تسقيwater ثراكyour dust مدامعtears الاجفانِof the eyelids
تسقي ثراك مدامع الاجفانِ
ياO غصنbranch بانٍof a bān tree بلrather غصينlittle branch البانِof the bān tree
يا غصن بانٍ بل غصين البانِ
The tears of eyelids water your dust.
Your burial place is watered by the tears of my eyelids
O branch of a bān tree—rather, a little bān twig!
O branch that was vibrant but did not grow
انتَyou الغصينthe little branch نشاsprouted ولكنand yet ماdid not نَماgrow
انتَ الغصين نشا ولكن ما نَما
كيماso that يُعَدَّbe counted بجملةin the group of الاغصانِthe branches
كيما يُعَدَّ بجملة الاغصانِ
You are the little branch that sprouted, but did not grow
You are the branch that grew but did not flourish
Enough to be counted among the branches.
As if you were not one of the branches
قصفَsnapped الزَمانُtime قوامكyour frame الرطبtender النديdewy
قصفَ الزَمانُ قوامك الرطب الندي
وَكَذاكand such شانthe way طوارقthe sudden blows الحدثانِof fate
وَكَذاك شان طوارق الحدثانِ
Time snapped your tender, dewy frame,
Time has broken your fresh, moist trunk
And such is the way of fate's sudden blows.
Such is the way of fledglings
غَرَسوكthey planted you فيin تُربٍearth عسىperhaps تحياyou might live بِهِthrough it
غَرَسوك في تُربٍ عسى تحيا بِهِ
وَسَقوكand they watered you سيلَa flood المدمعof tears الهتّانِpouring down
وَسَقوك سيلَ المدمع الهتّانِ
They planted you in earth, hoping you might live through it,
They planted you in soil, hoping you would live by it
And watered you with a flood of streaming tears.
And watered you with a torrent of burning tears
لكنَّماbut تلكthose الدموعtears سخينةٌhot
لكنَّما تلك الدموع سخينةٌ
وَكَذاand so تَكونare مدامعtears الاحزانِof sorrow
وَكَذا تَكون مدامع الاحزانِ
But those tears are hot,
But those tears were scalding
And so are the tears of sorrow.
Such are the tears of sorrows
فذبَلتَso you withered حينئذٍthen ذبولاًa withering ثانياًa second
فذبَلتَ حينئذٍ ذبولاً ثانياً
طَلَبُseeking الزيادةincrease جالِبُbringing النقصانِdecrease
طَلَبُ الزيادة جالِبُ النقصانِ
So then you withered a second time:
So you withered a second time withering
Seeking increase brings decrease.
Seeking excess brings loss
فَلَنبكِso let us weep ثَمَّthere وَنَسقِand let us water قبركyour grave دَمعناour tears
فَلَنبكِ ثَمَّ وَنَسقِ قبرك دَمعنا
اذsince لَيسَnot نَخشىwe fear بعدُany longer منof خسرانِloss
اذ لَيسَ نَخشى بعدُ من خسرانِ
So let us weep there and water your grave with our tears,
We shall cry for you, then water your grave with our tears
For we no longer fear any loss.
Since we no longer fear loss
فَعَسىso perhaps نرطّبwe may moisten بالاقلّat least ترابُهُits soil
فَعَسى نرطّب بالاقلّ ترابُهُ
وَعَليهِand on it تنبتُmay grow أَغصُنُbranches الرَيحانِof basil
وَعَليهِ تنبتُ أَغصُنُ الرَيحانِ
Perhaps we may at least moisten its soil,
Maybe we will moisten at least the soil with it
And sprigs of basil may grow upon it,
And on it grow branches of sweet basil
كيماso that تشيرَthey may indicate بانَّthat فيهِin it تحتهاbeneath them
كيما تشيرَ بانَّ فيهِ تحتها
شبهاًa likeness لهاto them باللطفin delicacy والميلانِand swaying
شبهاً لها باللطف والميلانِ
So they may show that within it, beneath them,
So it would hint that beneath it
Lies one like them in delicacy and swaying.
Is one similar in tenderness and leaning
وَلكيand so that تميلَthey may sway اذاwhen الرياحُthe winds تناوَحَتblow from opposing sides
وَلكي تميلَ اذا الرياحُ تناوَحَت
كَتَمايُلlike the swaying of الباكيthe weeper الاسيفthe sorrowful العانيthe afflicted
كَتَمايُل الباكي الاسيف العاني
And so they may sway when winds blow from opposing sides,
One that would lean when the winds blow
Like the swaying of a weeping, sorrowful sufferer.
Like a crying, heart-broken, helpless lover
وَتصفِّقَand may clap الاوراقُthe leaves تصفيقthe clapping of امرىءٍa person
وَتصفِّقَ الاوراقُ تصفيق امرىءٍ
متأَلّمٍin pain أَوor عاشقٍa lover ولهانِdistraught with longing
متأَلّمٍ أَو عاشقٍ ولهانِ
And the leaves may clap like the clapping of a man
Its leaves would rustle the rustle of a
In pain, or a lover distraught with longing.
