أَغمدانO Ghamdan ماwhat يُبكيكَmakes you weep ياO كَعبةَKaaba of الهُدىguidance
أَغمدان ما يُبكيكَ يا كَعبةَ الهُدى
وَفيمand why الأَسىsorrow ياO هَيكلtemple of الفَضلِvirtue وَالنَدىand generosity
وَفيم الأَسى يا هَيكل الفَضلِ وَالنَدى
O Ghamdan, what makes you weep, O Kaaba of guidance?
I sheath the grief that makes you weep, O Kaaba of guidance,
And why this sorrow, O temple of virtue and generosity?
Why such sorrow, O temple of virtue and dew?
عذرتُكَI would excuse you لَوif أَصبَحتَyou had become وَحدَكَalone مُبتلىًafflicted
عذرتُكَ لَو أَصبَحتَ وَحدَكَ مُبتلىً
أَغمدانO Ghamdan صَبراًpatience لَستyou are not بِالخَطبin the calamity أَوحَداalone
أَغمدان صَبراً لَست بِالخَطب أَوحَدا
I would excuse you if you alone were afflicted.
I'd pardon you, if left alone afflicted,
O Ghamdan, patience! You are not alone in this calamity.
I sheath patience, you're not the only one aggrieved.
لَئنthough indeed ماتَdied ياO غَمدانGhamdan جبرٌJabr فَشدَّماthen how vigorously
لَئن ماتَ يا غَمدان جبرٌ فَشدَّما
أَعدَّprepared رِجالاًmen للحياةِfor life وَجنّداand mustered
أَعدَّ رِجالاً للحياةِ وَجنّدا
Though Jabr has died, O Ghamdan, how vigorously
If Jabr has passed away, though destiny is unyielding,
he prepared men for life and mustered them!
It has prepared men for life and mobilized troops.
أَتَبكيdo you weep عَلىfor جَبرJabr وَحَولكand around you جندهhis troops
أَتَبكي عَلى جَبر وَحَولك جنده
عَزاؤكyour consolation فيمنin those who راحَwent in the evening حَولكaround you وَاِغتَدىand went in the morning
عَزاؤك فيمن راحَ حَولك وَاِغتَدى
Do you weep for Jabr, with his troops around you?
Why weep for Jabr when his troops surround you?
Your consolation is in those who pass about you, evening and morning.
Find solace in those who passed near you and transgressed.
لِبانيكyour builder has روحٌa spirit ماnot يَزالceases يمدُّهُمsustains them
لِبانيك روحٌ ما يَزال يمدُّهُم
وَظلُّكand your shade مَمدودoutstretched عَلىover الدَهرِtime سرمداforever
وَظلُّك مَمدود عَلى الدَهرِ سرمدا
Your builder has a spirit that still sustains them,
Your spirit still inspires them,
and your shade stretches over time, forever.
Your shade remains eternal through the ages.
وَياand O مَنwhoever رَأىsaw أَركانَكَyour pillars الشمَّlofty فيon الرُبىthe hills
وَيا مَن رَأى أَركانَكَ الشمَّ في الرُبى
تَبَوّأنَthey took their place مِنamong جَناتِthe gardens of لبنانLebanon مقعداa seat
تَبَوّأنَ مِن جَناتِ لبنان مقعدا
And O whoever saw your lofty pillars upon the hills,
You who saw your pillars razed in the meadow,
taking their place among the gardens of Lebanon!
Take seat in the gardens of Lebanon.
حنوتَyou showed tenderness عَلىtoward أُمِّthe mother of اللُغاتlanguages فَصُنتَهاand so protected her
حنوتَ عَلى أُمِّ اللُغات فَصُنتَها
وَكُنتُand I was لَهاfor her الصرحَthe palace المَنيعَimpregnable الممرَّداsmooth-walled
وَكُنتُ لَها الصرحَ المَنيعَ الممرَّدا
You cherished the mother of languages and protected her,
You leaned on the mother of languages and guarded her,
and I was her impregnable, smooth-walled palace.
And were an impregnable fortress for her benefit.
