لمdid not يكدalmost يسبقoutstrip الفضاءthe expanse نذيرa warning herald
لم يكد يسبق الفضاء نذير
ونقضيand we spend عمرa lifetime وتمand was fulfilled مصيرa destiny
ونقضي عمر وتم مصير
A warning herald had scarcely outstripped the expanse,
The harbinger of space had barely set out
And we spend a lifetime, and a destiny is fulfilled.
And we spend a lifetime and fulfill destiny
إنindeed رزءthe loss الجميلal-Gemayel العلمthe luminary الفردthe peerless one
إن رزء الجميل العلم الفرد
لرزءsurely a loss فيin المشرقينboth Easts كبيرgreat
لرزء في المشرقين كبير
The loss of al-Gemayel, that peerless luminary,
Verily the death of the unique scholar is great loss
Is a great loss in both Easts.
For there is great need for the like of him in both Easts
إنif بكتهthey wept for him وأجمعتand were unanimous أممpeoples الضادḍād, emblem of Arabic
إن بكته وأجمعت أمم الضاد
فمنthen who مثلهlike him بذاكof that جديرworthy
فمن مثله بذاك جدير
If the peoples of ḍād mourned him with one accord,
If the people of eloquence lamented him
Who is as worthy of that as he?
Then who would be worthy of him?
كمhow many فتىa youth كانwas فيin فتاهاher youth المسجىthe shrouded one
كم فتى كان في فتاها المسجى
يملأfills العينthe eye فضلهhis merit الموفورabundant
يملأ العين فضله الموفور
How many youths were embodied in her shrouded youth,
How many a youth was in his prime
Whose abundant merit filled the eye!
His abundance overflows the eye
ويحalas قلبيmy heart طالgrew long الثواءthe sojourn وحوليand around me
ويح قلبي طال الثواء وحولي
دائراتcalamities علىover الرفاقthe companions تدورrevolve
دائرات على الرفاق تدور
Alas, my heart! My sojourn has grown long, and around me
Woe to my heart, longing has lasted long and around me
Calamities circle over my companions.
Circles over friends revolve
لاno اعتراضobjection علىto القضاءfate ولكنbut
لا اعتراض على القضاء ولكن
كلevery يومday أصابI am stricken هذاthis كثيرtoo much
كل يوم أصاب هذا كثير
No objection to fate—but
No objection to fate but
Every day I am stricken: this is too much.
Each day this is too frequent
ماwhat ذماميmy pledge ماwhat نجدتيmy aid ماwhat وفائيmy loyalty
ما ذمامي ما نجدتي ما وفائي
إنif يكit is النوحlamentation فالفداءthen the sacrifice يسيرslight
إن يك النوح فالفداء يسير
What is my pledge, what my aid, what my loyalty,
My regrets, my condolences, my loyalty
If it is only lamentation? The sacrifice is slight.
If there is sobbing then sacrifice is easy
أسفاalas أيهاO الرفيقthe companion الموليdeparting
أسفا أيها الرفيق المولي
والأخand the brother البرvirtuous والصفيand the confidant الأثيرcherished
والأخ البر والصفي الأثير
Alas, O departing companion,
Alas O faithful comrade
And virtuous brother, and cherished confidant!
And kind, dutiful, precious brother
قدindeed تقدمتyou took the lead فيin الحياةlife فهلاthen why not
قد تقدمت في الحياة فهلا
سرناgladdened us فيin بقائكyour remaining التأخيرdelay
سرنا في بقائك التأخير
You took the lead in life; why, then,
You preceded in life, why not
Did delay not gladden us by prolonging your stay?
Delay your departure and stay
أخلاhas it become empty? المجلسthe gathering-place الذيwhich كانused to يغشاهfrequent it
أخلا المجلس الذي كان يغشاه
أديبa man of letters ونائبand a deputy ووزيرand a minister
أديب ونائب ووزير
Has the gathering-place fallen empty, once frequented
You left the council which you frequented
By a man of letters, a deputy, and a minister?
Litterateur, deputy and minister
يلتقيهمhe meets them حلوsweet الفكاهةhumor طلقcheerful الوجهthe face
يلتقيهم حلو الفكاهة طلق الوجه
ثبتsteadfast الجنانthe heart سمحgracious وقورdignified
ثبت الجنان سمح وقور
He met them with sweet humor and a cheerful face,
They meet, cheerful, bright faced
Steadfast of heart, gracious and dignified.
Steady, forbearing and dignified
أينwhere تلكthose الأسمارevening conversations كانتused to بهاthrough them تصفوgrow serene
أين تلك الأسمار كانت بها تصفو
اللياليthe nights وأينand where ذاكthat السميرevening companion
الليالي وأين ذاك السمير
Where are those evening talks that brought serenity to
Where are those gatherings which were purified
The nights, and where is that evening companion?
