عَزِيزٌhard to bear غُرُوبُthe setting البِكْرِof the maiden فِيin بُكْرَةِthe dawn العُمْرِof life
عَزِيزٌ غُرُوبُ البِكْرِ فِي بُكْرَةِ العُمْرِ
كَغَيْبَةِlike the vanishing شَمْسِof the sun الأُفْقِof the horizon فِيat طَلْعَةِthe rising الفَجْرِof dawn
كَغَيْبَةِ شَمْسِ الأُفْقِ فِي طَلْعَةِ الفَجْرِ
Hard to bear is a maiden's sunset at the dawn of life,
Precious is the sunset of youth at dawn of life
Like the horizon's sun vanishing at the rise of dawn.
Like the absence of sunrise at daybreak
فَيَاand O شَمْسُsun سَرْعَانُhow swiftly القَضَاءِfate تَهَجُّماًin assault
فَيَا شَمْسُ سَرْعَانُ القَضَاءِ تَهَجُّماً
عَلَيْكِupon you وَلَمْand did not يُمَهِلكِgrant you respite فِيat السَّبْعِseven وَالعَشْرِand ten
عَلَيْكِ وَلَمْ يُمَهِلكِ فِي السَّبْعِ وَالعَشْرِ
And O sun, how swiftly fate rushed in assault
So O sun of beauty, death hastily came
Upon you, allowing you no respite at seventeen.
Not sparing you beyond your seventeenth year
خَطِيبَةُa betrothed maiden شَهْرٍa month سَابَقَoutran المَوتُdeath بَعْلَهَاher bridegroom
خَطِيبَةُ شَهْرٍ سَابَقَ المَوتُ بَعْلَهَا
إِلَيْهَاto her فَأَغْوَاهَاthen seduced her وَلَكِنْand yet عَلىin طُهْرِpurity
إِلَيْهَا فَأَغْوَاهَا وَلَكِنْ عَلى طُهْرِ
A maiden betrothed a month—Death outran her bridegroom
A bride of a month, death preceded her groom
To her, and seduced her—yet in purity.
Tempting her, though in purity
أَتَاهَاhe came to her عَلىwith غَيْرِno ارْتِقَابٍexpectation بِخِدْرِهَاin her secluded chamber
أَتَاهَا عَلى غَيْرِ ارْتِقَابٍ بِخِدْرِهَا
سَرِيعاًswiftly خَفِيفاًlightly خَارِقَpiercing الحُجْبِthe veils كالفِكرِlike thought
سَرِيعاً خَفِيفاً خَارِقَ الحُجْبِ كالفِكرِ
He came to her unlooked-for in her secluded chamber,
He came suddenly, softly, piercing the veils like a thought
Swiftly, lightly, piercing the veils like thought.
And kissed her, extracting her soul's essence
وَقَبَّلهَاand kissed her فَاسْتَلَّthen drew out جَوْهَرَthe jewel رُوحِهَاof her soul
وَقَبَّلهَا فَاسْتَلَّ جَوْهَرَ رُوحِهَا
وَأَبْقَىand preserved عَلىon رَسْمٍa form كَبَعْضِlike some الدُّمَىstatues الغُرِّgleaming
وَأَبْقَى عَلى رَسْمٍ كَبَعْضِ الدُّمَى الغُرِّ
And kissed her, drawing out the jewel of her soul,
Leaving but a trace, like some lifeless dolls
And left a mere form, like one of the gleaming statues.
So too lightning bolts recoil
كَذَلِكَlikewise نِيرَانُthe fires الصوَاعِقِof thunderbolts تَنْثَنِيturn away
كَذَلِكَ نِيرَانُ الصوَاعِقِ تَنْثَنِي
عَنِfrom التُّرْبِthe dust إِعْرَاضاًin disdain وَتَأْخُذُand take hold بِالتِّبْرِof the raw gold
عَنِ التُّرْبِ إِعْرَاضاً وَتَأْخُذُ بِالتِّبْرِ
So too the fires of thunderbolts turn away
From the soil in disdain, taking only dust
From dust in disdain, and seize the raw gold.
