تصبَّرschool yourself to patience وَإِنand if لَمnot تَملكِyou command الصَبرَpatience فَاِجزَعِthen give way to grief
تصبَّر وَإِن لَم تَملكِ الصَبرَ فَاِجزَعِ
فَماfor how أَغفلheedless الأَقدارthe fates عَنof صَوبِthe downpour of مَدمعِa tearful eye
فَما أَغفل الأَقدار عَن صَوبِ مَدمعِ
Be patient; and if you cannot command patience, then give way to grief.
For how heedless the fates are of an eye's streaming tears!
يَهمُّconcerns اللَياليthe nights ماwhat تَثيرُthey stir up وَقَلَّماand rarely
يَهمُّ اللَيالي ما تَثيرُ وَقَلَّما
تَهمُّconcerns اللَياليthe nights لَوعةَthe anguish of المتفجِّعِthe grief-stricken
تَهمُّ اللَيالي لَوعةَ المتفجِّعِ
The nights care for what they stir up; yet seldom
does a mourner's anguish trouble the nights.
تَضيعُis lost لَدَيهاin their keeping كُلِّevery نَفسٍsoul فَهَلso do تَرىyou think
تَضيعُ لَدَيها كُلِّ نَفسٍ فَهَل تَرى
يَبيتُspends the night لَدَيهاin their keeping الدَمعُtears غَيرَnot مَضيَّعِwasted
يَبيتُ لَدَيها الدَمعُ غَيرَ مَضيَّعِ
Every soul is lost in their keeping; do you think
tears pass the night with them unwasted?
شَجانيَit grieved me إِنَّthat الدَهرَTime لَيسَis not بِراحمٍmerciful
شَجانيَ إِنَّ الدَهرَ لَيسَ بِراحمٍ
وَأَنيَand that I ذُوpossessed of قَلبٍa heart شَديدٍintense in التَوَجُّعِsuffering
وَأَنيَ ذُو قَلبٍ شَديدٍ التَوَجُّعِ
It grieves me that Time has no mercy,
and that I have a heart that suffers deeply;
وَإِنand that الَّذيthe one whom أَشكوهُI complain of him لاno لُبَّreason عِندَهُwith him
وَإِن الَّذي أَشكوهُ لا لُبَّ عِندَهُ
يَقلّبُhe tosses about أَهلpeople of اللُبِّreason فيin كُلِّevery مَصرَعِplace of death
يَقلّبُ أَهل اللُبِّ في كُلِّ مَصرَعِ
and that he of whom I complain has no reason,
yet tosses people of reason into every place of death.
فَواso alas حَرَباًwhat anguish مِنat حُكمِهِhis rule وَهوَwhile he جائرٌis unjust
فَوا حَرَباً مِن حُكمِهِ وَهوَ جائرٌ
وَصَبريand my patience وَماyet not صَبريmy patience لَدَيَّwith me بِطيّعِobedient
وَصَبري وَما صَبري لَدَيَّ بِطيّعِ
Alas for his rule, unjust as he is,
and my patience—my patience will not obey me!
وَليand for me كُلّevery يَومday ماsomething that يَروعُterrifies فَكَيفَso how لاnot
وَلي كُلّ يَوم ما يَروعُ فَكَيفَ لا
يَذوبُmelts فُؤاديmy heart لَهفَةًin anguish بَينَbetween أَضلُعيmy ribs
يَذوبُ فُؤادي لَهفَةً بَينَ أَضلُعي
Each day brings me something dreadful; how should not
my heart melt with anguish between my ribs?
نَعىannounced the death of البَدرَthe full moon ناعيهِhis death-herald عَشيةَon the evening of فَجعَةٍa calamity
نَعى البَدرَ ناعيهِ عَشيةَ فَجعَةٍ
فَياso oh لَهْفَanguish of اَجفانٍeyelids وَياand oh لَهفَanguish of مَسمَعِan ear
فَيا لَهْفَ اَجفانٍ وَيا لَهفَ مَسمَعِ
His death-herald announced the full moon's passing on an evening of calamity;
oh, the anguish of eyelids, and the anguish of the listening ear!
وَياand oh ذوبَthe melting of أَكبادٍlivers تَسيلُflow كآبةًin sorrow
وَيا ذوبَ أَكبادٍ تَسيلُ كآبةً
عَلىupon جَمرِembers of حُزنٍgrief حَيثُماwherever مسَّit touches يَلذَعِit scorches
عَلى جَمرِ حُزنٍ حَيثُما مسَّ يَلذَعِ
And oh, the melting of livers, streaming with sorrow
upon grief's embers, which scorch wherever they touch.
