سَلْask مَالِكاًa ruler مُتَمَكِّناًfirmly established
سَلْ مَالِكاً مُتَمَكِّناً
فِيin الأَرْضِthe earth فَتَّاحَconqueror of الثُّغُورْfrontier strongholds
فِي الأَرْضِ فَتَّاحَ الثُّغُورْ
Ask a ruler firmly established
Ask Malik, empowered on earth, opening the passes,
On earth, a conqueror of frontier strongholds:
Walking with ruin following,
يمْشِيhe walks ويَتْبعُهُand follows him الرَّدَىdeath
يمْشِي ويَتْبعُهُ الرَّدَى
تبَعَfollowing like السَّلوٍقيِّthe Saluki hound العَقورْvicious
تبَعَ السَّلوٍقيِّ العَقورْ
He walks, and death follows him
Ruin followed the obstinate Saluqi.
Like a vicious Saluki hound.
His people are the brave people and his army the great army,
ماwhat avail قَوْمُهُhis people القوْمُthe people الحُمَاthe protectors (first part)
ما قَوْمُهُ القوْمُ الحُمَا
ةُcompletion of 'protectors' وَجِنْدُهُand his troops الجُنْدُthe troops الكثِيرْnumerous
ةُ وَجِنْدُهُ الجُنْدُ الكثِيرْ
What avail his people, those protectors,
His weapons and armor,
And his troops, that numerous host,
And the lofty palaces.
وَسِلاحُهُand his weaponry وَدُرُوعُهُand his armor
وَسِلاحُهُ وَدُرُوعُهُ
وَالبَاذِخَاتُand the towering ones مِنَof القُصُورْthe palaces
وَالبَاذِخَاتُ مِنَ القُصُورْ
And his weapons and his armor,
The greatest victory he attained,
And the towering palaces,
He saw it as the miracle of ages,
وَأَجَلُّand the greatest نَصْرٍvictory نَالَهُhe won it
وَأَجَلُّ نَصْرٍ نَالَهُ
فرَآهُso he deemed it مُعْجِزَةْa miracle الدُّهُورْthe ages
فرَآهُ مُعْجِزَةْ الدُّهُورْ
And the greatest victory he won
When the warner came to him at the peak of his might,
And deemed a miracle of the ages,
From the unseen,
إِذْwhen جَاءَهُcame to him فِيat أَوْجِthe height عُزَّmight (first part)
إِذْ جَاءَهُ فِي أَوْجِ عُزَّ
تِهending of 'might'; his مِنَfrom الغَيْبِthe unseen النَّذيرْthe warning messenger
تِه مِنَ الغَيْبِ النَّذيرْ
When, at the height of his might, there came to him
And something subtler than particles crept into his bowels,
From the unseen a herald of doom,
He who takes refuge threw him down, and he went to take refuge.
وَانْدَسَّand crept فِيinto أَحْشَائِهِhis entrails
وَانْدَسَّ فِي أَحْشَائِهِ
شَيءٌsomething أَدَقُّfiner منthan الذَّرُورْfine powder
شَيءٌ أَدَقُّ من الذَّرُورْ
And into his entrails there crept
A feeble specter he had been before the illness,
Something finer than dust?
Like the engraved lion.
أَلْقىfelled بِذَاكthat one المُسْتَجَارِthe one sought for refuge
أَلْقى بِذَاك المُسْتَجَارِ
بِهِin him فَأَمْسَىso he became يسْتَجِيرْseeking refuge
بِهِ فَأَمْسَى يسْتَجِيرْ
It felled that man whom others sought
Helpless with the weapons of grief,
For refuge; now he seeks refuge himself:
Laid down above the bed.
شبَحٌa specter ضَئِيلٌfrail كَانَhe was قَبْـbefore (first part)
شبَحٌ ضَئِيلٌ كَانَ قَبْـ
ـلَcompletion of 'before' الدَّاءِthe illness كَالأَسَدlike the lion الهَصُورْcrushing its prey
ـلَ الدَّاءِ كَالأَسَد الهَصُورْ
A frail specter, who had been, before
Neither his fortress shelters him from the hunter,
Illness, like a lion that crushes its prey;
Nor his safety from what hurts.