When they announced the death of that girl to her mother
فَلَماso when نَعَوْاthey announced the death تِلْكَthat الْفَتَاةَgirl لأُمِّهاto her mother
فَلَما نَعَوْا تِلْكَ الْفَتَاةَ لأُمِّها
أَلَمَّcame upon بِهَاher سُكْرٌintoxication وَمَاand not هِيَshe فِيin سُكْرِdrunkenness
أَلَمَّ بِهَا سُكْرٌ وَمَا هِيَ فِي سُكْرِ
When they announced that girl's death to her mother,
Intoxication seized her, though sober
A drunken stupor seized her, though she was not drunk.
Fantasies made her dance joyfully
عَرَاهَاovertook her خَبَالٌmadness فهْيَso she تَرْقُصُdances تَرْحَةًsorrowfully
عَرَاهَا خَبَالٌ فهْيَ تَرْقُصُ تَرْحَةً
وَتَنْشُدُand chants أَصْوَاتَstrains السُّرُورِof joy وَلاand does not تدْرِيknow
وَتَنْشُدُ أَصْوَاتَ السُّرُورِ وَلا تدْرِي
Madness overtook her; she dances in sorrow
Sing notes of happiness, unaware
And chants strains of joy, unaware.
Raving in her bereavement however it wished
وَتهْذِيand raves مِنfrom الحُمَّىfever بِمَاwith whatever شَاءَwilled ثكْلُهَاher bereavement
وَتهْذِي مِن الحُمَّى بِمَا شَاءَ ثكْلُهَا
وَيَنْهَلُّand pours down مِنْfrom أَجْفَانِهَاher eyelids الدَّمْعُtears كَالقَطْرِlike rain
وَيَنْهَلُّ مِنْ أَجْفَانِهَا الدَّمْعُ كَالقَطْرِ
And raves with fever as her bereavement wills,
Tears streaming from her eyes like drops
And tears pour from her eyelids like rain.
My daughter, do not fret this demise
بُنَيَّةlittle daughter لاno بَأْسٌharm عَلَيْكِupon you مِنَfrom الرَّدَىdeath
بُنَيَّة لا بَأْسٌ عَلَيْكِ مِنَ الرَّدَى
فَإِنَّكfor indeed you فِيin أَمْنٍsafety لَدَىwith بَعْلِكِyour husband الحُرِّnoble
فَإِنَّك فِي أَمْنٍ لَدَى بَعْلِكِ الحُرِّ
Little daughter, no harm from death can reach you,
You are safe with your noble husband
For you are safe with your noble husband.
A bride whose dower a champion pays with his soul
عَرُوسٌa bride يُفَدِّيهَاransoms her بِمُهْجَتِهِwith his lifeblood فَتىa young man
عَرُوسٌ يُفَدِّيهَا بِمُهْجَتِهِ فَتى
لَهَاfor her أَرْخَصَdeemed cheap الدُّرِّthe pearls الغَوَالِيَthe precious ones فِيas المَهْرِthe bridal gift
لَهَا أَرْخَصَ الدُّرِّ الغَوَالِيَ فِي المَهْرِ
A bride whom a young man would ransom with his lifeblood,
To whom the rarest pearls are but a trivial dowry
For her he deemed precious pearls cheap as a bridal gift.
O bravest of horsemen in the throes of battle
فَيَاso O أَفْرَسَmost skilled الفُرْسَانِof horsemen فِيin حَوْمَةِthe thick الوَغَىof battle
فَيَا أَفْرَسَ الفُرْسَانِ فِي حَوْمَةِ الوَغَى
إِذَاwhen سَالَتِflowed الأَسْيَافُthe swords بِالأَنْفُسِwith lifeblood الحُمْرِcrimson
إِذَا سَالَتِ الأَسْيَافُ بِالأَنْفُسِ الحُمْرِ
O most skilled of horsemen in the thick of battle,
When swords are drawn and red blood spills
When swords run with crimson lifeblood,
After God, we take you as guardian of our home
تَخِذناكَwe took you بَعْدَafter اللّهِGod حامِيprotector of دَارِناour home
تَخِذناكَ بَعْدَ اللّهِ حامِي دَارِنا
ولَيْسَand there is no لَنَاfor us عَوْنٌhelp سِوَاكَother than you عَلىagainst الضُّرِّharm
ولَيْسَ لَنَا عَوْنٌ سِوَاكَ عَلى الضُّرِّ
After God, we made you our home's protector,
We have no other help against harm
And we have no help but you against harm.
