أَيُّwhat حِرَاكٍliveliness غَالَdestroyed مِنْكَin you السُّكُونْstillness
أَيُّ حِرَاكٍ غَالَ مِنْكَ السُّكُونْ
وَنَارُand a fire كَيْسٍof intelligence أَطْفَأَتْهَاextinguished it المَنُونْdeath
وَنَارُ كَيْسٍ أَطْفَأَتْهَا المَنُونْ
What liveliness has stillness stolen from you!
And what a fire of wit has death extinguished!
يَاO بِشْرُBishr إِنْif تُودَyou perish فَكُلُّthen every امْرِىءٍperson
يَا بِشْرُ إِنْ تُودَ فَكُلُّ امْرِىءٍ
يَوْمَاًone day بِمَاto what صِرْتَyou have come إِلَيْهِto it رَهِيْنْbound
يَوْمَاً بِمَا صِرْتَ إِلَيْهِ رَهِيْنْ
O Bishr, if you perish, every person
will one day be captive to the fate you have reached.
أَوْتُمْسِor you become غُصْنَاًa bough فِيin الثَّرَىthe dust ذَاوِيَاًwithered
أَوْتُمْسِ غُصْنَاً فِي الثَّرَى ذَاوِيَاً
فَقَدْfor already ثَوَتْhave lain قَبْلَكَbefore you فِيْهِin it غُصُونْboughs
فَقَدْ ثَوَتْ قَبْلَكَ فِيْهِ غُصُونْ
Or if you become a withered bough in the dust,
other boughs have lain there before you.
أَوْor يَبْلَdecays مِنْof جِسْمِكَyour body رَيْعَانُهُits youthful bloom
أَوْ يَبْلَ مِنْ جِسْمِكَ رَيْعَانُهُ
فَهَكَذَاso thus تَنْمِيgrow وَتَبْلَىand decay القُرُونْgenerations
فَهَكَذَا تَنْمِي وَتَبْلَى القُرُونْ
Or if your body's youthful bloom decays,
thus do generations grow and pass away.
وَلَيْسَand is not مَمْلُوكٌa slave وَلاَnor مَالِكٌa master
وَلَيْسَ مَمْلُوكٌ وَلاَ مَالِكٌ
بِخَالِدْimmortal كُلُّeveryone بِمَوْتٍto death قَمِينْliable
بِخَالِدْ كُلُّ بِمَوْتٍ قَمِينْ
Neither slave nor master
is immortal; each is bound for death.
مَنْwho لِدَوَاةٍfor an inkwell كُنْتَyou were تُعْنَىtaking care بِهَاof it
مَنْ لِدَوَاةٍ كُنْتَ تُعْنَى بِهَا
عِنَايَةًa care تَعْجِزُfall short عَنْهَاof it القُيُونْcraftsmen
عِنَايَةً تَعْجِزُ عَنْهَا القُيُونْ
Who will tend the inkwell you cared for
with a care beyond the skill of craftsmen?
أَمْor مَنْwho لِكُتْبِfor documents كُنْتَyou were فِيin طَيِّهَاfolding them
أَمْ مَنْ لِكُتْبِ كُنْتَ فِي طَيِّهَا
أَسْرَعَswifter مِمَّاthan تَتَلاَقَىmeet الجُفُونْeyelids
أَسْرَعَ مِمَّا تَتَلاَقَى الجُفُونْ
Or who will handle the documents you folded
more swiftly than eyelids meet?
أَمْor مَنْwho لِحَاجَاتٍfor tasks إِذَاwhen مَاever مَضَىhe set out
أَمْ مَنْ لِحَاجَاتٍ إِذَا مَا مَضَى
فِيْهَاon them مَضَىhe proceeded وَهْوَwhile he لِنُجْحٍof success ضَمِيْنْa guarantor
فِيْهَا مَضَى وَهْوَ لِنُجْحٍ ضَمِيْنْ
Or who for the tasks that, whenever he set out
to accomplish them, he went guaranteeing success?
أَمْor مَنْwho لِتَذْلِيْلِfor taming صِعَابٍdifficulties إِذَاwhen
أَمْ مَنْ لِتَذْلِيْلِ صِعَابٍ إِذَا
بَاشَرَهَاhe tackled them سَهَّلَhe smoothed مِنْهَاof them الحَزُونْthe rough ground
بَاشَرَهَا سَهَّلَ مِنْهَا الحَزُونْ
Or who to tame difficulties that, when
he tackled them, he smoothed their rugged ground?
