رَبَّO master البَيَانِof eloquence وَسَيِّدَand lord القَلَمِof the pen
رَبَّ البَيَانِ وَسَيِّدَ القَلَمِ
وَفَّيْتَyou have fulfilled قِسْطَكَyour due لِلعُلَىto glory فَنَمِso sleep
وَفَّيْتَ قِسْطَكَ لِلعُلَى فَنَمِ
O master of eloquence and lord of the pen,
O Lord of eloquence and master of the pen,
You have paid your due to glory; now sleep.
You have fulfilled your duty to the exalted, so sleep.
نَمْsleep عَنْaway from مَتَاعِبِهَاits hardships الجِسَامِimmense وَذَرْand leave
نَمْ عَنْ مَتَاعِبِهَا الجِسَامِ وَذَرْ
آلامَهَاits pains غُنْماًas spoils لِمُغْتَنِمِfor one seizing spoils
آلامَهَا غُنْماً لِمُغْتَنِمِ
Rest from its immense hardships, and leave
Sleep away from the troubles of the body, and let
its pains as spoils for one who would seize them.
Its pains be spoils for one taking spoils.
مَاhow أَصْغَرَsmall الدُّنْيَاthe world وَأَحْقَرَهَاand how contemptible it is
مَا أَصْغَرَ الدُّنْيَا وَأَحْقَرَهَا
فِيin جَنْبِcomparison with مَاwhat لِلمَيْتِbelongs to the departed مِنْof عِظَمِgreatness
فِي جَنْبِ مَا لِلمَيْتِ مِنْ عِظَمِ
How small the world, how contemptible it is
How small is this world and how contemptible
beside the greatness of the departed!
Compared to what the deceased holds as glory!
يُغْضِيhe looks away وَقَدْand indeed آذَتْهُit hurt him دَائِبَةًunceasingly
يُغْضِي وَقَدْ آذَتْهُ دَائِبَةً
عَنْfrom ذَنْبِهَاits wrongdoing إِغْضَاءةَthe forbearance الكَرَمِof magnanimity
عَنْ ذَنْبِهَا إِغْضَاءةَ الكَرَمِ
He looks away—though it has hurt him ceaselessly—
He overlooks though she has constantly hurt him,
from its wrongdoing, with magnanimous forbearance.
Overlooking her sin with the generosity of nobility.
مَاhow أعْجَزَhelpless اللَّسِنَthe fluent speaker الفَصِيحَeloquent لَدَىbefore
مَا أعْجَزَ اللَّسِنَ الفَصِيحَ لَدَى
عِيِّthe speechlessness الفَقِيدِof the departed الخَالِدِimmortal البَكِمِmute
عِيِّ الفَقِيدِ الخَالِدِ البَكِمِ
How helpless the fluent, eloquent speaker is before
How weak are the most eloquent tongues next to
the speechlessness of the immortal, mute departed!
The ear of the articulate, eternal silent one!
مَاhow أَسْخَفَfoolish العَبَرَاتِthe tears سَاكِبَةًflowing
مَا أَسْخَفَ العَبَرَاتِ سَاكِبَةً
وَالنَّعْشُand the bier يَحْجُبُconceals وَجْهَthe face مُبْتَسِمِof one smiling
وَالنَّعْشُ يَحْجُبُ وَجْهَ مُبْتَسِمِ
How foolish are the flowing tears,
How foolish are the outpouring elegies
while the bier conceals a smiling face!
While the coffin conceals the face of a smiling one!
يَاO مَنْyou who بَكَتْwept لِفِرَاقِهِfor his departure أُمَمٌnations
يَا مَنْ بَكَتْ لِفِرَاقِهِ أُمَمٌ
كَانَتْhad been بِهِthrough him مَحْسُودَةَenvied by الأُمَمِthe nations
كَانَتْ بِهِ مَحْسُودَةَ الأُمَمِ
O you, whose departure nations mourned,
O you for whose loss nations have cried,
nations that, through you, had been the envy of nations.
Nations that through you were envied by nations.
أَلآنَnow جُزْتَyou passed beyond الوَهْمَillusion مُرْتَقِياًascending
أَلآنَ جُزْتَ الوَهْمَ مُرْتَقِياً
وَإِلَىand into الصَّوَابِtruth خَلَصْتَyou emerged مِنْfrom حُلُمِa dream
وَإِلَى الصَّوَابِ خَلَصْتَ مِنْ حُلُمِ
Now you have risen beyond illusion,
Now you have climbed beyond illusion
and emerged from a dream into truth.
And attained truth through dreams.