شِلْوٌa torn body بِأَسْلِحَةِby the weapons of الأَسَاةِthe physicians
شِلْوٌ بِأَسْلِحَةِ الأَسَاةِ
مُبَضَّعٌcut to pieces فَوْقَupon السَّرِيرْthe bed
مُبَضَّعٌ فَوْقَ السَّرِيرْ
A torn body, by the physicians' weapons
Ask Malik, empowered on earth, opening the passes,
Cut to pieces upon the bed.
Walking with ruin following,
مَاwhat حِصْنُهُhis fortress مِمَّنْagainst whoever يَصِيدُhunts
مَا حِصْنُهُ مِمَّنْ يَصِيدُ
وَأَمْنُهُand his safety مِمَّاfrom whatever يَضِيرْharms
وَأَمْنُهُ مِمَّا يَضِيرْ
What fortress shields him from the hunter,
Ruin followed the obstinate Saluqi.
And what safety from whatever harms?
His people are the brave people and his army the great army,
سَلْask مَالِكاًa ruler مُتَمَكِّناًfirmly established
سَلْ مَالِكاً مُتَمَكِّناً
فِيin الأَرْضِthe earth فَتَّاحَconqueror of الثُّغُورْfrontier strongholds
فِي الأَرْضِ فَتَّاحَ الثُّغُورْ
Ask a ruler firmly established
His weapons and armor,
On earth, a conqueror of frontier strongholds:
And the lofty palaces.
يمْشِيhe walks ويَتْبعُهُand follows him الرَّدَىdeath
يمْشِي ويَتْبعُهُ الرَّدَى
تبَعَfollowing like السَّلوٍقيِّthe Saluki hound العَقورْvicious
تبَعَ السَّلوٍقيِّ العَقورْ
He walks, and death follows him
The greatest victory he attained,
Like a vicious Saluki hound.
He saw it as the miracle of ages,
ماwhat avail قَوْمُهُhis people القوْمُthe people الحُمَاthe protectors (first part)
ما قَوْمُهُ القوْمُ الحُمَا
ةُcompletion of 'protectors' وَجِنْدُهُand his troops الجُنْدُthe troops الكثِيرْnumerous
ةُ وَجِنْدُهُ الجُنْدُ الكثِيرْ
What avail his people, those protectors,
When the warner came to him at the peak of his might,
And his troops, that numerous host,
From the unseen,
وَسِلاحُهُand his weaponry وَدُرُوعُهُand his armor
وَسِلاحُهُ وَدُرُوعُهُ
وَالبَاذِخَاتُand the towering ones مِنَof القُصُورْthe palaces
وَالبَاذِخَاتُ مِنَ القُصُورْ
And his weapons and his armor,
And something subtler than particles crept into his bowels,
And the towering palaces,
He who takes refuge threw him down, and he went to take refuge.
وَأَجَلُّand the greatest نَصْرٍvictory نَالَهُhe won it
وَأَجَلُّ نَصْرٍ نَالَهُ
فرَآهُso he deemed it مُعْجِزَةْa miracle الدُّهُورْthe ages
فرَآهُ مُعْجِزَةْ الدُّهُورْ
And the greatest victory he won
A feeble specter he had been before the illness,
And deemed a miracle of the ages,
Like the engraved lion.
إِذْwhen جَاءَهُcame to him فِيat أَوْجِthe height عُزَّmight (first part)
إِذْ جَاءَهُ فِي أَوْجِ عُزَّ
تِهending of 'might'; his مِنَfrom الغَيْبِthe unseen النَّذيرْthe warning messenger
تِه مِنَ الغَيْبِ النَّذيرْ
When, at the height of his might, there came to him
Helpless with the weapons of grief,
From the unseen a herald of doom,
Laid down above the bed.