How can death take one whose protection you are?
فَكَيْفَso how يَنَالُreaches المَوْتُdeath مَنْone whom أَنْتَyou عَاصِمٌprotect
فَكَيْفَ يَنَالُ المَوْتُ مَنْ أَنْتَ عَاصِمٌ
فَيَخْطِفُهَاthen snatches her مِنِّيfrom me وَيَسْلَمُand escapes unscathed مِنْfrom وِتْرِvengeance
فَيَخْطِفُهَا مِنِّي وَيَسْلَمُ مِنْ وِتْرِ
So how can Death reach one whom you protect,
Snatching her from me, evading your blade
And snatch her from me, yet escape vengeance?
The one I wished would quench the thirsty ground
لِمَنْagainst whom تَسْتَعِدُّyou ready السَّيفَthe sword كُنْتُI used to أَوَدُّهُwish for it
لِمَنْ تَسْتَعِدُّ السَّيفَ كُنْتُ أَوَدُّهُ
يُرَوِّيslakes الثَّرَىthe earth الظَّمْآنَthirsty مِنْfrom مُهْجَةِthe lifeblood الدَّهْرِof Time
يُرَوِّي الثَّرَى الظَّمْآنَ مِنْ مُهْجَةِ الدَّهْرِ
Against whom do you ready the sword? I wished it
With the lifeblood of fate’s jugular vein
Would slake the thirsty earth with Time's lifeblood.
They prepared a bejeweled wedding dress for her
أَعِدَّواprepare لَهَاfor her ثَوَبَa gown الزَّفافِof the wedding مُرَصَّعاًjewel-studded
أَعِدَّوا لَهَا ثَوَبَ الزَّفافِ مُرَصَّعاً
وَصُوغُواand fashion لَهَاfor her الحَليَthe jewelry الثَّمِينَprecious مِنَfrom الدُّرِّpearls
وَصُوغُوا لَهَا الحَليَ الثَّمِينَ مِنَ الدُّرِّ
Prepare for her a jewel-studded wedding gown,
And fashioned precious pearls and gold as jewelry
And fashion precious pearl jewelry for her.
Do not deny her stillness in sleep
وَلاand do not تُنْكِرُواfind strange هَذَاthis السُّكونَstillness بِنَوْمِهَاin her sleep
وَلا تُنْكِرُوا هَذَا السُّكونَ بِنَوْمِهَا
أَلَيْسَis it not كَذَاthus نَوْمُthe sleep المُحَصَّنةِof the chaste woman البِكْرِthe maiden
أَلَيْسَ كَذَا نَوْمُ المُحَصَّنةِ البِكْرِ
And do not find this stillness in her sleep strange;
Is not such the slumber of a cloistered virgin?
Is this not how a chaste maiden sleeps?
My tears are a mother’s at her daughter’s wedding
وَدَمْعِيand my tears دمْعُthe tears الأُمِّof a mother فِيat عُرْسِthe wedding بِنْتِهَاof her daughter
وَدَمْعِي دمْعُ الأُمِّ فِي عُرْسِ بِنْتِهَا
فَلاso do not تُنْكِرُوُهfind it strange لَيْسَthere is no فِيin الدَّمْعِtears مِنْany نُكْرِwrong
فَلا تُنْكِرُوُه لَيْسَ فِي الدَّمْعِ مِنْ نُكْرِ
And my tears are a mother's tears at her daughter's wedding,
Do not reproach them, tears need no excuse
So do not find them strange; there is nothing amiss in tears.
God granted your wedding’s splendor, nothing like it
لَكِfor you اللّهُGod مَاhow أَبْهَىsplendid زَفَافَكِyour wedding procession إِنَّهُindeed it
لَكِ اللّهُ مَا أَبْهَى زَفَافَكِ إِنَّهُ
تَفَرَّدَstood alone مَاemphatic particle بيْنَamong الموَاكِبِthe processions فِيin مِصْرِEgypt
تَفَرَّدَ مَا بيْنَ الموَاكِبِ فِي مِصْرِ
God be with you! How splendid your wedding procession—it
Among processions anywhere in Egypt
Stands alone among the processions in Egypt.