أَكْمِلْcomplete بَلاغَكَyour message يَاO حَكِيمُsage وَقلْand say
أَكْمِلْ بَلاغَكَ يَا حَكِيمُ وَقلْ
أَحَيَاتُنَاis our life خَيْرٌbetter مِنَthan العَدَمِnothingness
أَحَيَاتُنَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ العَدَمِ
Complete your message, O sage, and say:
Complete your eloquence, O wise one, and say:
Is our life better than nothingness,
Are our lives better than non‐existence?
أَمْor تِلْكَthat أَمْa mother غَيْرُnot عَاقِلَةٍrational
أَمْ تِلْكَ أَمْ غَيْرُ عَاقِلَةٍ
أُمٌّa mother بِلاwithout قَلْبٍa heart وَلاand without رَحِمِa womb
أُمٌّ بِلا قَلْبٍ وَلا رَحِمِ
or is it a mindless mother,
Or is she other than an irrational mother
a mother with neither heart nor womb,
With neither heart nor compassion?
أُمٌّa mother تُغَذِّيfeeds مِنْfrom among وَلائِدِهَاher offspring
أُمٌّ تُغَذِّي مِنْ وَلائِدِهَا
رُمَماًdecayed remains تُمَشِّيهَاshe makes them walk عَلَىupon رُمَمِdecayed remains
رُمَماً تُمَشِّيهَا عَلَى رُمَمِ
a mother who feeds, from among her offspring,
A mother who feeds on her offspring
corpses she makes walk upon corpses?
Artificial limbs she makes walk on artificial limbs?
مَاwhat الخَلْقُcreation هَلْhave أَدْرَكْتَyou grasped غَامِضَهُits mystery
مَا الخَلْقُ هَلْ أَدْرَكْتَ غَامِضَهُ
وَأَزَحْتَand you removed عَنْهُfrom it غَيَاهِبَthe deep gloom الظُّلْمِof darkness
وَأَزَحْتَ عَنْهُ غَيَاهِبَ الظُّلْمِ
What is creation? Have you grasped its mystery
What is creation? Have you uncovered its obscurity
and banished from it the depths of darkness?
And lifted its thick veils of darkness?
أَجْهَدْتَyou strained فِكْرَكَyour mind فِيin تَعَقُّلِهِcomprehending it
أَجْهَدْتَ فِكْرَكَ فِي تَعَقُّلِهِ
وَصَدَرْتَand you came away عَنْهُfrom it وَارِداًcoming to drink كَظَمِيlike a thirsty man
وَصَدَرْتَ عَنْهُ وَارِداً كَظَمِي
You strained your mind to comprehend it,
You have exerted your mind to comprehend it
and came away from it like a thirsty man coming to drink.
And recoiled from it, holding back your tear.
سَاءلْتَyou questioned عَنهُabout it النَّجْمَthe star مُرْتَقِباًwatching expectantly
سَاءلْتَ عَنهُ النَّجْمَ مُرْتَقِباً
وَبَحَثْتَand you searched بَيْنَamong الحَرْفِthe letter وَالرَّقَمِand the number
وَبَحَثْتَ بَيْنَ الحَرْفِ وَالرَّقَمِ
You questioned the star about it, watching expectantly,
You have asked the star while watching it
and searched among letters and numbers.
And searched between the letter and the number,
وَهَوَىand plunged بِكَwith you الوَادِيthe valley مَهَاوِيَهُits abysses
وَهَوَى بِكَ الوَادِي مَهَاوِيَهُ
وَرَنَوْتَand you gazed مُنْطَاداًsoaring aloft مِنَfrom القِمَمِthe summits
وَرَنَوْتَ مُنْطَاداً مِنَ القِمَمِ
And the valley plunged with you into its abysses,
And the valley has plunged you into its precipices,
and you gazed, soaring aloft from the summits,
Hunted, as you fled from the summits.
تَبْغِيyou seek الحَقِيقَةَthe truth سَاعِياًstriving كَلِفاًpassionately devoted
تَبْغِي الحَقِيقَةَ سَاعِياً كَلِفاً
مِنْfrom كُلِّevery مُطَّلِبٍseeker بِلاwithout سَأَمِweariness
مِنْ كُلِّ مُطَّلِبٍ بِلا سَأَمِ
seeking truth, striving, passionately devoted,
You seek the truth, striving, indefatigable,
from every seeker, without weariness.
From every demander, without weariness.
أَمَّاas for النِّظَامُorder فَكُلُّهُso all of it عَجَبٌa marvel
أَمَّا النِّظَامُ فَكُلُّهُ عَجَبٌ
فِيin الكَوْنِthe universe لِلمُتَبَصِّرِto the discerning observer الفَهِمِperceptive
فِي الكَوْنِ لِلمُتَبَصِّرِ الفَهِمِ
As for order, it is all a marvel
As for the system, it is all marvels
in the universe, to the discerning and perceptive.