وَكانَand was لَهاfor her جبرٌJabr أَميناًa faithful guardian وَحامياًand a protector
وَكانَ لَها جبرٌ أَميناً وَحامياً
إِذاwhen ماever بَغىacted unjustly الباغيthe aggressor عَلَيهاagainst her أَوor اِعتَدىattacked
إِذا ما بَغى الباغي عَلَيها أَو اِعتَدى
And Jabr was her faithful guardian and protector,
Jabr was a trustee and protector for her,
whenever an aggressor wronged her or attacked.
Whenever an aggressor plotted against her and overstepped.
وَللعلمand for learning فيin لُبنانLebanon شيدتwere built مَعاهِدٌinstitutes
وَللعلم في لُبنان شيدت مَعاهِدٌ
فَلَمso did not تبقِleave أَيديthe hands of الجَهلِignorance مِنهنamong them مَعهَداan institute
فَلَم تبقِ أَيدي الجَهلِ مِنهن مَعهَدا
And institutes of learning were built in Lebanon,
In Lebanon, citadels of knowledge were erected for science
but the hands of ignorance left not one institute among them.
So the hands of ignorance left no foundation among them.
وَأَقبحُand uglier مِماthan what قَدalready جَنَوهُthey perpetrated it اِعتذارهمtheir excuse
وَأَقبحُ مِما قَد جَنَوهُ اِعتذارهم
فَقالواso they said يَضيعُis wasted المالُmoney فيin رفعِهاraising them سُدىin vain
فَقالوا يَضيعُ المالُ في رفعِها سُدى
And uglier than what they had perpetrated was their excuse:
More ugly than their excuses, they claimed
they said, ‘Money is wasted in raising them, all in vain.’
The money spent on raising it is wasted.
وَقَدand indeed زَعموهاthey claimed they تُنفِدُexhaust المالَthe money كَثرةًin great quantities
وَقَد زَعموها تُنفِدُ المالَ كَثرةً
فَهَلso did ترَكواthey leave مالاًany money هُناكَthere فَينفداfor it to run out
فَهَل ترَكوا مالاً هُناكَ فَينفدا
And they claimed that they drained away vast sums of money;
They alleged it drains money excessively,
but did they leave any money there to be exhausted?
Did they leave any wealth there to be drained?
مَصابيحُlamps إِنif همthey أَطفَأوهاextinguished them فَإِنَّهاthen they are
مَصابيحُ إِن هم أَطفَأوها فَإِنَّها
حَباحبُfireflies of شؤمٍill omen كَمhow often أَضلّتled astray مَنthose who اِهتَدىwere rightly guided
حَباحبُ شؤمٍ كَم أَضلّت مَن اِهتَدى
Lamps—if they extinguished them, then these are
Lamps, if they extinguish them, are but
ill-omened fireflies: how often they led the rightly guided astray!
Flickers of ill omen that misguided many guided ones.
وَماand not لَهفيmy regret إِلّاexcept عَلىfor ساعَةٍan hour بِهاin which
وَما لَهفي إِلّا عَلى ساعَةٍ بِها
صدقناwe believed العداthe foes لاnot باركَmay bless اللَهُGod فيupon العِداthe foes
صدقنا العدا لا باركَ اللَهُ في العِدا
My regret is only for the hour in which
I only worry about the hour in which
we believed the foes—may God not bless the foes!
We believed a foe, may God not bless the enmity.
فَكَمso how many مِنof يَدٍa hand بَيضاءَwhite; gracious للعَربfor the Arabs عِندَهُمwith them
فَكَم مِن يَدٍ بَيضاءَ للعَرب عِندَهُم
وَمنand who لكَfor you بِالحَرّwith a noble man الَّذيwho يَحفظremembers اليَداthe helping hand
وَمن لكَ بِالحَرّ الَّذي يَحفظ اليَدا
How many a white hand of kindness the Arabs have shown them!
How many white hands they have with the Arabs!
And who will find you a noble man who remembers a helping hand?
Who has fire to protect the hands?
