لَحِقَjoined اليَوْمَtoday بِالرِّفَاقِwith the companions أَمِينُAmin
لَحِقَ اليَوْمَ بِالرِّفَاقِ أَمِينُ
كَيْفَhow يَسْلُوfinds solace هَذَاthis الفُؤَادُthe heart الحَزِينُsorrowful
كَيْفَ يَسْلُو هَذَا الفُؤَادُ الحَزِينُ
Amin joined his companions today.
How can this sorrowful heart find solace?
يَاO أَلِيفِيmy close companion مِنَsince الصِّبَاyouth هَلْdid? تَلَتْfollowed أَفْjoys (beginning)
يَا أَلِيفِي مِنَ الصِّبَا هَلْ تَلَتْ أَفْ
رَاحَنَاour joys (end) الذَّاهِبَاتِvanished إِلاَّexcept الشُّجُونُsorrows
رَاحَنَا الذَّاهِبَاتِ إِلاَّ الشُّجُونُ
O my companion since youth, did anything follow
our vanished joys but sorrows?
أَيْنَwhere جَوْلاتُنَاour outings وَأَيْنَand where الدُّعَابَاthe jests (beginning)
أَيْنَ جَوْلاتُنَا وَأَيْنَ الدُّعَابَا
تُjests (end) وَأَيْنَand where الهَوَىlove وَأَيْنَand where الفُتونُenchantment
تُ وَأَيْنَ الهَوَى وَأَيْنَ الفُتونُ
Where are our outings, and where the jests?
And where is love, and where enchantment?
أَيْنَwhere تِلْكَthose الآمَالُthe hopes غِبَّafter الدِّرَاسَاstudies (beginning)
أَيْنَ تِلْكَ الآمَالُ غِبَّ الدِّرَاسَا
تِstudies (end) وَفِيهَاand in them الحِجَىreason وَفِيهَاand in them الجُنُونُmadness
تِ وَفِيهَا الحِجَى وَفِيهَا الجُنُونُ
Where are those hopes after our studies,
with reason in them and madness too?
رَامَsought كُلٌّeach مِنَّاof us مَرَاماًa goal مِنَin العَيْlife (beginning)
رَامَ كُلٌّ مِنَّا مَرَاماً مِنَ العَيْ
شِlife (end) إِذَاif شَطَّlay far away قَرَّبَتْهُbrought it near الظنُونُimaginings
شِ إِذَا شَطَّ قَرَّبَتْهُ الظنُونُ
Each of us sought a goal in life;
if it lay far away, imaginings brought it near.
لَسْتُI do not أَنْسَىforget وَقَدْwhen already أُجِيزَwas authorized لَكَfor you الطبُّmedicine
لَسْتُ أَنْسَى وَقَدْ أُجِيزَ لَكَ الطبُّ
وَزَانَتْand adorned لَكَfor you المُنَىhopes مَاwhat تَزِينُthey adorn
وَزَانَتْ لَكَ المُنَى مَا تَزِينُ
I do not forget, when you had been licensed to practice medicine,
and hopes had adorned for you all they could,
يَوْمَthe day وَافَيْتَنِيyou came to me وَتُوشِكُand were about أَنْto تَبْappear (beginning)
يَوْمَ وَافَيْتَنِي وَتُوشِكُ أَنْ تَبْ
دُوَappear (end) فِيupon وَجْهِكَyour face النَّضِيرِblooming غُصُونُbranches
دُوَ فِي وَجْهِكَ النَّضِيرِ غُصُونُ
the day you came to me, with branches about to
appear upon your blooming face.
مَاwhat الَّذِيthat جَدَّhappened يَاO أَمِينُAmin لَقَدْindeed أَزْresolved (beginning)
مَا الَّذِي جَدَّ يَا أَمِينُ لَقَدْ أَزْ
مَعْتَyou resolved (end) أَمْراًa matter مِرَاسُهُundertaking it لاnot يَهُونُis easy
مَعْتَ أَمْراً مِرَاسُهُ لا يَهُونُ
What has happened, Amin? You have resolved
on a matter no easy task to undertake.