أَمْor مَنْwho لِكَأسٍfor a winecup وَلِرَامُشْنَةٍand for musical entertainment
أَمْ مَنْ لِكَأسٍ وَلِرَامُشْنَةٍ
فِيْهَاin it لَهُfor him مِنْof كُلِّevery فَنٍّart فُنُونْvarieties
فِيْهَا لَهُ مِنْ كُلِّ فَنٍّ فُنُونْ
Or who for the winecup and musical entertainment,
where he had many skills in every art?
صَانِعُa craftsman أَلْطَفٍmost deft تَأَتَّىapplied himself لَهَاto it
صَانِعُ أَلْطَفٍ تَأَتَّى لَهَا
بِحِكْمَةٍwith skill كِلْتَاboth يَدَيْهِhis hands يَمِينْa right hand
بِحِكْمَةٍ كِلْتَا يَدَيْهِ يَمِينْ
A most deft craftsman, he set about it
with skill; both his hands were right hands.
يَطْوِيhe folds الطَّوَامِيْرَthe scrolls بِلاَwithout كُلْفَةٍeffort
يَطْوِي الطَّوَامِيْرَ بِلاَ كُلْفَةٍ
وَيَلْصِقُand he glues الإِلْصَاقَthe join مَاnot يَسْتَبِينْis visible
وَيَلْصِقُ الإِلْصَاقَ مَا يَسْتَبِينْ
He folded scrolls without effort,
and glued them with no visible seam.
لَمْdid not يَنْثُرِscatter الدَّهْرَever سَحَاةًa paper shaving وَلاَnor
لَمْ يَنْثُرِ الدَّهْرَ سَحَاةً وَلاَ
أَثَّرَleft a mark فِيon كَفَّيْهِhis palms لِلْخَتْمِfor sealing طِينْclay
أَثَّرَ فِي كَفَّيْهِ لِلْخَتْمِ طِينْ
Never did he scatter a scrap of paper, nor
did sealing clay leave a mark on his palms.
سَائِسُa manager غِلْمَانٍof young servants رَفِيْقٍgentle بِهِمْwith them
سَائِسُ غِلْمَانٍ رَفِيْقٍ بِهِمْ
رِفْقَاًa gentleness تَوَاخَىbecame brothers فِيْهِthrough it ضَبُّa desert lizard وَنُونْand a fish
رِفْقَاً تَوَاخَى فِيْهِ ضَبُّ وَنُونْ
A manager of young servants, gentle with them,
whose kindness made lizard and fish brothers.
ظَبْيُa gazelle كِنَاسٍof a covert بَزَّنِيْهِsnatched him from me الرَّدَىdeath
ظَبْيُ كِنَاسٍ بَزَّنِيْهِ الرَّدَى
وَالَّليْثُand the lion لاَnot يَدْفَعُwards off عَنْهُfrom it العَرِينْthe lair
وَالَّليْثُ لاَ يَدْفَعُ عَنْهُ العَرِينْ
A gazelle in its covert, whom death stole from me;
even a lion is not protected by its lair.
وَجْهٌa face عَلَىat البَابِthe door إِذَاwhen أَمَّهُsought it
وَجْهٌ عَلَى البَابِ إِذَا أَمَّهُ
زَوْرٌvisitors وَفِيand in المَوْكِبِthe procession حِصْنٌa fortress حَصِيْنْimpregnable
زَوْرٌ وَفِي المَوْكِبِ حِصْنٌ حَصِيْنْ
A welcoming face at the door when it was sought
by visitors; in the procession, an impregnable fortress.
يُمَيِّزُhe distinguishes النَّاسَpeople بِتَمْيِيْزِهِwith his discernment
يُمَيِّزُ النَّاسَ بِتَمْيِيْزِهِ
مَنَازِلاًranks فِيْهَاamong them شَرِيْفٌnoble وَدُونْand lowly
مَنَازِلاً فِيْهَا شَرِيْفٌ وَدُونْ
His discernment set people apart
by rank, some noble and some lowly.
