قضاء محكم لا يستطاع

تلافيه ولا عنه امتناع

An irrevocable decree that cannot

be averted, and from which there is no escape.

وأمر مبرم قهر البرايا

فلا أحداً له عنه اندفاع

An unalterable command that overpowered creation:

no one has any means of escaping it.

ألا ما للمصائب كل يوم

لنا منها انصداع وانقطاع

Ah, why do calamities, day after day,

leave us shattered and torn apart?

وما للمزعجات من الليالى

أراعتنا وليس بها ارتياع

And why do the harrowing nights

frighten us, while themselves knowing no fear?

وما لحوادث الأيام عندى

أقامت ما لها عنى زماع

And why have the calamities of the days

settled with me, with no thought of leaving?

هلمى يا ملمات الليالى

فما فى الكف بعد الزند باع

Come, calamities of the nights,

for the hand has no reach once the forearm is gone.

وشنى غارة فيمن تركت

فما في العيش بعد أبى انتفاع

Unleash a raid on those you have left,

for life brings no benefit after my father.

الا لله شيخ قد نعاه

لنا الحجاج فيمن قد أذاعوا

Ah, to God belongs a sheikh whose death

the pilgrims announced to us among those they named.

أذاعوا موت من للارض منه

جمال لا يغطيه قناع

They announced the death of one who gave the earth

a beauty that no veil could conceal;

ومن لبنى البسيطة من نداه

غياث ليس تنضبه البقاع

and whose bounty gave the children of earth

a saving rain that no land could exhaust;

ومن لا القول يحصى الفضل منه

نطاق القول ليس به اتساع

and whose merits no speech can number:

the compass of words is not wide enough.

ألا يا أيها المرحوم من لى

بأن تفديك روحى لو أطاع

Ah, you who have been granted mercy, who could grant me

that my soul might ransom you, if only fate would yield?

صحبت الدهر حينا فاستضاءت

بك الدنيا ما ضاء الشعاع

You kept company with time awhile, and light spread

through you across the world, as long as rays shone.

وهابتك الملوك بكل قطر

كما هابت من الاسد الضباع

Kings stood in awe of you in every land,

as hyenas stood in awe of the lion.

وزارتك الوفود على يقين

بفضلك وهو نعم الانتجاع

Delegations visited you, certain

of your bounty—how fine a quest for pasture!

وآبوا والثناء عليك منهم

به امتلأت مع الغور اليفاع

They returned, and their praise of you

filled the uplands and the lowlands alike.

وما زالت بك العلياء تسمو

وفعلك في علا العليا الذراع

Through you, lofty glory never ceased to rise,

and your deeds were the arm that lifted glory's heights.

إلى أن تم أمرك في قضاء

لركن المجد صار به انصداع

until your course reached its end in a decree

that split the very pillar of glory.

فنازعك الشقيق وكان قدما

حسامك والامور لها انتزاع

Your brother then contested with you, though once

he had been your sword; power can be wrested away.

وأغرى الجهر بينكما وهاجت

على الافساد بينكما الرعاع

Open speech incited strife between you, and

the rabble rose to sow corruption between you.

وأجرى الله أمرا قد قضاه

وكل قد أضر به النزاع

God brought about what He had decreed,

and each of you was harmed by the dispute.

وصار الأمر بعدكما لقوم

له حبلوا ولكن لم يطاعوا

After you both, authority passed to a people

who had schemed for it, yet were not obeyed.

همو نكثوا العهود وهم أضاعوا

حقوق الله فانتكثوا وضاعوا

They broke the covenants, and they squandered

God's rights; so they were undone and lost.

وشط بك القضاء وكل أمر

له أمد وغايته انقطاع

Fate bore you far away; and every matter

has its term, and its endpoint is cessation.

وأسلمك الزمان الى خطوب

تذل لبعض أصغرها السباع

Time surrendered you to calamities

at the least of which beasts of prey are humbled.

فقابلت الخطوب بصبر حر

له قلب لدى الجلى شجاع

You met calamities with the patience of a noble man,

whose heart is brave before the gravest affliction.