قُلْتَyou said هَذَاthis بَتِّيmy firm decision سَأَلحَقُI shall join بِالجَيْwith the army (beginning)
قُلْتَ هَذَا بَتِّي سَأَلحَقُ بِالجَيْ
شِarmy (end) فَإِمَّاso either العُلَىglory وَإِمَّاor else المَنُونُdeath
شِ فَإِمَّا العُلَى وَإِمَّا المَنُونُ
You said, “This is my firm decision: I shall join the army—
either glory or death.”
قَلْتُI said يَاO صَاحِبِيmy friend أَتَقْحَمُwill you plunge into? بِيداًdeserts
قَلْتُ يَا صَاحِبِي أَتَقْحَمُ بِيداً
تَتَلَظَّىare ablaze وَالحَرْبُand war فِيهَاin them زَبُونُfierce
تَتَلَظَّى وَالحَرْبُ فِيهَا زَبُونُ
I said, “My friend, will you plunge into deserts
ablaze, where war rages fiercely?”
قَلْتُI said إِنِّيindeed I خُلِقْتُI was created لِلسَّعْيto strive فِيin الأَرْthe earth (beginning)
قَلْتُ إِنِّي خُلِقْتُ لِلسَّعْي فِي الأَرْ
ضِearth (end) وَمَاand not بِيin me إِلَىtoward السُّكُونِrest سُكُونُinclination
ضِ وَمَا بِي إِلَى السُّكُونِ سُكُونُ
I said, “I was created to strive upon the earth,
and I have no inclination toward rest.”
وَنَهَجْتَand you followed النَّهْجَthe path الَّذِيthat اخْتَرْتَyou chose لاnot تَثْturn aside (beginning)
وَنَهَجْتَ النَّهْجَ الَّذِي اخْتَرْتَ لا تَثْ
نِيكَturn you aside (end) عَنْهُfrom it أَخْطَارُهُits dangers وَالدُّجُونُand the gloom
نِيكَ عَنْهُ أَخْطَارُهُ وَالدُّجُونُ
You followed the path you chose, undeterred
by its dangers and the gloom.
فَتَمَنْطَقْتَso you girded yourself بِالسِّلاحِwith weapons وَلَكِنْyet
فَتَمَنْطَقْتَ بِالسِّلاحِ وَلَكِنْ
لاnot لِمَاfor what تَطْبَعُforge السِّلاحَthe weapons القُيُونُsmiths
لا لِمَا تَطْبَعُ السِّلاحَ القُيُونُ
So you girded yourself with weapons, yet
not for the purpose for which smiths forge them.
رُحْتَyou went تَأْسُوyou tend جَرْحَىthe wounded وَتَشْفِيand you heal مِرَاساًbattle-hardened men
رُحْتَ تَأْسُو جَرْحَى وَتَشْفِي مِرَاساً
تَتَرَامَىtoss about الرُّبىthe hills بِهِمْwith them وَالحُزُونُand rugged lands
تَتَرَامَى الرُّبى بِهِمْ وَالحُزُونُ
You went tending the wounded and healing battle-hardened men,
whom hills and rugged lands tossed about.
وَتُوقِّيهِمُand you shield them الرَّدَىdeath وَتُرِيهِمْand you show them
وَتُوقِّيهِمُ الرَّدَى وَتُرِيهِمْ
مُعْجِزَاتِmiracles of الإِنْقَاذِrescue كَيْفَhow تَكُونُcome to be
مُعْجِزَاتِ الإِنْقَاذِ كَيْفَ تَكُونُ
You shielded them from death and showed them
how miracles of rescue come to be.
بَعْدَafter حَرْبِthe war of السُّودَانِSudan وَالعَوْدِand the return مِنْهُfrom it
بَعْدَ حَرْبِ السُّودَانِ وَالعَوْدِ مِنْهُ
جَدَّarose شَانٌa matter هَانَتْgrew insignificant لَدَيْهِbeside it الشُّؤُونُother matters
جَدَّ شَانٌ هَانَتْ لَدَيْهِ الشُّؤُونُ
After the Sudan war and your return from it,
a matter arose beside which all other matters paled.
