قَضَىpassed away الأَدِيبُthe man of letters الَّذِيwho تُسْتَنُّis followed سُنَّتُهُhis example
قَضَى الأَدِيبُ الَّذِي تُسْتَنُّ سُنَّتُهُ
وَرَسْمُهُand his style فِيin ضُرُوبِforms الْقَوْلِexpression يُرْتَسَمُis emulated
وَرَسْمُهُ فِي ضُرُوبِ الْقَوْلِ يُرْتَسَمُ
The man of letters whose example is followed has passed away,
The scholar whose ways and literary styles are exemplary,
And his style is emulated in the forms of expression.
The master of eloquence whose works shine like stars,
رَبُّmaster الْبَلاغِeloquence الَّذِيwho كَانَتْwere رَوَائِعُهُhis masterpieces
رَبُّ الْبَلاغِ الَّذِي كَانَتْ رَوَائِعُهُ
هِيَthey النُّجُومُthe stars الَّتِيthat تَهْدِيguide أَوِor الرَّجُلُthe man
هِيَ النُّجُومُ الَّتِي تَهْدِي أَوِ الرَّجُلُ
The master of eloquence, whose masterpieces
Guiding people as would a towering lighthouse,
Were the stars that guide—or the man
Has passed away. His hand moved the pen across the page
يَخُطُّهَاhe writes them وَكَأَنَّand as though اللَّوْحَthe tablet فِيin يَدِهِhis hand
يَخُطُّهَا وَكَأَنَّ اللَّوْحَ فِي يَدِهِ
يُصَرِّفُdirects فِيمَاin what يَرْسُمُtraces الْقَلَمُthe pen
يُصَرِّفُ فِيمَا يَرْسُمُ الْقَلَمُ
Writes them as though the tablet in his hand
As inspiration poured from his inkpot like burning embers.
Governs what the pen traces.
Whether expounding knowledge or literary grace,
يَفْتَرُّsmiles عَنْto reveal وَحْيِهِhis inspiration فِيهَاin them المِدَادُthe ink كَمَاjust as
يَفْتَرُّ عَنْ وَحْيِهِ فِيهَا المِدَادُ كَمَا
يُذْكَىis kindled فَيَفْتَرُّand then smiles عَنْto reveal نُورٍa light بِهِwithin it الْفَحْمُthe charcoal
يُذْكَى فَيَفْتَرُّ عَنْ نُورٍ بِهِ الْفَحْمُ
In them the ink smiles to reveal his inspiration, just as
His ideas were original and his words harmonious.
Charcoal is kindled and smiles to reveal the light within it.
He was an ocean of knowledge, unfathomed,
فَإِنْso if تَرَسَّلَhe writes prose فِيon عِلْمٍlearning وَفيand on أَدَبٍliterature
فَإِنْ تَرَسَّلَ فِي عِلْمٍ وَفي أَدَبٍ
فَالْفِكْرُthen the thought مُبْتَكَرٌoriginal وَاللَّفْظُand the wording مُنْسَجِمُharmonious
فَالْفِكْرُ مُبْتَكَرٌ وَاللَّفْظُ مُنْسَجِمُ
So if he writes prose on learning and literature,
With pearls beyond count in its depth.
Then the thought is original and the wording harmonious.
Minds thrive on his overflowing springs,
بَحْرٌa sea مِنَof الْعِلْمِknowledge لَمْnot تُذْخَرْwere hoarded جَوَاهِرُهُits jewels
بَحْرٌ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ لَمْ تُذْخَرْ جَوَاهِرُهُ
وَلَمْand did not تَحُلْstand دُونَهاin their way الشُّطْآنُthe shores وَالأَكَمُand the hills
وَلَمْ تَحُلْ دُونَها الشُّطْآنُ وَالأَكَمُ
A sea of knowledge whose jewels have not been hoarded,
As fields thrive, watered by ample rain.
Nor have shores and hills barred the way to them.
His works are richly decorated anthologies,
تَزْهُوbloom الْعُقُولُthe minds بِرَشْحٍwith a sprinkling مِنْof نَدَاهُhis dew كَمَاjust as
تَزْهُو الْعُقُولُ بِرَشْحٍ مِنْ نَدَاهُ كَمَا
تَزْهُوbloom الحُقُولُthe fields سَقَاهَاwatered them الْعَارِضُthe rain cloud الرَّذِمُsteadily raining
تَزْهُو الحُقُولُ سَقَاهَا الْعَارِضُ الرَّذِمُ
Minds bloom with a sprinkling of his dew, just as
Stamping mastery in every art.
Fields bloom, watered by the steadily raining cloud.
His prose delights by its subtlety, dispelling cares and sorrow.
يُهْدِيhe offers الْفُصُولَthe essays مُوَشَّاةًembroidered مُدَبِّجَةًbrocaded
يُهْدِي الْفُصُولَ مُوَشَّاةً مُدَبِّجَةً
بِكُلِّby every فَنٍّform مِنَof الإِبْدَاعِcreativity تَتَّسِمُare marked
بِكُلِّ فَنٍّ مِنَ الإِبْدَاعِ تَتَّسِمُ
He offers essays, embroidered and brocaded,
Marked by every form of creativity.
وَلِلَّطَّائِفِand for witticisms فِيin أَثْنَائِهَاtheir midst خِلَسٌfleeting moments
وَلِلَّطَّائِفِ فِي أَثْنَائِهَا خِلَسٌ
يُجْلَىis dispelled بِإِيمَاضِهَاby their flashes التَّقْطِيبُfrowning وَالْقَتَمُand gloom
يُجْلَى بِإِيمَاضِهَا التَّقْطِيبُ وَالْقَتَمُ
And amid them, wit has fleeting moments,
By their flashes, frowns and gloom are dispelled.
Partial English translation: 14 of 18 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1