Suffering or lovelorn, infatuated man
وَيَفوحَand may exhale fragrance منهاfrom them زَهرُهاtheir blossoms بِروائحٍwith scents
وَيَفوحَ منها زَهرُها بِروائحٍ
عطريَّةِsweet-scented الأَذيالِthe hems والأَردانِand the sleeves
عطريَّةِ الأَذيالِ والأَردانِ
And from them their blossoms may breathe forth fragrances,
Exuding from it fragrant scents
Sweet-scented in their hems and sleeves.
Of trailing robes and flower necklaces
فاذاso when يُمرَّpasses فَتىًa youth هناكthere يَعجturns aside بهاtoward them
فاذا يُمرَّ فَتىً هناك يَعج بها
يَتلوrecites عليكover you تحيَّةَthe greeting of الإِخوانِthe brethren
يَتلو عليك تحيَّةَ الإِخوانِ
So when a youth passes there, he turns aside to them,
So when a youth passes by, impressed
Reciting over you the greeting of brethren.
He recites to you the greeting of brotherhood
وَتنالَand may draw منكfrom you جُذورُهاtheir roots فَتَعودso you return فيin
وَتنالَ منك جُذورُها فَتَعود في
أَغصانهاtheir branches حيّاalive بنوعٍin a form ثانِa second
أَغصانها حيّا بنوعٍ ثانِ
And their roots draw sustenance from you, so you return in
And its roots would reach you and return in
Their branches, alive in another form.
Its branches revived in a different way
فَتَعودَso you return غصناًas a branch مثلماjust as قدalready كنتَyou were فيin
فَتَعودَ غصناً مثلما قد كنتَ في
هَذيthis الحياةlife بعالمِin the realm of الحيوانِliving creatures
هَذي الحياة بعالمِ الحيوانِ
Thus you return as a branch, as you once were in
You would return as a branch as you were
This life, in the realm of living creatures.
In this life in the world of beasts
وَتَعودَand you return زَهراًas a blossom زاهياًradiant ذاpossessing بهجَةٍdelight
وَتَعودَ زَهراً زاهياً ذا بهجَةٍ
وَكَذاكand likewise كنتَyou were بعالَمin the world of الإِنسانِhumankind
وَكَذاك كنتَ بعالَم الإِنسانِ
And you return as a radiant blossom full of delight,
And return as a vibrant, joyful flower
Just as you were in the world of humankind.
As you were in the world of humans
وَتَفوحَand may waft منكfrom you روائِحٌfragrances عطريَّةٌsweet-scented
وَتَفوحَ منك روائِحٌ عطريَّةٌ
تُنبيtell بماof what بكis in you منof لطيفdelicate معانِqualities
تُنبي بما بك من لطيف معانِ
And sweet fragrances waft from you,
Exuding from you fragrant scents
Telling of the delicate qualities within you.
Hinting of the beautiful meanings in you
وَيَعودَand returns مَنظَرُكyour appearance الجَميلُbeautiful وَثَغرُكand your mouth الthe
وَيَعودَ مَنظَرُك الجَميلُ وَثَغرُك ال
بسّامُever-smiling مثلَlike قَلائدnecklaces العقيانِof pure gold
بسّامُ مثلَ قَلائد العقيانِ
And your lovely appearance returns, and your mouth,
And your beautiful sight and smiling mouth would return
Ever smiling, like necklaces of pure gold.
Like necklaces of peridot
وَيَلاهُalas منfor هَذاthis الكَلامspeech فانهُfor it
وَيَلاهُ من هَذا الكَلام فانهُ
يُصليscorches القلوبthe hearts بلاعجwith the searing blaze of النيرانِfires
يُصلي القلوب بلاعج النيرانِ
Alas for these words, for they
But enough of this talk for it
Scorch hearts with the searing blaze of fire,
Makes hearts flare without firewood
وَيَزيدand increases اشجاناًsorrows ولكنَّand yet الاسىgrief
وَيَزيد اشجاناً ولكنَّ الاسى
لمwas not يحتملborne لزيادةbecause of increased الاشجانِsorrows
لم يحتمل لزيادة الاشجانِ
And add to sorrows; yet grief
And increases sorrows, but anguish
Could not be borne as sorrows increased.
Could not withstand an increase in sorrows
ابقيتyou left امكyour mother معwith ابيكyour father بلوعةٍin anguish
ابقيت امك مع ابيك بلوعةٍ
وَمناحةٍand mourning جلَّتtoo great عنfor السلوانِconsolation
وَمناحةٍ جلَّت عن السلوانِ
You left your mother with your father in anguish,
You left your mother in agony
And mourning too great for consolation.
And lament that dispelled any joy
هَلّاwhy did you not سمعتهماhear them both وقدwhen already حانَhad come النوىparting
هَلّا سمعتهما وقد حانَ النوى
يَتَباكَيانِthey both weep اسىًin sorrow وَينتَحِبانِand both sob
يَتَباكَيانِ اسىً وَينتَحِبانِ
Why did you not hear them, when parting's hour came,
If only you heard them when fate drew near
Both weeping in sorrow and sobbing?
