أَتأْسَىdo you grieve? يَاO أَبَاfather of (Abu) بَكرِBakr
أَتأْسَى يَا أَبَا بَكرِ
لِمَوتِfor the death of الحُرَّةِthe freeborn woman البِكْرِthe virgin
لِمَوتِ الحُرَّةِ البِكْرِ
Do you grieve, Abu Bakr,
Do you grieve, O Abu Bakr,
for the death of the freeborn virgin?
for the death of the freeborn virgin,
وَقَدْand already زَوَّجْتَهَاyou gave her in marriage القَبْرَthe grave
وَقَدْ زَوَّجْتَهَا القَبْرَ
وَمَاand no كَالقَبْرِlike the grave مِنْany (emphatic) صِهْرِson-in-law
وَمَا كَالقَبْرِ مِنْ صِهْرِ
You have married her to the grave,
when you have given her in marriage to the grave,
and what in-law compares with the grave?
and no son-in-law is like the grave?
وَعُوِّضْتَand you were compensated بِهَاin exchange for her الأَجْرَthe reward
وَعُوِّضْتَ بِهَا الأَجْرَ
وَمَاand no كَالأَجْرِlike the reward مِنْany (emphatic) مَهْرِdowry
وَمَا كَالأَجْرِ مِنْ مَهْرِ
For her you have been compensated with reward,
And you have been recompensed for her with reward,
and what dower compares with that reward?
and no dowry is like that reward.
زِفَافٌa bridal procession أُهْدِيَتْshe was led as a bride فِيْهِin it
زِفَافٌ أُهْدِيَتْ فِيْهِ
مِنَfrom الخِدْرِthe secluded chamber إِلَىto القَبْرِthe grave
مِنَ الخِدْرِ إِلَى القَبْرِ
A bridal procession in which she was escorted
A bridal procession in which she was led
from her curtained chamber to the grave:
from her secluded chamber to the grave.
فَتَاةٌa maiden أَسْبَلَlet fall اللَّهُGod
فَتَاةٌ أَسْبَلَ اللَّهُ
عَلَيْهَاover her أَسْبَغَthe most ample السِّتْرِthe veil
عَلَيْهَا أَسْبَغَ السِّتْرِ
a maiden over whom God has let fall
A maiden—God has let fall
His most encompassing veil.
over her the most ample veil.
وَرُزْءٌand a bereavement أَشْبَهَresembled النِّعْمَthe blessing (continued)
وَرُزْءٌ أَشْبَهَ النِّعْمَ
ةَ(completes 'blessing') فِيin المَوْقِعِthe impact وَالقَدْرِand the magnitude
ةَ فِي المَوْقِعِ وَالقَدْرِ
And a loss more like a bless—
And a bereavement that resembled a blessing
—ing in its effect and worth.
in its impact and magnitude.
وَقَدْand may يَخْتَارُHe chooses فِيamid المكَرُوadversity (continued)
وَقَدْ يَخْتَارُ فِي المكَرُو
هِ(completes 'adversity') لِلْمَرْءِfor a man وَمَايَدْرِيand he does not know
هِ لِلْمَرْءِ وَمَايَدْرِي
He may choose, within what is loath—
And He may choose amid adversity
—some, what is best for a man, though he does not know.
for a man, though he is unaware.
فَقَابِلْso receive نِعْمَةَthe blessing of اللَّهِGod الَّتِيwhich
فَقَابِلْ نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ الَّتِي
أَوْلاَكَHe bestowed on you بِالشُّكْرِwith gratitude
أَوْلاَكَ بِالشُّكْرِ
So meet the blessing of God which
So receive God's blessing, which
He has bestowed upon you with gratitude,
He has bestowed on you, with gratitude,
وَعَزِّand console النَّفْسَthe soul عَمَّاfor what فَاhas passed (continued)
وَعَزِّ النَّفْسَ عَمَّا فَا
تَ(completes 'has passed') بِالتَّسْلِيْمِwith submission وَالصَّبْرِand patience
تَ بِالتَّسْلِيْمِ وَالصَّبْرِ
and console your soul for what has pass—
and console your soul for what has passed,
—ed, with submission and patience.
with submission and patience.
Sol 6.1