وَانْدَسَّand crept فِيinto أَحْشَائِهِhis entrails
وَانْدَسَّ فِي أَحْشَائِهِ
شَيءٌsomething أَدَقُّfiner منthan الذَّرُورْfine powder
شَيءٌ أَدَقُّ من الذَّرُورْ
And into his entrails there crept
The crown does not deny headache
Something finer than dust?
And ransom the head of the prince.
أَلْقىfelled بِذَاكthat one المُسْتَجَارِthe one sought for refuge
أَلْقى بِذَاك المُسْتَجَارِ
بِهِin him فَأَمْسَىso he became يسْتَجِيرْseeking refuge
بِهِ فَأَمْسَى يسْتَجِيرْ
It felled that man whom others sought
The fine gold ornaments
For refuge; now he seeks refuge himself:
In mixing with silk.
شبَحٌa specter ضَئِيلٌfrail كَانَhe was قَبْـbefore (first part)
شبَحٌ ضَئِيلٌ كَانَ قَبْـ
ـلَcompletion of 'before' الدَّاءِthe illness كَالأَسَدlike the lion الهَصُورْcrushing its prey
ـلَ الدَّاءِ كَالأَسَد الهَصُورْ
A frail specter, who had been, before
The swords, the swords of war, brownish
Illness, like a lion that crushes its prey;
In color from plunging into the flaming fire.
شِلْوٌa torn body بِأَسْلِحَةِby the weapons of الأَسَاةِthe physicians
شِلْوٌ بِأَسْلِحَةِ الأَسَاةِ
مُبَضَّعٌcut to pieces فَوْقَupon السَّرِيرْthe bed
مُبَضَّعٌ فَوْقَ السَّرِيرْ
A torn body, by the physicians' weapons
Red saddlebags lining them
Cut to pieces upon the bed.
And the spurt of the swift gallop.
وَالتَّاجُand the crown لاnot يَنْفِيdispels الصُّدَاthe headache (first part)
وَالتَّاجُ لا يَنْفِي الصُّدَا
عَcompletion of 'headache' وَيَفْتَديand ransoms رَأْسَthe head of الأَمِيرْthe prince
عَ وَيَفْتَدي رَأْسَ الأَمِيرْ
And the crown does not dispel a headache
Winking at each other in their inability,
Nor ransom the prince's head.
Fall short of the palaces.
وَنفَائِسُand precious treasures الذَّهَبِgold الضَّواthe smiling ones (first part)
وَنفَائِسُ الذَّهَبِ الضَّوا
حِكِcompletion of 'smiling ones' فِيin مُمَازَجَةintermingling with الحَرِيرْsilk
حِكِ فِي مُمَازَجَة الحَرِيرْ
And the treasures of gold, smiling
Ask about a father you left behind
As they mingle with silk,
Two bereavements with a broken heart.
وَالشُّوسُand the fierce warriors شُوسُfierce warriors of الحَرْبِwar سُمْرُdark
وَالشُّوسُ شُوسُ الحَرْبِ سُمْرُ
اللَّوْنِcomplexion مِنْfrom خَوْضِwading through السَّعِيرْthe blaze
اللَّوْنِ مِنْ خَوْضِ السَّعِيرْ
And the fierce warriors, war's fierce men, dark
Neither glory comforts him, nor
Of hue from wading through the blaze,
Bounty, nor great position,
حُمْرُred اللِّحاظِthe glances تَخَالُهَاyou imagine them
حُمْرُ اللِّحاظِ تَخَالُهَا
وَرْيَthe flare of المِيضِthe lightning المُسْتَطِيرْspreading far
وَرْيَ المِيضِ المُسْتَطِيرْ
Red-eyed—you would take their glances
And his friends before him
For the flare of lightning spreading far—
Can do nothing but sigh.
