُه بِقُرَان
until I knew that whatever I lament him with
Until I knew that what I elegize with
falls short, even if I lamented him with the Qur'an.
Is inadequate, even if I elegized it with the Quran.
Sol 6.1