شِهَابُa blazing star آرِيٍّa horse-tethering place أَطَافَتْencircled بِهِhim
شِهَابُ آرِيٍّ أَطَافَتْ بِهِ
خَيْلٌhorses لَهَاfor them فِيon جَانِبَيْهَاtheir two sides صُفُونْpoised standing
خَيْلٌ لَهَا فِي جَانِبَيْهَا صُفُونْ
A blazing star of the stable, encircled
by horses standing poised on either side.
يَقْرُبُhe draws near مِنْهَاto them وَيُرَاعِيand watches over الَّذِيwhat
يَقْرُبُ مِنْهَا وَيُرَاعِي الَّذِي
تَقْضِمُهُthey chew it حَتَّىuntil تعِيْهِcontain it البُطُونْthe bellies
تَقْضِمُهُ حَتَّى تعِيْهِ البُطُونْ
He drew near them and watched over what
they chewed until their bellies took it in.
يَسْتَوقِفُhe stops الجَامِحَthe bolter مِنْهَاamong them وَإِنْand if
يَسْتَوقِفُ الجَامِحَ مِنْهَا وَإِنْ
يَرْكَبْhe rides حَرُونَاًa balking horse يَسْتَمِرُّgoes forward الحَرُونْthe balker
يَرْكَبْ حَرُونَاً يَسْتَمِرُّ الحَرُونْ
He halted the bolter among them, and if
he rode a balking horse, the balker moved on.
طَاهِيa cook قُدُورٍof pots طَيَّبَتْmade delicious كَفُّهُhis hand
طَاهِي قُدُورٍ طَيَّبَتْ كَفُّهُ
مَذَاقَهَاtheir flavor فَالْغَثُّso the poor fare مِنْهَاamong them يَبِينْstands out
مَذَاقَهَا فَالْغَثُّ مِنْهَا يَبِينْ
A cook of pots whose hand improved
their flavor, so even the plainest fare stood out.
يَاO نَاصِحِيmy counselor إِذْwhen لَيْسَthere is no لِيfor me نَاصِحٌcounselor
يَا نَاصِحِي إِذْ لَيْسَ لِي نَاصِحٌ
وَيَاand O أُمِيْنِيmy trusted one إِذْwhen يَخُونُbetrays الأَمِيْنْthe trusted one
وَيَا أُمِيْنِي إِذْ يَخُونُ الأَمِيْنْ
O my counselor, when I had no counselor,
and my trusted one, when the trusted betray!
لَمَّاwhen دَفَنَّاكَwe buried you رَجَعْنَاwe returned وَهِيand it is الthe (continued)
لَمَّا دَفَنَّاكَ رَجَعْنَا وَهِي ال
أحْشَاءِinnards مِنْfrom فَقْدِكَlosing you دَاءٌa sickness دَفِينْburied
أحْشَاءِ مِنْ فَقْدِكَ دَاءٌ دَفِينْ
When we buried you, we returned; within our
hearts lay a buried sickness born of losing you.
أَمْتَعْتَنِيyou delighted me حَيًّاًalive وَآجَرْتَنِيand brought me reward
أَمْتَعْتَنِي حَيًّاً وَآجَرْتَنِي
مَيْتَاًdead فَخَظِّيso my share مِنْكَfrom you دُنْيَاworldly life وَدِينْand faith
مَيْتَاً فَخَظِّي مِنْكَ دُنْيَا وَدِينْ
You delighted me in life and brought me reward
in death; my share from you is this world and faith.
كُنْتَyou were لِأَسْرَارِيfor my secrets فَأَصْبَحْتُso I have become قَدْalready
كُنْتَ لِأَسْرَارِي فَأَصْبَحْتُ قَدْ
أُبِيْحَwas laid open مِنْof سِرِّيmy secret حَمَاهُits sanctuary المَصُونُthe guarded
أُبِيْحَ مِنْ سِرِّي حَمَاهُ المَصُونُ
You kept my secrets; now I find
my secret's guarded sanctuary laid bare.
وَكُنْتَلِيand you were for me أُنْسَاًcompanionship فَلاَso no أُنْسَcompanionship لِيfor me
وَكُنْتَلِي أُنْسَاً فَلاَ أُنْسَ لِي
وَكُنْتَand you were لِيfor me عَوْنَاًa help فَمَنْso whom أَسْتَعِينْshall I seek for help
وَكُنْتَ لِي عَوْنَاً فَمَنْ أَسْتَعِينْ
You were my comfort; now I have no comfort.