لَئنthough indeed خلّفواthey left لُبنانLebanon يخبطgroping فيin الدُجىthe darkness
لَئن خلّفوا لُبنان يخبط في الدُجى
فَغمدانthen Ghamdan ياO لُبنانLebanon ماnot اِنفَكَّceased to be فَرَقَداa pole-star
فَغمدان يا لُبنان ما اِنفَكَّ فَرَقَدا
Though they have left Lebanon groping in the darkness,
If they left Lebanon to grope in gloom,
Ghamdan, O Lebanon, remains a pole-star.
I sheath patience, O Lebanon, you have not ceased to slumber.
طَريقُthe road to الرَدىdeath مَهماhowever يَطلit grows long يَلقهfinds it الرَدىdeath
طَريقُ الرَدى مَهما يَطل يَلقه الرَدى
قَصيراًshort وَإِنand even if يَوعُرit grows rugged يَجِدهُfinds it ممهداsmooth
قَصيراً وَإِن يَوعُر يَجِدهُ ممهدا
The road to death, however long, death finds it
The way of loss, however long, meets loss,
short; and however rugged, it finds it smooth.
However rugged, one finds it smooth.
وَمَوتand the death of الفَتىa man تَحنيbends الثمانونeighty years ظَهرَهhis back
وَمَوت الفَتى تَحني الثمانون ظَهرَه
كَمَوتlike the death of الفَتىa young man فيin ميعةِthe prime of العُمرlife أَمرَداbeardless
كَمَوت الفَتى في ميعةِ العُمر أَمرَدا
And a man's death, when eighty years bend his back,
A young man's death when eighty years old,
is like a beardless youth's death in the prime of life.
Is like a young man's death in life's prime.
حَياتكyour life ياO إِنسانhuman شَتّىvaried ضروبهاits forms
حَياتك يا إِنسان شَتّى ضروبها
تَحيطsurround بِهاit شَتىvaried ضُروبforms مِنof الرَدىdeath
تَحيط بِها شَتى ضُروب مِن الرَدى
Your life, O human, has many forms;
Your life, O man, has various forms,
many forms of death surround it.
Surrounded by various forms of loss.
وَماand not قَهَرَconquered المَوتَdeath القَويَّmighty سِوىexcept امرئٍa person
وَما قَهَرَ المَوتَ القَويَّ سِوى امرئٍ
يَخلِّفُleaves behind بَينَamong الناسpeople ذكراًa remembrance مخلّداimmortal
يَخلِّفُ بَينَ الناس ذكراً مخلّدا
And none has conquered mighty death but one
Only one who leaves people a lasting memory
who leaves among people an undying remembrance,
Has conquered strong death.
يخلّفleaves behind طيبَsweetness of الذكرremembrance لاnot كَالَّذيlike the one who قَضىdied
يخلّف طيبَ الذكر لا كَالَّذي قَضى
وَخلّفand left behind وَعداًa promise فيin فَلسطينPalestine أَنكَداbaleful
وَخلّف وَعداً في فَلسطين أَنكَدا
leaving sweet remembrance—not like the man who died
Not one who passed away leaving a promise
and left a baleful promise in Palestine,
In Palestine that saddened and gladdened a nation.
فَأَبكىso made weep بِهِthrough it قَوماًa people وَأَضحكand made laugh أُمةa nation
فَأَبكى بِهِ قَوماً وَأَضحك أُمة
أَبىrefused to allow اللَهُGod إِلّاanything but أَنthat تَهيمَit wander تَشَرُّداin homelessness
أَبى اللَهُ إِلّا أَن تَهيمَ تَشَرُّدا
making a people weep and a nation laugh.
God allowed it only to roam around bewildered.
God willed nothing for it but homeless wandering.