By nights? And where is that night talk?
ياO لقوميto my people مثالlikeness أنطونAnton لوif صورتهI portrayed it
يا لقومي مثال أنطون لو صورته
لمdid not يحطencompass بهaround it التصويرdepiction
لم يحط به التصوير
O my people! Were I to depict Anton's likeness,
Oh my people, if Anton's image were portrayed
No depiction could encompass it.
Portrayal would not do him justice
كيفhow وصفيmy description ماwhat جلwas great أوor دقwas subtle منهof him
كيف وصفي ما جل أو دق منه
والفناand decay مقعديcrippling me فمنthen who ليfor me عذيرone who excuses
والفنا مقعدي فمن لي عذير
How can I describe what was great or subtle in him,
How can I describe what is most sublime and refined of him?
While decay keeps me helpless—who will excuse me?
While oblivion is my seat, what excuse can I offer?
خلقcharacter كاملperfect وطبعand a nature رقيقgentle
خلق كامل وطبع رقيق
وذكاءand intelligence جمabundant وجاهand prestige وفيرample
وذكاء جم وجاه وفير
Perfect character and a gentle nature,
Perfect creation and gentle nature
And abundant intelligence and ample prestige.
Keen wit and abundant prominence
وخلالand virtues منfrom معدنthe mine الأدبculture الزاهيradiant
وخلال من معدن الأدب الزاهي
بأنوارهwith its lights لهنfor them صدورan origin
بأنواره لهن صدور
And virtues from the mine of culture, radiant
And traits from the metal of flourishing literature
With its lights—there those virtues have their source.
With its lights for them innermost thoughts
كاتبa writer نسجa weave وحدهhis alone وخطيبand an orator
كاتب نسج وحده وخطيب
ماnot لهfor him منamong المناظرينthe debaters نظيرa peer
ما له من المناظرين نظير
A writer of a weave all his own, and an orator
A writer who wove alone and an orator
With no peer among debaters.
Who has no equal amongst speakers
لمdid not يزاولpractice نظمcomposing القريضpoetry ولكنbut
لم يزاول نظم القريض ولكن
بزsurpassed أسمىthe loftiest النظيمverse منهfrom him النثيرprose
بز أسمى النظيم منه النثير
He did not practice composing poetry, but
He did not habitually compose verse yet
His prose surpassed the loftiest verse.
His scattered verse is loftier than anthologised
إنif علاascended منبراa pulpit لقولto speak فماthen nothing فيin الحشدthe crowd
إن علا منبرا لقول فما في الحشد
إلاexcept التهليلacclamations of God's oneness والتكبيرand acclamations of God's greatness
إلا التهليل والتكبير
If he mounted a pulpit to speak, there was nothing in the crowd
If he took to the pulpit to speak no one in the throng
But acclamations of God's oneness and greatness.
Except: “Glorify him! Revere him!”
شأنهhis stature فيin الشيوخthe Senate بلغهbrought him to غايةthe utmost
شأنه في الشيوخ بلغه غاية
ماwhat يبلغattains الحصيفthe discerning man الصبورthe patient one
ما يبلغ الحصيف الصبور
His stature in the Senate took him to the utmost
His stature among the elders reached its zenith
That a discerning, patient man can attain.
As the wise and patient reach
واسعbroad الصدرthe breast والحوادثand events قدmay تشتدgrow severe
واسع الصدر والحوادث قد تشتد
حتىuntil بهاbecause of them تضيقgrow constricted الصدورthe breasts
حتى بها تضيق الصدور
Broad of heart, though events could grow so harsh
Broad of chest, though events get tough
That hearts grew constricted by them.
Until hearts are straitened by them
فيin الأمورaffairs الصعابdifficult يمضيhe proceeds فماso he does not يثنيturn
في الأمور الصعاب يمضي فما يثني
عناناa rein حتىuntil تراضare tamed الأمورaffairs
عنانا حتى تراض الأمور
Through difficult affairs he pressed on, never turning
In difficult matters he proceeds, nothing makes him
A rein until those affairs were tamed.
Rein in until matters are settled
صحفيa journalist فيat كلevery مطلعrising شمسthe sun
صحفي في كل مطلع شمس
يبعثstirs الرأيopinion بالهدىwith guidance وينيرand sheds light
يبعث الرأي بالهدى وينير
A journalist who, at every sunrise,
A journalist who at every new dawn
Roused opinion with guidance and shed light.