In the universe for the discerning, perceptive one.
أَلتُّرْبُthe dust لِلأَجْسَامِfor bodies مُصْطَنَعٌfashioned
أَلتُّرْبُ لِلأَجْسَامِ مُصْطَنَعٌ
وَنَوَاسِمُand the breezes الأَرْوَاحِof spirits لِلنَّسَمِfor living beings
وَنَوَاسِمُ الأَرْوَاحِ لِلنَّسَمِ
Dust is fashioned for bodies,
Is dust not artificially made for bodies
and the breezes of spirits for living beings.
And distribution of spirits for the soft breeze?
وَلِكُلِّand for every جُزْءٍpart مِنْof دَقَائِقِهَاits fine details
وَلِكُلِّ جُزْءٍ مِنْ دَقَائِقِهَا
مَعْنَىًa meaning كَمَعْنَىlike the meaning الكُلِّof the whole لَمْnot يُرَمِbeen sought
مَعْنَىً كَمَعْنَى الكُلِّ لَمْ يُرَمِ
And each part of its fine details has
And does not every part of its minutiae
a meaning, like the whole's, still unsought.
Have a meaning like the whole's, undivided?
لَمْnot تَدْرِyou knew سِرّاًa secret لِلحَيَاةِof life وَلاnor
لَمْ تَدْرِ سِرّاً لِلحَيَاةِ وَلا
لِخُصُومَتَيْهَاof its two conflicts البُرْءِrecovery وَالسَّقَمِand sickness
لِخُصُومَتَيْهَا البُرْءِ وَالسَّقَمِ
You knew no secret of life, nor
You have not known the secret of life
of its two opposing states, recovery and sickness,
Nor its disputing companions, wellness and illness,
وَنِزَاعِهَاand its struggle المُحْيِيlife-giving المُمِيتِdeath-dealing مَعاًat once
وَنِزَاعِهَا المُحْيِي المُمِيتِ مَعاً
بَيْنَbetween الصَّفَاءِserenity النَّزْرِscant وَالأَلَمِand pain
بَيْنَ الصَّفَاءِ النَّزْرِ وَالأَلَمِ
nor of its strife, life-giving and deadly at once,
Nor its life‐giving, death‐dealing contention
between scant serenity and pain.
Between clarity, frailty, and pain.
سِرّa secret لَوْif أَنَّthat المَرْءَa person يُدْرِكُهُgrasps it
سِرّ لَوْ أَنَّ المَرْءَ يُدْرِكُهُ
عَقْلاًthrough reason لَشِمْتَyou would have glimpsed سَنَاهُits radiance مِنْfrom أَمَمِnearby
عَقْلاً لَشِمْتَ سَنَاهُ مِنْ أَمَمِ
A secret that, if a person could grasp it
A secret which, if one could realize it
through reason, you would have glimpsed its radiance close at hand.
Through the intellect, you would smell its eternity from nations.
لَكِنْyet رَأَيْتَyou saw البِرَّgoodness أَجْمَلَthe fairest مَاthat which
لَكِنْ رَأَيْتَ البِرَّ أَجْمَلَ مَا
تُحْدَىare urged onward إِلَيْهِtoward it سَوَابِقُthe racing steeds الهِمَمِof resolve
تُحْدَى إِلَيْهِ سَوَابِقُ الهِمَمِ
Yet you saw goodness as the fairest goal
But you have seen that righteousness is the most beautiful thing
toward which the swift steeds of resolve are urged.
To which the quests of resolute souls can be summoned,
وَالْبِرُّand goodness أَشْرَفَهُits noblest وَأَنْفَعُهُand its most beneficial
وَالْبِرُّ أَشْرَفَهُ وَأَنْفَعُهُ
لِلنَّاسِto people فِيin الإِرْشَادِguidance وَالحِكَمِand wise sayings
لِلنَّاسِ فِي الإِرْشَادِ وَالحِكَمِ
And goodness, at its noblest and most useful
And that righteousness, in its noblest and most useful form
to people, lies in guidance and words of wisdom.
For people, is guidance and wisdom.
فَأَزَلتَso you relieved كُرْبَةَthe distress كُلِّevery ذِيone with شَجَنٍsorrow
فَأَزَلتَ كُرْبَةَ كُلِّ ذِي شَجَنٍ
بِالرَّائِقِwith the limpid الشَّافِيhealing مِنَof الكَلِمِwords
بِالرَّائِقِ الشَّافِي مِنَ الكَلِمِ
So you relieved the distress of everyone grieving
So you have removed the anguish from every one in agony
with limpid, healing words.