But the best of people curbs their own harm
وَلَكنَّbut خَيرَthe best of الناسِpeople مِنone who كَفَّwithheld شَرَّهhis harm
وَلَكنَّ خَيرَ الناسِ مِن كَفَّ شَرَّه
عَنfrom الناسpeople أَوor أَغنىenriched الحَياةَlife وَأَسعَداand brought happiness
عَن الناس أَو أَغنى الحَياةَ وَأَسعَدا
But the best of people is one who keeps his harm
Or enriches life and brings happiness,
from others, or enriches life and brings happiness,
Like Jabr and Abdullah, their burial grounds are fragrant,
كَجَبرٍlike Jabr وَعبدand Abd اللَهAllah طابَmay be sweet ثَراهُماtheir burial earth
كَجَبرٍ وَعبد اللَه طابَ ثَراهُما
وَلاand may it not زالَcease فَوّاحwafting الشَذىfragrance ريِّقfresh with النَدىdew
وَلا زالَ فَوّاح الشَذى ريِّق النَدى
like Jabr and Abd Allah—may their earth be sweet,
The fresh aroma and tender dew still emanate,
and may it remain fragrant and fresh with dew.
For the good we hope, both strove,
عَلىin accordance with خَيرthe best of ماwhat نَرجوهwe hope for كانَwere كِلاهُماboth of them
عَلى خَير ما نَرجوه كانَ كِلاهُما
جِهاداًin striving وَإِسعاداًand bringing joy وَغَيباًand in private وَمَشهَداand in public
جِهاداً وَإِسعاداً وَغَيباً وَمَشهَدا
Both were the best we could hope for,
Through struggle, prosperity, absence and presence.
in striving and giving joy, in private and in public.
They passionately loved the Mudari tribe,
وَهاماand both were enamored هياماًpassionately فيin هَوىlove of مَضريةthe Mudari tongue
وَهاما هياماً في هَوى مَضرية
كَماjust as اِنقَطَعاboth devoted themselves دَهراًfor long years لَهاto her وَتَجَرَّداand gave themselves wholly
كَما اِنقَطَعا دَهراً لَها وَتَجَرَّدا
And both were passionately in love with the Mudari tongue,
As if devoted to it eternally and renounced all else.
just as they devoted long years to her and gave themselves wholly.
How much beauty they unveiled and renewed,
فَكَمso how much نَشَراboth unfolded مِنof ذَلِكَthat الحُسنbeauty ماwhat اِنطَوىlay folded away
فَكَم نَشَرا مِن ذَلِكَ الحُسن ما اِنطَوى
وَكَمand how many آيةٍa marvel فيin ذَلِكَthat السحرmagic جَدَّداboth renewed
وَكَم آيةٍ في ذَلِكَ السحر جَدَّدا
How much of that beauty, folded away, they unfolded!
How many wonders in that sorcery they renewed.
And how many marvels of that magic they renewed!
Its eloquence fascinated Jabr and inclined him
بَلاغَتهاher eloquence اِفتنّتshowed artistry بجبرٍthrough Jabr وَآثرتand preferred
بَلاغَتها اِفتنّت بجبرٍ وَآثرت
فَصاحتهاher pure speech البُستانَal-Bustan; the garden ظلاًas shade وَمورداand a spring
فَصاحتها البُستانَ ظلاً وَموردا
Her eloquence showed its artistry through Jabr, and preferred—
To make it the garden's shade and stream.
her pure speech—al-Bustan (the Garden) as shade and a spring.
When a language prevails, even if its people are oppressed,
إِذاif لُغَةٌa language عَزَّتgained honor وَلَوeven if ضيمwere oppressed أَهلهاits people
إِذا لُغَةٌ عَزَّت وَلَو ضيم أَهلها
فَقَدthen indeed أَوشَكwas close اِستقلالهمtheir independence أَنto يَوطّداbe firmly established
فَقَد أَوشَك اِستقلالهم أَن يَوطّدا
When a language gains honor, even if its people are oppressed,
Their independence is about to consolidate.
their independence is close to being firmly established.
Jabr's hand in my eyes sparkles like the morning,
لجبرٍJabr has يَدٌa helping hand عِنديwith me تَأَلَّقُshines كَالضُحىlike the bright morning
لجبرٍ يَدٌ عِندي تَأَلَّقُ كَالضُحى
وَقَلَّand is scant لَهاfor it شكراًas thanks رثائيكَmy elegy for you مُنشِداas a reciter
وَقَلَّ لَها شكراً رثائيكَ مُنشِدا
Jabr has given me a helping hand that shines like the morning,
I thanked it little, reciting this elegy.
and my reciting an elegy for you is scant thanks for it.