وقد قضى القضاء عليك لما

مضى الاجل الذى فيه اتساع

Fate passed judgment upon you when

the allotted span, with all its breadth, had elapsed.

وفارقت الحياة وكل حى

سيفطم حين ينتهى الرضاع

You left life behind, and every living being

will be weaned when suckling ends.

هى الدنيا متاع ليس فيه

هناء بل عناء وانخداع

Such is the world: an enjoyment that holds

no bliss, but toil and delusion.

وكل الناس منها في بلاء

وان خدعت ببهرجها الطباع

All people suffer affliction from it,

though its tinsel beguiles their natures.

وهون فقد من يمضى علينا

حوادثها اللواتى لا تصاع

The loss of those who depart is lightened for us

by its calamities, beyond all measure,

وأيام نحيسات النواصى

بها أعمارنا بخسا تباع

and days of ill-omened forelocks,

in which our lifetimes are sold for a pittance.

ظروف حشوها هم وغم

وفيها الاجتماع لنا وداع

Vessels stuffed with worry and grief,

in which our gatherings are farewells.

ألا أن الليالى ليس فيها

وفاء للاكارم واصطناع

Ah, the nights hold

no loyalty or favor for the noble.

ألا قل يا بنى المرحوم هبوا

لمجدكم فقد طاب المصاع

Ah, say: sons of the departed, arise

for your glory—the contest is sweet indeed.

أبعد أبيكم لكم سرور

بحالتكم ومجدكم مضاع

After your father, can you find joy

in your condition, while your glory is squandered?

وأنتم بين أجسام جميع

وأحلام وليس لها اجتماع

You are together in body,

but your minds have no unity.

دعوا هذا التكاسل عن مساع

لآباء لكم كادت تضاع

Cast off this sloth in pursuing the endeavors

of your forefathers, now almost lost.

وجدوا فى طلاب المجد حتى

يطيب بذكر مجدكم السماع

Strive earnestly in pursuit of glory, until

the mention of your glory delights the ear.

ألا يا ليت شعرى هل أراكم

وفيكم منكم حر مطاع

Ah, would that I knew: shall I see you

with a noble leader from among you, obeyed,

يقلد أمركم ويكون فيكم

كأحنف فى تميم لا يضاع

entrusted with your affairs, and among you

like Ahnaf among Tamim, never disregarded?

فينهض للمعالى باتئاد

نهوض الليث ليس به ارتياع

Then he would rise toward the heights with deliberation,

as a lion rises, knowing no fear,

فيكتسب المكارم وهى علق

نفيس لا يعار ولا يباع

and gain noble virtues, a treasure

precious, neither lent nor sold.

وأنتم كاسبون لها ولكن

أريد مكارما لا تستطاع

You do attain them, and yet

I seek noble virtues beyond all reach.

ألا يا نفس جدى واستعدى

فان الامر جدواضطلاع

Ah, my soul, strive and make ready,

for the task demands earnestness and taking responsibility.

ويا قطب المعالى أنت قصدى

وهل يخشى مع القطب الضياع

O pole of lofty honor, you are my aim;

with the pole, can one fear going astray?

ويا سعد المكارم هل لحظى

بسعدك طالع يه ارتفاع

O good fortune of noble virtues, does my lot

through your fortune have an ascendant rising high?

ويا كنه المعارف ان قلبى

لديه من غوامضك اطلاع

O essence of knowledge, my heart

has some insight into your mysteries.

ويا حال التغابى أنت شانى

وكم لى منك قد حصل انتفاع

O state of feigned ignorance, you are my way;

how much benefit I have gained from you!

ويا دهرا رمانى بالرزايا

لقد قرطست لو أنى أراع

O time, that has pelted me with calamities,

you have hit the mark—were I one to be frightened!

وياطود المعالى طبت مثوى

تهاوت عند مصرعك القلاع

O mountain of lofty honor, sweet be your resting place;

at your fall, fortresses came tumbling down.

بعام أرخوه وقد أجادوا

تنشأ للجنان فلا يراع

In a year they dated, and dated well:

“You rise toward the gardens, never to be frightened.”