With healing, gentle words,
وَأَسَوْتَand you healed مَكْلُومَthe wounded النُّفُوسِsouls إِسَاhealing
وَأَسَوْتَ مَكْلُومَ النُّفُوسِ إِسَا
مِنْone who يَقْرِنُjoins التَّضْمِيدَbandaging بِالنَّغَمِwith melody
مِنْ يَقْرِنُ التَّضْمِيدَ بِالنَّغَمِ
And you healed wounded souls in the manner
And consoled tormented souls by combining
of one who joins bandaging with melody,
The balm with melody.
بِرَوَائِعٍwith masterpieces كَالكَوْنِlike the universe بَاهِرَةٍdazzling
بِرَوَائِعٍ كَالكَوْنِ بَاهِرَةٍ
مَاwhat بَيْنَbetween مُنْتَثِرٍscattered prose وَمُنْتَظِمِand ordered verse
مَا بَيْنَ مُنْتَثِرٍ وَمُنْتَظِمِ
with masterpieces as dazzling as the universe,
With masterpieces like the universe, magnificent,
in scattered prose and ordered verse.
Both scattered and arranged.
جَمَّلْتَهَاyou adorned them بِجَمَالِهِwith its beauty فَمَضَتْso they went forth
جَمَّلْتَهَا بِجَمَالِهِ فَمَضَتْ
وَلَهَاand they have جَلالُthe majesty الكَوْنِof the universe مِنْfrom قِدَمِantiquity
وَلَهَا جَلالُ الكَوْنِ مِنْ قِدَمِ
You adorned them with its beauty, and they went forth,
You have adorned them with its beauty, and they have passed away,
bearing the universe's age-old majesty.
While its majesty has lasted from the beginning of time.
يَاO فَخْرَpride دَارِof the land الأَنْبِيَاءِof prophets أَلَمْhas not
يَا فَخْرَ دَارِ الأَنْبِيَاءِ أَلَمْ
يَضِقِgrown narrow الضَّريحُthe tomb بِمُحْتَوَىfrom containing عَلَمِa towering figure
يَضِقِ الضَّريحُ بِمُحْتَوَى عَلَمِ
O pride of the land of prophets, has not
O pride of the prophets' abode, has not
the tomb grown too narrow to hold a towering figure?
The tomb become too small to contain the standard of knowledge?
شَرَّفْتَهَاyou honored it وَالآنَand now صِرْتَyou have gone إِلَىto
شَرَّفْتَهَا وَالآنَ صِرْتَ إِلَى
مَهْوَىthe abyss الجِبَالِof mountains وَمَهْبِطِand the place of descent الشَّمَمِof lofty pride
مَهْوَى الجِبَالِ وَمَهْبِطِ الشَّمَمِ
You honored it; now you have gone to
You have ennobled it, and now you have come
the abyss where mountains fall and lofty pride descends.
To the abyss of mountains and the descent of buzzards.
لَكِنَّyet ذِكْركَyour memory خَالِدٌimmortal أَبَداًforever
لَكِنَّ ذِكْركَ خَالِدٌ أَبَداً
فِيamong النَّاسِthe people مَحْمُودٌpraised بِكُلِّby every فَمِmouth
فِي النَّاسِ مَحْمُودٌ بِكُلِّ فَمِ
Yet your memory is immortal forever,
But your memory is eternally living
among the people, praised by every mouth.
Among the people, praised by every mouth,
بِبَقَائِهِin its endurance وَرَدَاكَand your death مَوْعِظَةٌa lesson
بِبَقَائِهِ وَرَدَاكَ مَوْعِظَةٌ
لِلسَّائِرِfor the traveler المُفْضِيpassing onward إِلَىto الرجُمِthe burial cairns
لِلسَّائِرِ المُفْضِي إِلَى الرجُمِ
In its endurance and your death lies a lesson
Its survival a lesson for the passerby
for the traveler bound for the burial cairns.
On his way to being pelted with rocks.
إِخْلَعْcast off عَنِfrom اسْمِكَyour name فَانِياًperishable خَلَقاًthreadbare
إِخْلَعْ عَنِ اسْمِكَ فَانِياً خَلَقاً
وَالبَسْand put on جَمِيلَthe fair robe الذِّكْرِof remembrance تَسْتَدَمِyou will endure
وَالبَسْ جَمِيلَ الذِّكْرِ تَسْتَدَمِ
Cast off from your name its perishable, threadbare robe,
Shed from your name one made to pass away, created,
and don the fair robe of remembrance, that you may endure.
And don the beauty of being remembered, lasting.
Sol 6.1