I found you in Beirut, haven of dew
غَشيتكI visited you فيin دارٍa house بِبَيروتin Beirut لِلنَدىfor generosity
غَشيتك في دارٍ بِبَيروت لِلنَدى
وَلِلأَدبand for literature العاليlofty فِناءًa courtyard وَمُنتَدىand a meeting place
وَلِلأَدب العالي فِناءً وَمُنتَدى
I visited you in a house in Beirut devoted to generosity,
And sublime literature, courtyard and forum.
and to lofty literature, a courtyard and meeting place.
People crowded around your kin,
وَحفَّand surrounded ذَويكَyour family البشرُjoy مِنfrom كُلِevery جانِبٍside
وَحفَّ ذَويكَ البشرُ مِن كُلِ جانِبٍ
وَبَينَand among أَساريرthe features of الوُجوهfaces تَرَدَّداmoved to and fro
وَبَينَ أَسارير الوُجوه تَرَدَّدا
Joy surrounded your family on every side,
Worry showing between their faces.
and passed to and fro across the features of their faces.
You granted me a ray of your light,
وَآنستَand you perceived بيin me مِنfrom فَيضthe flood of نوركyour light لَمحةًa glimmer
وَآنستَ بي مِن فَيض نورك لَمحةً
فَأَعليتَso you raised مِنof شَأنيmy standing مَعيناًas a helper وَمرشداand a guide
فَأَعليتَ مِن شَأني مَعيناً وَمرشدا
You discerned in me a glimmer from the flood of your light,
Raising my status, aiding and guiding me.
so you raised my standing, helping and guiding me.
You were surely righteous, O righteous father,
لَقَدindeed كُنتَyou were بيto me بَرّاًkind فياso O بِرَّkindness of والدٍa father
لَقَد كُنتَ بي بَرّاً فيا بِرَّ والدٍ
توسّمَdiscerned خَيراًgood فيin ابنهhis son فَتَعَهّداand so cared for him
توسّمَ خَيراً في ابنه فَتَعَهّدا
You were indeed kind to me—O kindness of a father
Who saw goodness in his son and tutored him.
who sensed good in his son and cared for him!
Alas! I now mourn your blessings
وَياand O حسرتاmy sorrow أَضحيI become بِنعماكَthrough your favors نائِحاًa mourner
وَيا حسرتا أَضحي بِنعماكَ نائِحاً
وَكُنتُand I was بِهاbecause of them مِنfrom قبلbefore حينٍa while مغرِّداsinging joyfully
وَكُنتُ بِها مِن قبل حينٍ مغرِّدا
Alas, your favors now make me a mourner,
While once I sang joyfully because of them.
when once, in earlier days, they made me sing with joy.
I'm amazed by the determination that was
عَجبتُI marveled لَهاat it مِنas همةٍa resolve كانَwas مُنتَهىthe end of
عَجبتُ لَها مِن همةٍ كانَ مُنتَهى
حَياتكyour life فيهاwith it حافِلاًfull مثلَlike مبتداthe beginning
حَياتك فيها حافِلاً مثلَ مبتدا
I marvel at that resolve: the end
The pinnacle of your life, as if just beginning.
of your life was as full of it as its beginning.
My language wanders distraught without Jabr
فَياso O لُغتيmy language تيهيtake pride بجبرٍin Jabr عَلىabove اللُغىother tongues
فَيا لُغتي تيهي بجبرٍ عَلى اللُغى
وَياand O وَطَنيmy homeland ردِّدrepeat بآثارهwith his deeds الصَدىthe echo
وَيا وَطَني ردِّد بآثاره الصَدى
So, O my language, glory in Jabr above all tongues,
My homeland, echo his traces.
and O my homeland, repeat the echo of his deeds.
Partial English translation: 71 of 72 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1