تَدارَكَهُovertook him قَبلَbefore التَمامِfullness مَحاقُهُhis darkening
تَدارَكَهُ قَبلَ التَمامِ مَحاقُهُ
مُبادرةًin haste مِنfrom حَيثُwhere لَمnot يَتَوقَّعِhe expected
مُبادرةً مِن حَيثُ لَم يَتَوقَّعِ
His darkening overtook him before he reached fullness,
rushing upon him from where he did not expect it.
فَقَطَّعَso it tore apart أَحشاءًentrails وَواصلَand kept up أَدمُعَاًtears
فَقَطَّعَ أَحشاءً وَواصلَ أَدمُعَاً
وَضيََّعand squandered مِنof آمالِناour hopes كُلَّevery مَطمَعِaspiration
وَضيََّع مِن آمالِنا كُلَّ مَطمَعِ
It tore entrails apart and kept tears flowing,
and dashed all that our hopes aspired to.
وَساءَand it grieved أَباًa father ماnever ساءَgrieved قَلباًa heart فَأَصبَحَتso there arose
وَساءَ أَباً ما ساءَ قَلباً فَأَصبَحَت
لَهُfor him اليَومَtoday فيin الأَكبادِthe livers لَوعَةَthe anguish of مُوجَعِone stricken
لَهُ اليَومَ في الأَكبادِ لَوعَةَ مُوجَعِ
It grieved a father who had never grieved a heart; now
our livers hold for him today the anguish of the stricken.
وَفارقَand he left أَوجَthe summit of العَزِّhonor وَالمَجدِand glory وَالعُلىand eminence
وَفارقَ أَوجَ العَزِّ وَالمَجدِ وَالعُلى
إِلىto أَوجِa summit of مَجدٍglory مِنهُthan it أَعلىhigher وَأَرفَعِand loftier
إِلى أَوجِ مَجدٍ مِنهُ أَعلى وَأَرفَعِ
He left the summit of honor, glory, and eminence
for a summit of glory higher and loftier still.
أَياO كَنَفَshelter of الرَحمانِthe All-Merciful أَودَعَتyou were entrusted with دُرّةًa pearl
أَيا كَنَفَ الرَحمانِ أَودَعَت دُرّةً
مكرّمةًhonored مِنfrom عِندthe keeping of أَكرَمِthe noblest مودِعِone who entrusts
مكرّمةً مِن عِند أَكرَمِ مودِعِ
O shelter of the All-Merciful, a pearl has been entrusted to you,
a cherished one, from the noblest of those who entrust.
وَياand O قَبرُgrave فيكَwithin you اليَومَtoday أَنضرُthe freshest زَهرَةٍflower
وَيا قَبرُ فيكَ اليَومَ أَنضرُ زَهرَةٍ
غَنيتَyou have no need بِهاbecause of it عَنof زَهرِكَyour flowers المتضَوِّعِfragrant
غَنيتَ بِها عَن زَهرِكَ المتضَوِّعِ
O grave, within you today is the freshest flower;
it leaves you no need of your own fragrant blossoms.
وَياand O أَيُّهاyou الغُصنُbranch الَّذيwhich هَصَّرَbent and broke الرَدىdeath
وَيا أَيُّها الغُصنُ الَّذي هَصَّرَ الرَدى
مَعاطفَthe curves of قَدٍّa figure مِنهُof it رَيَّانَlush مُمرِعِflourishing
مَعاطفَ قَدٍّ مِنهُ رَيَّانَ مُمرِعِ
And O branch, Death has bent and broken
the curves of your lush, flourishing form.
تَرَكتَyou left مَغانيناour dwellings وَقَدand already بِتَّyou spent the night مِثلَماjust as
تَرَكتَ مَغانينا وَقَد بِتَّ مِثلَما
دُعيتَyou were named فَريداًFarid (alone) ضِمنَwithin صَحراءَa desert بِلقعِbarren
دُعيتَ فَريداً ضِمنَ صَحراءَ بِلقعِ
You left our dwellings and now lie, just as
you were named, Farid—alone within a barren desert.
فَماso not بَرِحَتْhas ceased فيin كُلِّevery قَلبٍheart كَآبةٌgloom
فَما بَرِحَتْ في كُلِّ قَلبٍ كَآبةٌ
مِنَof الحُزنِgrief تَغشىcovers كُلَّevery وَجهٍface بِبُرقُعِwith a veil
مِنَ الحُزنِ تَغشى كُلَّ وَجهٍ بِبُرقُعِ
So in every heart there lingers a gloom
of sorrow, covering every face with a veil.
وَطالَتَand grew prolonged مَناحاتُthe laments of النَوادبِmourning women فيin الحِمىthe home grounds
وَطالَتَ مَناحاتُ النَوادبِ في الحِمى
عَلَيكَfor you فَأَشجىand so saddened نَوحُهاtheir wailing كُلَّevery مَربعِabode
عَلَيكَ فَأَشجى نَوحُها كُلَّ مَربعِ
And long have the mourning women's laments endured in our home grounds
for you, till their wailing grieved every dwelling.