But why do hands carry you above them
وَلَكِنْand yet لِمَwhy الأَيْدِيthe hands تُقِلُّكِbear you فَوْقَهَاabove them
وَلَكِنْ لِمَ الأَيْدِي تُقِلُّكِ فَوْقَهَا
مُوسَّدَةًpillowed وَالصَّاحِبَاتُand the female companions بِلاwithout عِطْرِperfume
مُوسَّدَةً وَالصَّاحِبَاتُ بِلا عِطْرِ
And yet, why do hands bear you above them,
Cushioned, while friends are scentless?
Pillowed, while your companions wear no perfume?
Does a bier or bridal couch bear you
يَضُمُّكenfolds you نَعْشٌa bier أَمْor أَرِيكَةُa couch زَفَّةٍof a bridal procession
يَضُمُّك نَعْشٌ أَمْ أَرِيكَةُ زَفَّةٍ
ويَحْفِلُand gather قوْمٌpeople لِلسُّرُورِfor joy أَمِor الأَجْرِspiritual reward
ويَحْفِلُ قوْمٌ لِلسُّرُورِ أَمِ الأَجْرِ
Does a bier enfold you, or a bridal couch?
And does a crowd gather for joy or condolence?
And do people gather for joy, or for spiritual reward?
Lo! This is a funeral procession they adorn
أَلاَbehold إِنَّindeed هَذَاthis مَوْكِبُthe procession المَوْتِof death زَانَهُadorned it
أَلاَ إِنَّ هَذَا مَوْكِبُ المَوْتِ زَانَهُ
لَكِfor you الأَهْلُthe family بِالطَّرْزِwith embroidery الأَنِيقِelegant وَبِالزَّهْرِand with flowers
لَكِ الأَهْلُ بِالطَّرْزِ الأَنِيقِ وَبِالزَّهْرِ
Behold, this is Death's procession, adorned
With graceful style and blossoms for you
For you by your family with elegant embroidery and flowers.
Your mother's heartbreak cannot suffice
وَأُمُّكand your mother لاَnot يَكْفيsuffices for التَّفجُّعgrief قَلْبُهَاher heart
وَأُمُّك لاَ يَكْفي التَّفجُّع قَلْبُهَا
إِذَاif لَمْnot يَكُنْit is فِيin صُوَرَةِthe form السَّعْدِof happiness وَالبِشْرِand cheer
إِذَا لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي صُوَرَةِ السَّعْدِ وَالبِشْرِ
And your mother's heart cannot bear her grief
Unless shown as fortune and glad tiding
Unless it takes the guise of happiness and cheer.
O sun of beauty, your setting came early
فَيَاso O شَمْسَsun حُسْنٍof beauty بَكَّرَتْcame early فِيin زَوَالِهَاher setting
فَيَا شَمْسَ حُسْنٍ بَكَّرَتْ فِي زَوَالِهَا
لَئِنْeven if غِبْتِyou have vanished فَالزَّهْرُthen the bright stars الثَّوَابِتُthe fixed ones فِيin الإِثْرِthe wake
لَئِنْ غِبْتِ فَالزَّهْرُ الثَّوَابِتُ فِي الإِثْرِ
And O sun of beauty, whose setting came too soon,
Though flowers of memory will endure
Though you have vanished, the bright fixed stars follow in your wake.
I weep not because I knew you, but
بَكَيْتُكِI wept for you لاnot أَنيbecause I عَرَفتُكِknew you إِنَّماbut rather
بَكَيْتُكِ لا أَني عَرَفتُكِ إِنَّما
لِخَطبِكِat your calamity هَذاthis كُلُّevery ناضِبَةٍdry eye تَجْرِيstreams
لِخَطبِكِ هَذا كُلُّ ناضِبَةٍ تَجْرِي
I wept for you, not because I knew you, but because
For this fate, which makes every nursing mother cry
This calamity of yours makes every dry eye stream.
Partial English translation: 49 of 50 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1