متَغَامِزْونَexchanging winks بِعَجْزِهِمْover their helplessness
متَغَامِزْونَ بِعَجْزِهِمْ
مُتَقَاصرِونَshrinking back مِنْfrom القُصُورِinadequacy
مُتَقَاصرِونَ مِنْ القُصُورِ
Exchange winks over their helplessness,
There is no solace in misery
Shrinking back in their inadequacy.
And no joy in survival.
سَلْask والداًa father خَلَّفْتهُyou left him behind
سَلْ والداً خَلَّفْتهُ
ثَكْلانَbereaved ذَاpossessing قلبٍa heart كسِيرْbroken
ثَكْلانَ ذَا قلبٍ كسِيرْ
Ask a father you left behind,
You are fortunate, you were not tempted
Bereaved, with a broken heart:
By this deceitful world,
لاneither المَجْدُglory يُسْلِيهconsoles him ولاnor
لا المَجْدُ يُسْلِيه ولا
النَّعْمَىprosperity وَلاnor الجَّاهُprestige الكَبِيرْgreat
النَّعْمَى وَلا الجَّاهُ الكَبِيرْ
Neither glory consoles him, nor
And you turned away from it, O noble one,
Prosperity, nor exalted rank,
Like turning away from bitter milk.
وَالأَصْدِقَاءُand the friends حِيَالَهُbefore him
وَالأَصْدِقَاءُ حِيَالَهُ
لاnot يَمْلِكُونَthey possess سِوَىother than الزَّفِيرْsighing
لا يَمْلِكُونَ سِوَى الزَّفِيرْ
And the friends before him
Better for one who is in the morning
Have nothing but sighs.
Softly sleeping the sleep of dawn,
مَاwhat فِيin الشَّقَاءِmisery مِنَof العَزَاconsolation (first part)
مَا فِي الشَّقَاءِ مِنَ العَزَا
ءِcompletion of 'consolation' وَفِيand in الْبَقَاءِliving on مِنَof السُّرُورْjoy
ءِ وَفِي الْبَقَاءِ مِنَ السُّرُورْ
What solace is there in misery,
And perhaps the most comfortable corpse
And in living on, what joy?
Is one not troubled by conscience.
طُوبَاكَblessed are you إِنَّكَindeed, you لَمْdid not تَغُـdeceive (first part)
طُوبَاكَ إِنَّكَ لَمْ تَغُـ
ـرَّكَending of 'deceive'; you هَذهthis الدُّنْيَاthe world الغَرُورْdeceitful
ـرَّكَ هَذه الدُّنْيَا الغَرُورْ
Blessed are you! Indeed, you were not deceived
By this deceitful world,
وَرَغِبْتَand you turned away عَنْهَاfrom it يَاO فَطِيمُweaned child
وَرَغِبْتَ عَنْهَا يَا فَطِيمُ
كَرَاهَةَloathing الثَّدْيِthe breast المَرِيرْbitter
كَرَاهَةَ الثَّدْيِ المَرِيرْ
And you turned away from it, O weanling,
As one loathes a bitter breast.
خيْرٌbetter لِمَنْfor whoever هُوhe is فِيin العَشـthe evening (first part)
خيْرٌ لِمَنْ هُو فِي العَشـ
ـيَّةcompletion of 'evening' ناعِمٌat ease نَوْمُsleep البُكُورْearly morning
ـيَّة ناعِمٌ نَوْمُ البُكُورْ
Better for one who in the evening
Is at ease is the sleep of early morn.
وَلَعَلَّand perhaps أَهْنَأَthe most peaceful رَاقِدsleeper
وَلَعَلَّ أَهْنَأَ رَاقِد
مَنْwhoever لَمْdid not يُؤَرِّقْهُkeep him awake الضمِيرْconscience
مَنْ لَمْ يُؤَرِّقْهُ الضمِيرْ
And perhaps the most peaceful sleeper
Is he whom conscience has not kept awake.
Partial English translation: 60 of 68 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1