نوبcalamities تجدarise anew وبعدهاand after them نوبcalamities
نوب تجد وبعدها نوب
وتظنand you think أنthat صروفهاtheir vicissitudes لعبplay
وتظن أن صروفها لعب
Turns come upon you, and after them other turns;
Calamities arise anew, and after them more calamities,
and you think their reversals are only a game.
and you think their vicissitudes are play.
لاdo not تعتبنَّreproach علىupon الزمانtime وقدand already
لا تعتبنَّ على الزمان وقد
أردىlaid low عداكyour foes اللومblame والعتبand reproach
أردى عداك اللوم والعتب
Do not reproach time, when already
Do not reproach time, when already
blame and reproach have laid your enemies low.
blame and reproach have laid your foes low.
كمhow often ذاthus يضعضعit shakes أخشباًa rugged mountain ونرىand we are seen
كم ذا يضعضع أخشباً ونرى
متسندينleaning back كأنناas though we were خشبwooden blocks
متسندين كأننا خشب
How often it shakes a rugged mountain, while we see
How often it shakes a rugged mountain, while we are seen
men leaning upright as though they were timber,
leaning back, as though we were wooden blocks,
حتىuntil إذاwhen اغتالتstruck down unawares حوادثهits calamities
حتى إذا اغتالت حوادثه
ندباًa gallant man لدىin the face of اللاواءhardship ينتدبanswers the call
ندباً لدى اللاواء ينتدب
until, when its accidents treacherously snatch away
until its calamities strike down
a noble man who rises to answer hardship’s call—
a gallant man who answers the call in hardship.
هوhe حجةthe Proof الإسلامof Islam منthe one who نشرتwere proclaimed
هو حجة الإسلام من نشرت
فوقatop المنابرthe pulpits باسمهin his name الخطبsermons
فوق المنابر باسمه الخطب
he is the Proof of Islam, he in whose name
He is the Proof of Islam, the man for whom were proclaimed
sermons were proclaimed from the pulpits—
sermons in his name from atop the pulpits.
فليبكهso let it weep for him الإسلامIslam منصدعاًshattered
فليبكه الإسلام منصدعاً
بجفونwith eyelids ثكلىbereaved دمعهاtheir tears صببpouring down
بجفون ثكلى دمعها صبب
then let Islam weep for him, shattered,
So let Islam weep for him, shattered,
with bereaved eyelids pouring tears.
with bereaved eyes whose tears pour down.
منwho للمدارسfor the schools بعدهafter him فلقدfor indeed
من للمدارس بعده فلقد
أمستhave come to be بهاupon them تتناوبtaking turns النوبcalamities
أمست بها تتناوب النوب
Who will tend the schools after him? For now
Who will tend the schools after him? For indeed
calamities take turns upon them.
calamities now visit them in turn.
ذهبhas gone الذيhe who تزهوtakes pride العلوloftiness بهin him
ذهب الذي تزهو العلو به
فامتازand thus stood apart عماfrom what دونهُis beneath it الذهبgold
فامتاز عما دونهُ الذهب
Gone is the man in whom high station used to glory,
Gone is he in whom loftiness took pride;
as gold stands apart from all beneath it.
thus gold stood apart from all beneath it.
قلsay للرياسةto leadership بععدهafter him احتجبيveil yourself
قل للرياسة بععده احتجبي
فلقدfor indeed تساوىbecame equal الرأسthe head والذنبand the tail
فلقد تساوى الرأس والذنب
Tell primacy to veil itself after him:
Tell leadership, 'After him, veil yourself,'
head and tail have now become equal.
for head and tail have become equal.
لمnot يلفwas found ندٌّan equal فيin الزمانthe age لهُto him
لم يلف ندٌّ في الزمان لهُ
ماnot كلevery دوحgreat tree طلعهits fruit عنبgrapes
ما كل دوح طلعه عنب
No peer to him was ever found in time;
No equal to him was found in his age;
not every great tree bears grapes.
not every great tree has grapes for its fruit.
ميتa dead man لهfor him العلياءhigh glory نادبةlamenting
ميت له العلياء نادبة
دونapart from الورىhumankind والمجدand honor ينتحبsobs
دون الورى والمجد ينتحب
He died—with high glory mourning him
A dead man for whom high glory mourns,
above all mankind, and majesty sobbing.
apart from humankind, while honor sobs.