Sends opinion with guidance and illumination
تخذhe adopted الصدقtruthfulness فيin السياسةpolitics نهجاa path
تخذ الصدق في السياسة نهجا
وعداهand bypassed him التضليلdeceit والتغريرand beguilement
وعداه التضليل والتغرير
He adopted truthfulness as his path in politics,
He took truthfulness as his approach in politics
And deceit and beguilement passed him by.
And avoided delusion and deception
لاnot يجاريgoes along علىin افتئاتarbitrary injustice ولاnor يعدمlack
لا يجاري على افتئات ولا يعدم
منهfrom him نصيرهits champion التفكيرthought
منه نصيره التفكير
He would not acquiesce in arbitrary injustice, nor did
He does not wrangle over transgressions and does not lack
Thought lack its champion in him.
Supporting his contemplation
ومجالand the field النضالof struggle للحقfor justice رحبwide
ومجال النضال للحق رحب
حيثwherever يدعوcalls اللهيفthe distressed والمستجيرand the refuge-seeker
حيث يدعو اللهيف والمستجير
And wide is the field of struggle for justice,
And the arena of striving for truth is vast
Wherever the distressed and the refuge-seeker call.
Where the weak and beseeching call
فيin الأعاصيرthe hurricanes فكلهhis vessel (text unclear) تتهادىglides gently
في الأعاصير فكله تتهادى
فإذاand when ماemphatic particle اهتدتit finds its way فليستthen it does not تجورstray
فإذا ما اهتدت فليست تجور
In hurricanes, his vessel glides serenely,
In storms, so they subside
And once it finds its course, it never strays.
Thus when they are guided, they do not tyrannize
كمhow many بكاهwept for him فيin كلevery معهدinstitution إحسانof charity
كم بكاه في كل معهد إحسان
عليلan ailing person وعاجزand a helpless person وفقيرand a poor person
عليل وعاجز وفقير
How many mourned him in every house of charity:
How he lamented in every institute the wretched
The sick, the helpless, and the poor!
Infirm and destitute
إنindeed فاروقناour Farouk المعظمrevered لاnot يفتأceases
إن فاروقنا المعظم لا يفتأ
للنابغينfor the gifted نعمexcellent is النصيرthe champion
للنابغين نعم النصير
Indeed, our revered Farouk never ceases to be
Indeed our mighty sovereign does not cease
An excellent champion of the gifted.
To be a great ally to the eminent
منحhe granted الرتبةthe rank الرفيعةlofty أحجاهمthe worthiest of them
منح الرتبة الرفيعة أحجاهم
بهاof it وهوand he بالكفاةwith the capable خبيرwell acquainted
بها وهو بالكفاة خبير
He granted the lofty rank to the most deserving among them
He conferred the supreme rank, the most deserving
Of it; he is well acquainted with the capable.
With it, and he is skilled in competence
فيin جلالthe splendor العطاءof giving منهfrom him لعاليfor the lofty
في جلال العطاء منه لعالي
رأيهhis judgment فيregarding المقدمينthose given precedence ظهورa manifestation
رأيه في المقدمين ظهور
In the splendor of his giving, the loftiness
In the majesty of his gift to the lofty
Of his judgment regarding those advanced is revealed.
His view of who to promote is clear
وأولوand the possessors الأمرof authority فيin العروبةthe Arab world لمdid not يخطئهمfail them
وأولو الأمر في العروبة لم يخطئهم
فيconcerning الجميلal-Gemayel التقديرesteem
في الجميل التقدير
And those in authority in the Arab world were not mistaken
And the leaders in Arabism, he did not miss them
In their esteem for al-Gemayel.
In proper appraisal of excellence
بينamong منthose whom كافأواthey rewarded بأسنىwith the finest حلاهمtheir decorations
بين من كافأوا بأسنى حلاهم
منone who لهhas ذلكthat المقامstation الخطيرeminent
من له ذلك المقام الخطير
Among those they rewarded with their finest decorations
Among those he rewarded with the finest adornments
Was he who held that eminent station.
Who holds that weighty position
ياO فقيداdeparted one مثالهhis likeness خالدeverlasting فيin
يا فقيدا مثاله خالد في
كلevery قلبheart وذكرهand his memory مبرورhonored
كل قلب وذكره مبرور
O departed one, whose image lives forever in
O' noble paradigm, immortal in
Every heart, and whose memory is honored,
Every heart, his mention blessed
لاno ثوابreward كفاءequal to فضلكyour merit إلاexcept
لا ثواب كفاء فضلك إلا
ماwhat يثيبbestows as reward اللهGod العليthe Most High القديرthe All-Powerful
ما يثيب الله العلي القدير
No reward is equal to your merit except
No reward befits your merit except
What God, the Most High, the All-Powerful, bestows.
What the Exalted, Almighty rewards
Sol 6.1