You were my help; whose aid can I seek?
تَاللَّهِby God مَاhow أَسْمَحَنِيgenerous I am لِلْبِلَىto decay
تَاللَّهِ مَا أَسْمَحَنِي لِلْبِلَى
بِهِwith him عَلَىalthough أَنِّيI am بِبِشْرِيwith my Bishr ضَنِينْloath to part
بِهِ عَلَى أَنِّي بِبِشْرِي ضَنِينْ
By God, how freely I yield to decay
him, though I so jealously cherish my Bishr!
أَيُّwhatever مَلِيْكٍmaster شَانَهُdisgraced him عَبْدُهُhis slave
أَيُّ مَلِيْكٍ شَانَهُ عَبْدُهُ
فَإِنَّfor indeed بِشْرِيmy Bishr كَانَwas مِمَّاamong those who يَزِينْadorn
فَإِنَّ بِشْرِي كَانَ مِمَّا يَزِينْ
Whatever master his slave may disgrace,
my Bishr was surely one who brought honor.
إِنْif تُخْلِفِfail الآمَالُthe hopes فِيfor عُمْرِهِhis lifespan
إِنْ تُخْلِفِ الآمَالُ فِي عُمْرِهِ
فَلَمْyet not تَكُنْwere تُخْلِفُfailing فِيْهِin him الظُّنُونْexpectations
فَلَمْ تَكُنْ تُخْلِفُ فِيْهِ الظُّنُونْ
Though hopes for his lifespan proved false,
expectations of him never failed.
يَغْدُوgo out at dawn مَعَwith الكُتَّابِthe scribes غِلْمَانُهُمْtheir servants
يَغْدُو مَعَ الكُتَّابِ غِلْمَانُهُمْ
وَأَغْتَدِيand I go out early وَحْدِيalone وَمَاand not لِيfor me قَرِينْa companion
وَأَغْتَدِي وَحْدِي وَمَا لِي قَرِينْ
Their servants go out at dawn with the scribes,
while I go out alone, without a companion.
وَلَوْand if أَشَاءُI wished اعْتَضْتُI took a replacement لَكِنَّbut مَنْwhoever
وَلَوْ أَشَاءُ اعْتَضْتُ لَكِنَّ مَنْ
يُعْتَاضُis taken as a replacement إِمَّاeither عَاجِزٌincapable أَوْor خَؤُونْtreacherous
يُعْتَاضُ إِمَّا عَاجِزٌ أَوْ خَؤُونْ
If I wished, I could find a replacement; but whoever
is taken in exchange is either inept or treacherous.
فَالدَّارُso the house والدِّيْوَانُand the office مِنْfrom بَعْدِهِafter him
فَالدَّارُ والدِّيْوَانُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ
كَرَسْمِlike the ruins دَارٍof a dwelling خَفَّdeparted مِنْهَاfrom it القَطِينْthe residents
كَرَسْمِ دَارٍ خَفَّ مِنْهَا القَطِينْ
The house and the office, after him,
are like a dwelling's ruins, deserted by its people.
عَهْدِيmy recollection بِهِof him كَاسِرَlowering اَجْفَانِهِhis eyelids
عَهْدِي بِهِ كَاسِرَ اَجْفَانِهِ
يَنْظِمُstrings دُرَّpearls الرَّشْحِof sweat مِنْهُfrom him الجَبِيْنْthe brow
يَنْظِمُ دُرَّ الرَّشْحِ مِنْهُ الجَبِيْنْ
I remember him with his eyelids drooping,
his brow stringing pearls of sweat.
فَاتِرَةٌlanguid أَلْحَاظُهُhis glances طَالَمَاhow often
فَاتِرَةٌ أَلْحَاظُهُ طَالَمَا
حُوذِرَwas feared مِنْfrom ذَاكَthat الفُتُورِlanguor الفُتُونْenchantment
حُوذِرَ مِنْ ذَاكَ الفُتُورِ الفُتُونْ
His glances were languid—how often
had the enchantment of that languor been feared!