رُويدَكَwait a little إِنَّindeed العَينَthe eye لَمnot تُوفِhas fulfilled حَظَّهاits share
رُويدَكَ إِنَّ العَينَ لَم تُوفِ حَظَّها
بِمَرأىin beholding جَمالٍbeauty مِنكَof yours بِاللطفِin grace مُبدِعِwondrous
بِمَرأى جَمالٍ مِنكَ بِاللطفِ مُبدِعِ
Wait a little: the eye has not yet had its full share
of beholding your beauty, wondrous in its grace.
وَلاnor رَوِيتْhave drunk their fill مِنكَof you الصَدورُthe breasts فَإِنَّهاfor they
وَلا رَوِيتْ مِنكَ الصَدورُ فَإِنَّها
مُشَوقةُyearning for أنسٍcompanionship ظَلَّremained أَعذَبَthe sweetest منقعِwatering place
مُشَوقةُ أنسٍ ظَلَّ أَعذَبَ منقعِ
Nor have our breasts drunk their fill of you, for they
yearn for your company, ever the sweetest watering place.
لَئنif indeed صَدَقَتْwere sincere فيكَfor you العُيونُthe eyes بِدَمعِهاwith their tears
لَئن صَدَقَتْ فيكَ العُيونُ بِدَمعِها
فَإِنَّthen indeed قُلوبَthe hearts of القَومِthe people بِالجَرحِthrough wounds تَدَّعِيmake their claim
فَإِنَّ قُلوبَ القَومِ بِالجَرحِ تَدَّعِي
If indeed the eyes are sincere in their tears for you,
then the people's hearts make their claim through wounds.
وَإِنand though تَكُyou be قَدalready أَمسَيتَyou have become فيin القَفرِthe wilderness موحِشاًlonely
وَإِن تَكُ قَد أَمسَيتَ في القَفرِ موحِشاً
فَوحشَتُناyet our loneliness فيin الحَيِّthe settlement لَمnot تَتَقَشَّعِhas lifted
فَوحشَتُنا في الحَيِّ لَم تَتَقَشَّعِ
And though you are now lonely in the wilderness,
our loneliness in the settlement has not lifted.
هُوَit is البَينُparting يَغشىovertakes كُلَّevery خَلقٍcreature فَأَنْفُسٌso souls
هُوَ البَينُ يَغشى كُلَّ خَلقٍ فَأَنْفُسٌ
تَفانَتْhave perished وَدَمعٌand tears سالَflowed فيat كُلِّevery مَضجَعِresting place
تَفانَتْ وَدَمعٌ سالَ في كُلِّ مَضجَعِ
It is parting, which overtakes every creature: souls
have perished, and tears have flowed at every resting place.
وَماand not الناسُpeople إِلاexcept نازِلٌa sojourner غَيرَnot قادمٍone arriving
وَما الناسُ إِلا نازِلٌ غَيرَ قادمٍ
وَمُرتَحَلٌand a departing traveler وَلَّىhas gone away عَلىwith غَيرِno مرجعِreturn
وَمُرتَحَلٌ وَلَّى عَلى غَيرِ مرجعِ
People are only sojourners, never truly arriving,
and travelers who have gone away, never to return.
بِماذاwith what نُعزِّيshall we console عَنهُfor his loss مُهجَةَthe heart of والدٍa father
بِماذا نُعزِّي عَنهُ مُهجَةَ والدٍ
رَؤوفِtender of فُؤادٍheart بِالشُجونِby sorrows مُرَوَّعِterror-stricken
رَؤوفِ فُؤادٍ بِالشُجونِ مُرَوَّعِ
How shall we console a father's heart for his loss—
a tender heart, terror-stricken by sorrows?
لَقَدindeed هاجَمتُهُthey assailed him الحادِثاتُcalamities مَغيرَةًraiding
لَقَد هاجَمتُهُ الحادِثاتُ مَغيرَةً
بِأَذلقَwith something keener حَدّاًin edge مِنthan ظُباهُhis blades وَأَقطَعِand more cutting
بِأَذلقَ حَدّاً مِن ظُباهُ وَأَقطَعِ
Indeed, calamities have assailed him in a raid,
with an edge keener and more cutting than his own blades.
عَلىdespite أَنناthe fact that we مِنهُin him عَرَفناhave known لَدىamid البَلاaffliction
عَلى أَننا مِنهُ عَرَفنا لَدى البَلا
تَقلُّدَthe donning of صَبرٍpatience لَيسَis not بِالمُتَزَعزِعِshakable
تَقلُّدَ صَبرٍ لَيسَ بِالمُتَزَعزِعِ
Yet, in times of trial, we have known him
to gird himself with a patience that cannot be shaken.