أحييI keep vigil عليهfor him الليلthe night مضطرباًdistraught
أحيي عليه الليل مضطرباً
ولحزنهand from grief for him القلبthe heart مضطربin turmoil
ولحزنه القلب مضطرب
I keep the night awake for him, distraught,
I spend the night awake for him, distraught,
my heart convulsed with grief for him.
and grief for him keeps the heart in turmoil.
لمnot يجرpasses ذكرmention حديثهof his words بفميthrough my mouth
لم يجر ذكر حديثه بفمي
إلاexcept that انثنيتI turn away ومدمعيand my tears سربstreaming
إلا انثنيت ومدمعي سرب
No mention of his discourse crosses my lips
No mention of his words passes my lips
but I bend over, my tears streaming in torrents.
but I turn away, my tears streaming.
عجباًhow strange أقامdwelt بمدجنin a gloomy place حرجcramped
عجباً أقام بمدجن حرج
صدرa breast لهُbelonging to him سعencompassed التقىpiety رحبspacious
صدر لهُ سع التقى رحب
Strange that he should dwell in a cramped enclosure,
How strange that there should dwell in a dark, cramped place
when his breast, spacious with piety, was so broad.
his spacious breast, which embraced piety.
ويبيتand he spends the night يفترشtakes as a bed الثرىthe earth ترباًdust-covered
ويبيت يفترش الثرى ترباً
ياO ليتwould that خديmy cheek دونهbeneath him تربdust
يا ليت خدي دونه ترب
He spends the night with bare earth for bedding—dust;
And he spends the night with the earth as his dusty bed;
would that my cheek were dust beneath him.
would that my cheek were dust beneath him!
وذويand withered بطيwithin the folds of رمالsands جندلهاits stones
وذوي بطي رمال جندلها
غصنa branch يلاعبهplays with it الصباthe east wind رطبtender
غصن يلاعبه الصبا رطب
And folded beneath the sands around his gravestone lies
And within the folds of its stony sands withered
a fresh bough the east wind once played with.
a tender branch with which the east wind plays.
بكلon every يومday ظفرthe claw of نائبةa calamity
بكل يوم ظفر نائبة
فيin مهجةthe heart's core العلياءof high glory ينتشبbecomes embedded
في مهجة العلياء ينتشب
Each day the claw of some calamity
Each day the claw of a calamity
sinks into the very heart of high nobility.
sinks into the heart of high glory.
سلبتstole رقاديmy sleep نكبةa calamity شرعتbegan
سلبت رقادي نكبة شرعت
تندقare shattered منهاbecause of it الشرَّعthe tall shafts السلبthe slender ones
تندق منها الشرَّع السلب
A calamity has robbed me of sleep—a blow beneath which
A calamity stole my sleep; there began
the lofty and unyielding are crushed.
the shattering of tall, slender shafts beneath it.
طرقتcame by night تجرdragging كتيبةan army ضربتwere erected
طرقت تجر كتيبة ضربت
فوقabove الضراحal-Durah, the heavenly sanctuary لنقعهاfor its dust قببdomes
فوق الضراح لنقعها قبب
It came by night, trailing an army that pitched
It came by night, dragging an army whose dust formed
domes of its dust above the celestial heights:
domes above al-Durah.
جرّارةa vast marching army خرسmute زماجرهاits roars
جرّارة خرس زماجرها
ينهارcollapses منهاbefore it الفيلقthe army اللجبclamorous
ينهار منها الفيلق اللجب
a massive host whose would-be restrainer was struck dumb;
A vast host whose roars are mute,
before it, the clamorous legion collapses.
before which the clamorous army collapses.
حطمتshattered ظهورthe backs المجدof glory وانعثتand spread out
حطمت ظهور المجد وانعثت
كالسيفlike a sword ملءfilling بطونهاits inner depths كربanguish
كالسيف ملء بطونها كرب
It broke the backs of glory and surged forth,
It shattered the backs of glory and spread out,
like a sword whose hollow is filled with sorrows.
like a sword, its depths filled with anguish.
