عَرَفتُ أَديباً فَأَحببته

عَرَفتُ أَديباً فَأَحببته

وَسُرعان ما غابَ هَذا الحَبيب

وَسُرعان ما غابَ هَذا الحَبيب

I knew a man of letters and came to love him.

I knew a man of letters and loved him

And how soon this beloved one was gone!

But soon this beloved was gone

وَيا لَهفي الآن كَلّمته

وَيا لَهفي الآن كَلّمته

وَفي لَحظةٍ باتَ لا يَستَجيب

وَفي لَحظةٍ باتَ لا يَستَجيب

And alas, I had just spoken to him,

And now, alas, when I speak to him

And in an instant he no longer answered.

In an instant he fails to respond

وَيا حَسرَتي لِلرَدى مَزَّقَت

وَيا حَسرَتي لِلرَدى مَزَّقَت

يَداه رِداءَ الشَباب القَشيب

يَداه رِداءَ الشَباب القَشيب

And oh, my sorrow at death, which tore

Oh how I grieve, the days have torn

The fresh robe of youth with its two hands.

The cloak of youth from his stooped frame

وَكانَ نَضيراً عَلى منكبيه

وَكانَ نَضيراً عَلى منكبيه

فَأَصبَح مِنهُ سَليباً خَضيب

فَأَصبَح مِنهُ سَليباً خَضيب

And it had been radiant upon his shoulders,

Once sturdy upon his shoulders

So he was left bereft of it, bloodstained.

Now from him, gray and frail remain

دَعاني البُكاء فَلبّيته

دَعاني البُكاء فَلبّيته

جزوعاً عَلَيهِ بِدَمع صَبيب

جزوعاً عَلَيهِ بِدَمع صَبيب

Weeping called me, and I answered it,

Grief called me, and I obeyed

Distraught over him, with streaming tears.

Weeping for him with flowing tears

وَسِرتُ بِموكبه خاشِعاً

وَسِرتُ بِموكبه خاشِعاً

أُشيِّعه بَينَ حَفلٍ مُهيب

أُشيِّعه بَينَ حَفلٍ مُهيب

And I walked in his procession, reverent,

And I walked in his funeral, humble

Escorting him to burial amid a solemn gathering.

Bidding him farewell amidst great fear

تُفيضُ أَكاليلُهُ طيبها

تُفيضُ أَكاليلُهُ طيبها

وَدون شَمائله كُلُّ طيب

وَدون شَمائله كُلُّ طيب

His wreaths pour forth their fragrance,

The wreaths upon him their perfume shed

And all fragrance falls short of his virtues.

And near his features, all scents excel

وَعَدت عَن القَبر في العائِدين

وَعَدت عَن القَبر في العائِدين

أَمامي نَحيبٌ وَخَلفي نَحيب

أَمامي نَحيبٌ وَخَلفي نَحيب

And I returned from the grave with those returning,

Then from his grave I turned back

Wailing before me, and wailing behind me.

Before me, weeping, and behind as well

وَفي كُل نَفسٍ لَهُ لَوعة

وَفي كُل نَفسٍ لَهُ لَوعة

وَفي كُل قَلب عَلَيهِ لَهيب

وَفي كُل قَلب عَلَيهِ لَهيب

And in every soul, anguish for him,

In every soul, grief remains

And in every heart, a flame of grief for him.

In every heart for him, fire does swell

عَرَفت أَديباً حَميد الخِصال

عَرَفت أَديباً حَميد الخِصال

وَأَحبَبتُ فيهِ الذَكيَّ اللَبيب

وَأَحبَبتُ فيهِ الذَكيَّ اللَبيب

I knew a man of letters of noble character,

I knew a man of noble traits

And I loved in him the intelligent, discerning man,

And loved in him, the wise and keen

وَروحاً عَلى القَلب مثل النَسيم

وَروحاً عَلى القَلب مثل النَسيم

يَهبُّ فَينعش قَلب الكَئيب

يَهبُّ فَينعش قَلب الكَئيب

And a spirit like a breeze upon the heart,

A soul like a soft breeze to the heart

That blows and revives the sorrowful heart.

That would blow and revive one forlorn

وَكانَ قَريراً بِآماله

وَكانَ قَريراً بِآماله

فَأَدعو لَهُ اللَه أَلّا تَخيب

فَأَدعو لَهُ اللَه أَلّا تَخيب

And he was content with his hopes,

He was content with his hopes

So I would pray to God for him that they not fail.

I pray to God they do not fail

وَكانَ يَراها بِعَين الأَريب

وَكانَ يَراها بِعَين الأَريب

وَلَكنَّ للدَهر عينَ الرَقيب

وَلَكنَّ للدَهر عينَ الرَقيب

And he viewed them with a wise man's eye,

He saw them with a doubtful eye

But Time has a watcher's eye.

But time has for people, a watchful eye

وَيَكلأها بِالنَشاط العَجيب

وَيَكلأها بِالنَشاط العَجيب

وَلِلدَهر في الناس شَأن عَجيب

وَلِلدَهر في الناس شَأن عَجيب

And he watched over them with wondrous vigor,

He pursued them with wondrous zeal

And Time has a strange way with humankind.

But time has for all, a wondrous way