وَقَدand indeed خَبِرَhe has experienced الدُنياthe world فَلمso not تَأتِdid it come عِندَهُto him
وَقَد خَبِرَ الدُنيا فَلم تَأتِ عِندَهُ
غَريباًas a stranger وَلَمnor تَبدوdid it appear بِوَجهwith a face مُقنَّعِveiled
غَريباً وَلَم تَبدو بِوَجه مُقنَّعِ
He has known the world, and it has not come to him
as a stranger, nor shown itself with a veiled face.
وَعَرّفهُand taught him الماضيthe past حَقيقةَthe nature of قادِمٍwhat is coming
وَعَرّفهُ الماضي حَقيقةَ قادِمٍ
كَقافيةٍlike a rhyme فيin صَدرِthe first half of بَيتٍa verse مَصرَّعِrhymed in both halves
كَقافيةٍ في صَدرِ بَيتٍ مَصرَّعِ
The past has taught him the nature of what is to come,
like the rhyme in the first half of a verse with rhyming halves.
تَعوَّدhe grew accustomed to أَخذَadopting الرفقِgentleness فيin كُلِّevery حالَةٍcircumstance
تَعوَّد أَخذَ الرفقِ في كُلِّ حالَةٍ
فَماso not وَقَعَتْdid they fall إِلاexcept عَلىupon قَلبa heart أَروَعِnoble
فَما وَقَعَتْ إِلا عَلى قَلب أَروَعِ
He has grown used to choosing gentleness in every circumstance,
so calamities fell only upon a noble heart.
وَقابلَand he met هَذاthis الدَهرَTime بِالحِلمwith forbearance فَاِنثَنىyet it turned back
وَقابلَ هَذا الدَهرَ بِالحِلم فَاِنثَنى
عَلَيهِagainst him بِطَبعٍwith a nature بِالسَفاهةِof folly مُولَعِenamored
عَلَيهِ بِطَبعٍ بِالسَفاهةِ مُولَعِ
He met this Time with forbearance, yet it turned
against him, its nature enamored of folly.
أَمَولايَO my lord رِفقاًbe gentle انَّindeed رزءَكَyour bereavement فيamong المَلاthe people
أَمَولايَ رِفقاً انَّ رزءَكَ في المَلا
تَقاسَمَهُhave shared it الأَكبادُthe livers فيin كُلِevery مَوضِعِplace
تَقاسَمَهُ الأَكبادُ في كُلِ مَوضِعِ
O my lord, be gentle: your bereavement among the people
is shared by livers everywhere.
تَعِزُّfind strength بِأَنجالٍin sons كِرامٍnoble أَعِزَةٍhonored
تَعِزُّ بِأَنجالٍ كِرامٍ أَعِزَةٍ
لَهُمtheirs is فيin سَماthe heaven of عَلياكَyour eminence أَشرفُthe noblest مَطلَعِrising
لَهُم في سَما عَلياكَ أَشرفُ مَطلَعِ
Find strength in sons, noble and honored;
theirs is the noblest rising in the heaven of your eminence.
تَناولَreceived كُلٌّeach مِنهُمُof them المَجدَglory تالِداًinherited
تَناولَ كُلٌّ مِنهُمُ المَجدَ تالِداً
وَحازَand attained كَمالَthe fullness of الفَخرِhonor قَبلَbefore التَرَعرُعِgrowing up
وَحازَ كَمالَ الفَخرِ قَبلَ التَرَعرُعِ
Each of them received glory as his heritage,
and attained the fullness of honor before growing up.
فَلاso may not ساءَتِgrieve الدُنياthe world بِهِمthrough them لَكَof yours مُهجَةًa heart
فَلا ساءَتِ الدُنيا بِهِم لَكَ مُهجَةً
وَلاnor may كَدّرَتcloud أَحداَثُهاits calamities طيبَthe sweetness of مَنجعِa haven
وَلا كَدّرَت أَحداَثُها طيبَ مَنجعِ
May the world never grieve your heart through them,
nor its calamities cloud the sweetness of your haven.
ودُمْand remain بَعدَafter مَنthe one whom فارَقتyou parted from بِاللَهِby God سالِماًsafe
ودُمْ بَعدَ مَن فارَقت بِاللَهِ سالِماً
عَزيزاًhonored وَمَنwhile the one whom فارَقتَyou parted from فيin خَيرِthe finest مَرتَعِpasture
عَزيزاً وَمَن فارَقتَ في خَيرِ مَرتَعِ
And live on after the one you lost, safe in God's care,
honored, while he whom you lost rests in the finest pasture.
Sol 6.1