مُنْقَادَةٌsubmissive لِلْمَوتِto death أَعْضَاؤُهُhis limbs
مُنْقَادَةٌ لِلْمَوتِ أَعْضَاؤُهُ
يَضْعُفُhe is too weak أَنْfor يُسْمَعَto be heard مِنْهُfrom him الأَنِينْa moan
يَضْعُفُ أَنْ يُسْمَعَ مِنْهُ الأَنِينْ
His limbs surrendered to death;
he was too weak for a moan to be heard.
أَسْأَلُهُI question him وَهُوَwhile he عَلَىdespite مَاwhat بِهِafflicts him
أَسْأَلُهُ وَهُوَ عَلَى مَا بِهِ
مُصْغٍlistening لِقَوِليto my words وَمُجِيْبٌand answering مُبِينْclearly
مُصْغٍ لِقَوِلي وَمُجِيْبٌ مُبِينْ
I questioned him, and despite all he suffered,
he listened to my words and answered clearly.
يَذْبُلُhe withers شَيْئَاًa little بَعْدَafter شَيءٍa little كَمَاas
يَذْبُلُ شَيْئَاً بَعْدَ شَيءٍ كَمَا
يَذْبُلُwithers بَعْدَafter النَّضْرَةِfreshness اليَاسَمِينْjasmine
يَذْبُلُ بَعْدَ النَّضْرَةِ اليَاسَمِينْ
He withered little by little, as
jasmine withers after its freshness.
كَأَنَّهُas though he فَوْقَupon حَشِيَّاتِهِhis cushions
كَأَنَّهُ فَوْقَ حَشِيَّاتِهِ
رَيْحَانَةٌa basil plant أَبْطَأَwas slow عَنْهَاin reaching it مَعِينْrunning water
رَيْحَانَةٌ أَبْطَأَ عَنْهَا مَعِينْ
As though he, upon his cushions,
were a basil plant whose flowing water was slow to come.
يَاO مَوتُDeath لَوif غَيْرُكَsomeone other than you أَوْدَىdestroyed بِهِhim
يَا مَوتُ لَو غَيْرُكَ أَوْدَى بِهِ
مَاnot كُنْتُI would have أَسْتَجْدِيbegged وَلاَnor أَسْتَكينْsubmitted
مَا كُنْتُ أَسْتَجْدِي وَلاَ أَسْتَكينْ
O Death, had anyone but you destroyed him,
I would neither have begged nor submitted.
مَاnot زَالَceased بِشْرٌBishr بِتَبَاشِيْرِهِwith his glad tidings
مَا زَالَ بِشْرٌ بِتَبَاشِيْرِهِ
مُتَابِعَاًcontinuing حَتَّىuntil أَتَاهُcame to him اليَقِينْcertainty (death)
مُتَابِعَاً حَتَّى أَتَاهُ اليَقِينْ
Bishr kept bringing his glad tidings,
one after another, until certain death came to him.
فَالدَّمْعُso tears جَارٍflowing وَالأَسَىand grief فِيin الحَشَىthe breast
فَالدَّمْعُ جَارٍ وَالأَسَى فِي الحَشَى
ثَاوٍabiding وَقَلْبِيand my heart مُسْتَطَارٌdistraught حَزِينْsorrowful
ثَاوٍ وَقَلْبِي مُسْتَطَارٌ حَزِينْ
So tears flow, and grief within my breast
abides; my heart is distraught and sorrowful.
عَيْنٌan evil eye أَصَابَتْهُstruck him فَلاَso may it not مُتِّعَتْbe granted delight
عَيْنٌ أَصَابَتْهُ فَلاَ مُتِّعَتْ
وَالعَيْنُand the precious one لاَnot تَغْفُلُare heedless عَنْهُof him العُيُونْthe eyes
وَالعَيْنُ لاَ تَغْفُلُ عَنْهُ العُيُونْ
An evil eye struck him—may it be denied delight!
And eyes never lose sight of a treasure.
وَكَيْفَand how حَالِيmy state بَعْدَafter مَنْone who هَذِهِthese
وَكَيْفَ حَالِي بَعْدَ مَنْ هَذِهِ
صِفَاتُqualities هَذَاthis الخَيْرِgoodness فِيْهِin him يَكُونْis found
صِفَاتُ هَذَا الخَيْرِ فِيْهِ يَكُونْ
And how shall I fare after one with these
qualities, in whom this goodness dwelt?
Sol 6.1