Crying in anguish and wailing in grief
يَتباكيانthey both weep عليكfor you وافاكcame to you القضاfate
يَتباكيان عليك وافاك القضا
قبلbefore الشبابyouth الغَضَّtender رخصَsoft بنانِfingertips
قبل الشباب الغَضَّ رخصَ بنانِ
They weep for you; fate overtook you
Crying for you whom fate took
Before tender youth, your fingertips still soft.
Before the tender youth could ripen
فيat التسعnine عاجلكovertook you too soon الردىdeath فبكاهماso their weeping
في التسع عاجلك الردى فبكاهما
لَمwas not تُحصَreckoned مدَّتهُits duration بحكمby the reckoning of زَمانِtime
لَم تُحصَ مدَّتهُ بحكم زَمانِ
At nine, death claimed you too soon; their weeping
At nine fate hastened you, so they wept for you
Has a duration no reckoning of time can measure.
A duration that cannot be measured by time
انif كنتَyou were فيamong الغلِمانthe boys معدوداًcounted لَدىin respect of
ان كنتَ في الغلِمان معدوداً لَدى
عمرٍage فانكthen you لستَare not فيamong الغُلمانِthe boys
عمرٍ فانك لستَ في الغُلمانِ
If you were counted among boys in
If you were counted among the boys in age
Age, you are not one of them.
You were not among the boys
قَدindeed كنتَyou were فيof عقلthe intellect of الكُهولmature men فقدso indeed اتىcame
قَد كنتَ في عقل الكُهول فقد اتى
هَذاthis الزَمانtime لديكto you بالبرهانِwith proof
هَذا الزَمان لديك بالبرهانِ
You had the mind of mature men; indeed, there came
You were an elder in mind, so time
Time itself to you, bearing proof:
Came to you with proof in this
اخطاit erred فظنَّكso it thought you منهمُone of them سناin age وكَمand how many
اخطا فظنَّك منهمُ سنا وكَم
خطإِerrors لذاof this الدهرtime الحَؤونtreacherous (spelling uncertain) الجانيguilty
خطإِ لذا الدهر الحَؤون الجاني
It erred, thinking you their equal in years—and how many
It erred and thought you one of them in years and how
Errors this treacherous, guilty Time has made!
Many errors for this unjust, betraying time
قَدindeed أَعطياكthey both gave you اسمَthe name of الصَفاthe rock لثباتِهِfor its firmness
قَد أَعطياك اسمَ الصَفا لثباتِهِ
فَثَبَّتَso it made firm لكنbut فيin الضَريحِthe tomb الفانيperishable
فَثَبَّتَ لكن في الضَريحِ الفاني
They gave you the rock's name for its steadfastness,
They gave you the name As-Saffa for your firmness
So it made you firm—but in the perishable tomb.
But you became firm in the transient tomb
وغدوتَand you became صخراًa rock فيهِin it لاno سمعٌhearing ولاand no
وغدوتَ صخراً فيهِ لا سمعٌ ولا
بَصَرٌsight فدتكmay ransom you الروحُthe soul وَالعينانِand both eyes
بَصَرٌ فدتك الروحُ وَالعينانِ
And there you became a rock, with neither hearing nor
You became a boulder in it, without hearing or
Sight—may my soul and both my eyes ransom you!
Sight, your soul and eyes ransomed you
خَيَّبتَyou disappointed ماwhat أَملاهُthey both hoped for it منكfrom you ولمand not يكنit was
خَيَّبتَ ما أَملاهُ منك ولم يكن
لكfor you عادةُa habit التَخييبdisappointing والخِذلانِand letting down
لك عادةُ التَخييب والخِذلانِ
You dashed their hopes of you, though it was not
You disappointed what they hoped of you and disappointing
Your habit to disappoint and forsake.
And failing were never your trait
طوبىblessedness لمثلكfor one like you حيثsince رحتَyou departed مبرّأًfree of guilt
طوبى لمثلك حيث رحتَ مبرّأً
منfrom ذنبsin قَلبٍof the heart اوor يَدٍthe hand وَلِسانِand the tongue
من ذنب قَلبٍ او يَدٍ وَلِسانِ
Blessed is one like you, since you departed free
Blessings to the likes of you, for you left
From sin of heart, hand, or tongue.
Free of the sin of heart, deed or tongue
وَتركتand you left ذيthis الدنياworld الغَرورِdeceitful مبادراًhastening
وَتركت ذي الدنيا الغَرورِ مبادراً
لِقاmeeting سميكyour namesake فيin حمىthe sanctuary of الرحمَنِthe All-Merciful
لِقا سميك في حمى الرحمَنِ
And left this deceitful world, hastening
And you left the deceitful world hastily
To meet your namesake in the sanctuary of the All-Merciful.
To meet your Maker under the Guardianship of the Most Merciful
Sol 6.1