جَلْجَلَتْrang out دَعْوَةُthe call of العُرُوبَةِArabism فَاهْتَso was stirred (beginning)
جَلْجَلَتْ دَعْوَةُ العُرُوبَةِ فَاهْتَ
زَّwas stirred (end) لَهَاby it مَنْwhoever بِهِin him إِلَيْهَاtoward it حَنِينُlonging
زَّ لَهَا مَنْ بِهِ إِلَيْهَا حَنِينُ
The call of Arabism rang out, stirring
all who bore a longing for it.
وَتَنَادَىand called to one another حُمَاتُهَاits defenders وَتَلاقَىand gathered
وَتَنَادَى حُمَاتُهَا وَتَلاقَى
فِيin السَّرَايَاthe military detachments مِنْthose who بِالوَفَاءِin loyalty يَدِينُprofesses belief
فِي السَّرَايَا مِنْ بِالوَفَاءِ يَدِينُ
Its defenders called to one another, and gathered
in the military detachments, those who professed loyalty.
فَشَدَدْتَso you tightened الرِّحَالَthe saddles فِيfor نُضْرَةِthe flourishing of القَوْthe people (beginning)
فَشَدَدْتَ الرِّحَالَ فِي نُضْرَةِ القَوْ
مِpeople (end) وَقَدْwhen indeed عَزَّgrew scarce فِيin الجِهَادِthe struggle المُعِينُthe helper
مِ وَقَدْ عَزَّ فِي الجِهَادِ المُعِينُ
So you saddled up for the people's flourishing,
when helpers in the struggle had grown scarce.
وَقَضْيتَand you spent الأَعْوَامَthe years فِيamid نُقَلٍchanges تَقْgrow harsh (beginning)
وَقَضْيتَ الأَعْوَامَ فِي نُقَلٍ تَقْ
سُوgrow harsh (end) تَصَارِيفُهَاtheir turns وَآناًand at times تَلِينُgrow gentle
سُو تَصَارِيفُهَا وَآناً تَلِينُ
You spent the years amid changes whose
turns grew harsh, and at times gentle.
ذُقْتَyou tasted أَحْدَاثَهَاtheir events تُمِرُّgrow bitter وَتَحْلُوand grow sweet
ذُقْتَ أَحْدَاثَهَا تُمِرُّ وَتَحْلُو
فِيin ظُرُوفٍcircumstances حَدِيثُهُنَّtheir telling شجُونُsorrows
فِي ظُرُوفٍ حَدِيثُهُنَّ شجُونُ
You tasted their events, now bitter, now sweet,
in circumstances whose telling is full of sorrow.
فَبَلَغْتَthus you attained المُنَىhopes العَصِيَّةَhard to attain بِالعَزْby resolve (beginning)
فَبَلَغْتَ المُنَى العَصِيَّةَ بِالعَزْ
مِresolve (end) وَذُوand one possessing العَزْمِresolve بِالنَّجَاحِof success قَمِينُworthy
مِ وَذُو العَزْمِ بِالنَّجَاحِ قَمِينُ
Thus by resolve you attained your elusive hopes,
and one of firm resolve is worthy of success.
وَأَثَابَتْand rewarded بَغْدَادُBaghdad مَسْعَاكَyour striving إِذْwhen بِdwelt (beginning)
وَأَثَابَتْ بَغْدَادُ مَسْعَاكَ إِذْ بِ
تَّyou dwelt (end) وَفِيهَاand in it لَكَfor you المَكَانُthe position المكينُfirmly established
تَّ وَفِيهَا لَكَ المَكَانُ المكينُ
Baghdad rewarded your striving when you settled
there, with a firmly established place.
مَاnot تَوَطَّنْتَyou settled نَاعِمَat ease البَالِin mind حَتَّىuntil
مَا تَوَطَّنْتَ نَاعِمَ البَالِ حَتَّى
كَادَplotted كَيْداًa plot لَكَagainst you الزَّمَانُtime الخَؤُونُtreacherous
كَادَ كَيْداً لَكَ الزَّمَانُ الخَؤُونُ
No sooner had you settled with a mind at ease
than treacherous time plotted against you.