قمrise بيwith me نعزيlet us console منfrom بنيthe sons of مضرMudar
قم بي نعزي من بني مضر
حبراًa learned master لهfor him بحرa sea العلومof learning أبa father
حبراً له بحر العلوم أب
Rise with me: let us console one of Banū Muḍar,
Rise with me: let us console, from the sons of Mudar,
a learned sage whose father was an ocean of knowledge;
a learned master whose father is Bahr al-Ulum, the Sea of Learning,
علامةthe eminent scholar الدنياof the world العليthe exalted ومنand he whose
علامة الدنيا العلي ومن
نطقتspoke بفيصلof the decisiveness of حكمهhis judgment الكتبthe books
نطقت بفيصل حكمه الكتب
the exalted savant of the world, he whose
the world's exalted scholar, and he whose
books pronounced the decisive word of his judgment.
decisive judgment the books proclaim.
لسِنٌeloquent متىwhenever هدرتroared شقاشقهhis throaty outbursts of speech
لسِنٌ متى هدرت شقاشقه
غبطتenvied سنانthe spear-point لسانهof his tongue القضبswords
غبطت سنان لسانه القضب
Eloquent—whenever his oratory thundered,
Eloquent—whenever his throaty bursts of speech roar,
pliant spears envied the point of his tongue.
swords envy the spear-point of his tongue.
أضحتcame to be تزاحمthronging تحتbeneath منبرهhis pulpit
أضحت تزاحم تحت منبره
غلبstalwarts تكدسare heaped فوقهاabove them غلبstalwarts
غلب تكدس فوقها غلب
Beneath his pulpit there came jostling
Beneath his pulpit there came to throng
crowds piled densely upon crowds.
stalwarts, with stalwarts heaped above them.
يمضيcarries through الأمورmatters بفاتكwith a deadly blade ذربkeen-edged
يمضي الأمور بفاتك ذرب
وكذاكand likewise يمضيcuts through الفاتكthe deadly blade الذربthe keen-edged
وكذاك يمضي الفاتك الذرب
He dispatched affairs with a deadly, keen edge,
He carries matters through with a deadly, keen blade,
just as the deadly, keen blade cuts through.
and likewise the deadly, keen blade cuts through.
يسطوassails علىupon الجلىthe gravest trial فيقعدهاand so lays it low
يسطو على الجلى فيقعدها
بأساًfiercely بسطوةwith the onslaught of باسلa fearless warrior يثبleaps
بأساً بسطوة باسل يثب
He sprang upon momentous matters and subdued them
He assails the gravest trial and lays it low,
with the force of a valiant lion’s leap.
fiercely, with the onslaught of a fearless, leaping warrior.
طودa mountain رساstood firm فيamong يعربYa'rub فغدتand so came to
طود رسا في يعرب فغدت
تأويseek shelter إليهwith him العجمthe non-Arabs والعربand the Arabs
تأوي إليه العجم والعرب
A mountain stood rooted in the land of the Arabs, and so
A mountain rooted among Ya'rub's people, so that
non-Arabs and Arabs alike took refuge in him.
non-Arabs and Arabs seek shelter in him.
شمختrose loftily إلىto الشرفhonor الأشمthe towering بهthrough him
شمخت إلى الشرف الأشم به
شمproudly lifted المعاطسnoses معشرa company نجبnoble men
شم المعاطس معشر نجب
Through him, toward honor most lofty, rose
Through him they rose to towering honor:
a noble band, proud in bearing.
a noble company with proudly lifted noses.
يتهللونthey beam باوجهٍwith faces شرقتshone
يتهللون باوجهٍ شرقت
لولاbut for رضاthe pleasure of الرحمنthe All-Merciful ماnot غضبواthey grew angry
لولا رضا الرحمن ما غضبوا
They beam with radiant faces;
They beam with radiant faces;
they grow angry only for the Merciful’s good pleasure.
but for the All-Merciful's pleasure, they would not grow angry.
تلقىyou encounter الأمانيhopes البيضthe white أنif نزلواthey alight
تلقى الأماني البيض أن نزلوا
وترىand you see المناياdeaths السودthe black أنif ركبواthey mount
وترى المنايا السود أن ركبوا
White hopes meet you when they dismount,
You meet white hopes if they alight,
and black deaths appear when they mount.
and see black deaths if they mount.
لاnot الجودgenerosity نزرscant منfrom أكفهمtheir hands
لا الجود نزر من أكفهم
يلفيis found ولاnor المعروفkindness يحتسبis counted
يلفي ولا المعروف يحتسب
Generosity is never scant in their hands,
Generosity from their hands is never found scant,
nor is any good deed of theirs kept to account.
nor are their kindnesses counted.