نَزَلَتْstruck عِلَّةٌan illness بِجِسْمِكَupon your body لَمْdid not يَقْbe strong enough (beginning)
نَزَلَتْ عِلَّةٌ بِجِسْمِكَ لَمْ يَقْ
وَbe strong enough (end) عَلَيْهَاagainst it وَهْوَthough it was البِنَاءُthe structure المَتِينُsturdy
وَ عَلَيْهَا وَهْوَ البِنَاءُ المَتِينُ
An illness struck your body, which could not
withstand it, though it was a sturdy structure.
فَوَهَىso weakened الهيكَلُthe frame المَنِيعُimpregnable وَلَكِنْyet
فَوَهَى الهيكَلُ المَنِيعُ وَلَكِنْ
سَلِمَremained unharmed الجَوْهَرُthe essence الرَّفِيعُlofty الحَصِينُinviolable
سَلِمَ الجَوْهَرُ الرَّفِيعُ الحَصِينُ
The impregnable frame weakened, yet
the lofty, inviolable essence remained intact.
فَتَفَرَّغْتَso you devoted yourself لِلتَّآلِيفِto writings يُمْلِيdictates
فَتَفَرَّغْتَ لِلتَّآلِيفِ يُمْلِي
هَاthem ضَمِيرٌa conscience حَيٌّliving وَذِهْنٌand a mind رَصِينُsteady
هَا ضَمِيرٌ حَيٌّ وَذِهْنٌ رَصِينُ
So you devoted yourself to writings, dictated
by a living conscience and a steady mind.
أَيْنَwhere شُغْلُthe work of الدِّيوَانِthe bureau مِمَّاbeside what أَفَادَbenefited الشَّthe East (beginning)
أَيْنَ شُغْلُ الدِّيوَانِ مِمَّا أَفَادَ الشَّ
رْقَEast (end) ذَاكَthat التَّحْبِيرُfine writing وَالتَّدْوِينُand compilation
رْقَ ذَاكَ التَّحْبِيرُ وَالتَّدْوِينُ
How does office work compare with what
that fine writing and compilation gave the East?
كَمْhow many كِتَابٍa book أَبَحْتَyou made accessible فِيهِin it كُنُوزاًtreasures
كَمْ كِتَابٍ أَبَحْتَ فِيهِ كُنُوزاً
كَانَwas فِيin الغَيْبِthe unseen ذُخْرُهَاtheir store المَكْنُونُhidden
كَانَ فِي الغَيْبِ ذُخْرُهَا المَكْنُونُ
In how many a book you laid treasures open
whose hidden store had lain in the unseen!
تِلْكَthose لِلضَّادِfor Arabic, the language of ḍād ثَرْوَةٌwealth نُشِرَتْwere unfolded فِيin
تِلْكَ لِلضَّادِ ثَرْوَةٌ نُشِرَتْ فِي
هَاit عُلُومٌsciences مَطْوِيَّةٌfolded away وَفُنُونُand arts
هَا عُلُومٌ مَطْوِيَّةٌ وَفُنُونُ
These are riches for the language of ḍād, in which
sciences once folded away, and arts, have been unfolded.
يَاO بَنِيsons of مِصْرَEgypt يَاO بَنِيsons of العُرْبِthe Arabs إِنَّindeed العَthe pledge (beginning)
يَا بَنِي مِصْرَ يَا بَنِي العُرْبِ إِنَّ العَ
هْدَpledge (end) دَينٌa debt وَالحِفْظُand keeping لِلعَهْدِof the pledge دِينُa creed
هْدَ دَينٌ وَالحِفْظُ لِلعَهْدِ دِينُ
O sons of Egypt, O sons of the Arabs, surely a pledge
is a debt, and keeping the pledge is a creed.
أَلفَرِيقُthe lieutenant general المِقْدَامُintrepid وَالعَامِلُand the worker العَاworking (beginning)
أَلفَرِيقُ المِقْدَامُ وَالعَامِلُ العَا
ملُworking (end) وَالكَاتِبُand the writer الأَدِيبُcultured المُبِينُlucid in expression
ملُ وَالكَاتِبُ الأَدِيبُ المُبِينُ
The intrepid lieutenant general and the active worker,
and the cultured writer, lucid in expression—
هَلْcan? تُوَفِّيهِrender him حَقَّهُhis due مَرْثِيَاتٌelegies
هَلْ تُوَفِّيهِ حَقَّهُ مَرْثِيَاتٌ
أَوْor يُوَفِّيهِrender him حَقَّهُhis due تَأْبِينُa eulogy
أَوْ يُوَفِّيهِ حَقَّهُ تَأْبِينُ
can elegies render him his due,
or can a eulogy render him his due?
بَانَdeparted عَنْfrom مَوْقِعِthe field of اللِّحَاظِsight مُحَيَّاcountenance
بَانَ عَنْ مَوْقِعِ اللِّحَاظِ مُحَيَّا
هُhis وَلَكِنَّbut نُورَهُhis light لاdoes not يَبِينُdepart
هُ وَلَكِنَّ نُورَهُ لا يَبِينُ
His countenance has left the field of sight,
but his light does not depart.
فَلْيُخَلَّدْso let him be immortalized فِيin قَلْبِthe heart of كُلِّevery شَكُورٍgrateful person
فَلْيُخَلَّدْ فِي قَلْبِ كُلِّ شَكُورٍ
ذَلِكَthat one الصَّادِقُtruthful الوَفِيُّloyal الأَمِينُtrustworthy
ذَلِكَ الصَّادِقُ الوَفِيُّ الأَمِينُ
Let him live forever in the heart of every grateful soul,
that truthful, loyal, trustworthy man.
يَاO صَدِيقاًfriend فُجِعْتَyou were bereaved فِيهِof him وَإِنِّيand indeed I
يَا صَدِيقاً فُجِعْتَ فِيهِ وَإِنِّي
لَمْdid not أَخَلْI imagine أَنَّهُthat he وَشِيكاًsoon يَؤُونُreaches his appointed time
لَمْ أَخَلْ أَنَّهُ وَشِيكاً يَؤُونُ
O friend, you were bereaved of him, and I
had not imagined his end would come so soon.
إِنَّindeed قَبْراًa grave تُزَارُyou are visited فِيهِin it لَرَوْضٌsurely a garden
إِنَّ قَبْراً تُزَارُ فِيهِ لَرَوْضٌ
قَدْindeed كَسَاهُclothed it الرَّيْحَانُsweet basil وَالنِّسْرِينُand eglantine
قَدْ كَسَاهُ الرَّيْحَانُ وَالنِّسْرِينُ
Indeed, a grave where you are visited is a garden
clothed in sweet basil and eglantine.
فَإذَاand if أَخْطَأَmissed السَّحَابُthe clouds ثَرَاهُits earth
فَإذَا أَخْطَأَ السَّحَابُ ثَرَاهُ
نَضَّرَتْهُmade it fresh بِمَاwith what سَقَتْهُwatered it العُيُونُthe eyes
نَضَّرَتْهُ بِمَا سَقَتْهُ العُيُونُ
And if the clouds miss its earth,
eyes refresh it with the tears they pour.
يَاO شِقيقَbrother of الفقِيدِthe departed صَبْراًpatience عَلَىover رُزْlosses (beginning)
يَا شِقيقَ الفقِيدِ صَبْراً عَلَى رُزْ
ئيْكyour two losses (end) فَهْوَfor he is الشَّقِيقُthe brother وَهْوَand he is الخَدِينُthe close friend
ئيْك فَهْوَ الشَّقِيقُ وَهْوَ الخَدِينُ
O brother of the departed, bear patiently
your two losses: he was your brother and your close friend.
لاnot يَرُدُّturns back القَضَاءَfate حُزْنُthe grief of جَزْوعٍa distraught mourner
لا يَرُدُّ القَضَاءَ حُزْنُ جَزْوعٍ
كُلُّeveryone مَنْwho عَاشَhas lived بِالقَضَاءِto fate رَهِينُheld in pledge
كُلُّ مَنْ عَاشَ بِالقَضَاءِ رَهِينُ
No grief of the distraught can turn back fate;
everyone who has lived is held in pledge to fate.
Sol 6.1