إنif طاولواthey vie in height طالواthey tower بمجدهمthrough their glory
إن طاولوا طالوا بمجدهم
أوor غالبواthey contend بنوالهمthrough their bounty غلبواthey prevail
أو غالبوا بنوالهم غلبوا
If others vie in height, they surpass them through glory;
If they vie in height, their glory makes them tower;
if challenged, they prevail through largesse.
or if they contend, through their bounty they prevail.
يتذاكرونdiscuss together بكلof every منقبةٍnoble deed
يتذاكرون بكل منقبةٍ
حتىuntil إذاwhen ذكرis mentioned الندىgenerosity طربواthey rejoice
حتى إذا ذكر الندى طربوا
They recount every noble quality,
They speak together of every noble deed,
until generosity is named—and then they thrill.
until, when generosity is mentioned, they rejoice.
طلبواthey sought بجدهمwith their diligence العلومlearning وقدand indeed
طلبوا بجدهم العلوم وقد
نالواthey attained لعمريby my life فوقbeyond ماwhat طلبواthey sought
نالوا لعمري فوق ما طلبوا
They pursued the sciences with earnest purpose, and
They sought learning with diligence, and indeed
by my life, attained more than they had sought.
attained, by my life, more than they had sought.
ضربواthey pitched بمدرجةalong the path of العلىeminence قبباًdomed tents
ضربوا بمدرجة العلى قبباً
أطنابهاtheir guy-ropes المعروفkindness والأربand wisdom
أطنابها المعروف والأرب
They pitched domes along the rising road of eminence,
They pitched domed tents along the path to eminence,
their guy ropes beneficence and sound judgment.
whose guy-ropes are kindness and wisdom.
سارتcoursed بأفقacross the horizon of سمائهاtheir sky شهبmeteors
سارت بأفق سمائها شهب
عثرتstumbled بلمعat the flash of سنائهاtheir splendor الشهبthe meteors
عثرت بلمع سنائها الشهب
Meteors crossed the horizon of their sky;
Meteors coursed across the horizon of their sky;
the very meteors stumbled at the flash of their splendor.
meteors stumbled at the flash of their splendor.
ياO ابنson of الأولىthose who لبسdonned الزمانtime بهمthrough them
يا ابن الأولى لبس الزمان بهم
أبرادrobes عزٍّof honor كلهاall of them قشبfresh and new
أبراد عزٍّ كلها قشب
O son of those through whom time donned
O son of those through whom time donned
robes of glory, each one fresh and new:
robes of honor, all fresh and new,
إنif غابvanished بدرa full moon عنكfrom you محتجبveiled
إن غاب بدر عنك محتجب
وافاكhas come to you بدرa full moon ليسis not يحتجبveiled
وافاك بدر ليس يحتجب
if one full moon has vanished from you, veiled,
if a full moon has vanished from you behind a veil,
another full moon has come to you, never to be veiled.
another full moon has come to you, never veiled.
فلكso for you السلوsolace بجعفرin Ja'far ولهand for him
فلك السلو بجعفر وله
فيكin you السلوsolace عداmay it pass by كماyou both النصبsuffering
فيك السلو عدا كما النصب
For you, in Jaʿfar, there is solace; and for him,
So you have solace in Ja'far, and he has
in you is solace—may sorrow pass you both by.
solace in you; may suffering pass you both by.
وسقىand may it water منof الغفرانforgiveness حيثwhere سقىwatered
وسقى من الغفران حيث سقى
مثوىthe resting place النقيof the pure one العارضthe raincloud السكبpouring
مثوى النقي العارض السكب
May forgiveness water the place where he lies,
And may showers of forgiveness fall wherever
the pure one’s resting place, with a pouring rain cloud.
the pouring cloud waters the pure one's resting place.
غنّىsang النسيمthe breeze بروضةin a garden فثنىand so bent
غنّى النسيم بروضة فثنى
عطفاًa bough عليهtoward it المندلthe aloeswood الرطبthe fresh
عطفاً عليه المندل الرطب
The breeze sang in a garden, and bent
The breeze sang in a garden, and then
the dew-fresh sandalwood bough tenderly over him.
the fresh aloeswood bent a bough toward it.
Sol 6.1