مَضَىhas passed away حَسَنٌHasan فِيin ذِمَّةthe keeping of اللهِGod أَنْسُهُhis warmth
مَضَى حَسَنٌ فِي ذِمَّة اللهِ أَنْسُهُ
وَذَاكَand that الضَّمِيرُconscience الحُروَّfree وَالخُلْقُand character الضَّاحِيradiant
وَذَاكَ الضَّمِيرُ الحُروَّ وَالخُلْقُ الضَّاحِي
Hasan has passed away; in God's keeping rest his warmth
Gone is the virtuous one into God's care blissful,
and that free conscience and radiant character.
That free spirit and sunny temperament notwithstanding the dew and praises attained sunset
بِرَغْمِagainst the wishes of النَّدَىgenerosity وَالمَحْمَدَاتِand praiseworthy deeds بُلُوغُهِhis reaching
بِرَغْمِ النَّدَى وَالمَحْمَدَاتِ بُلُوغُهِ
عَشِيَّتهُhis evening وَالعُمْرُwhile life فِيin وَقْتِthe time of إِصْبَاحِdawn
عَشِيَّتهُ وَالعُمْرُ فِي وَقْتِ إِصْبَاحِ
Against the wishes of generosity and praiseworthy deeds, he reached
And life at dawn's time.
his evening while his life was still at dawn.
Despite the regrets of a man of letters or poet
وَرَغْمِand against the wishes of النَّدَامَىthe companions مِنْamong أَدِيبٍa man of letters وَشَاعِرٍand a poet
وَرَغْمِ النَّدَامَى مِنْ أَدِيبٍ وَشَاعِرٍ
فِرَاقُthe loss of أَخٍa brother حُلْوِsweet الشَّمائِلِin disposition مِسْمَاحِgenerous
فِرَاقُ أَخٍ حُلْوِ الشَّمائِلِ مِسْمَاحِ
And against the wishes of his companions, writers and poets,
Is the parting of a brother sweet of traits easy-going.
came the loss of a brother, sweet-natured and generous.
A brother who was soul to hearts but, when ordained,
أَخٌa brother كَانَwas رَوْحَاsolace لِلْقُلُوبِto hearts فَإِذْthen when قَضَىhe died
أَخٌ كَانَ رَوْحَا لِلْقُلُوبِ فَإِذْ قَضَى
أٌقَمْنَاwe remained وَمَاand no قَلْبٌheart لِشَيٍْin anything بِمُرْتَاحِat ease
أٌقَمْنَا وَمَا قَلْبٌ لِشَيٍْ بِمُرْتَاحِ
A brother who was solace to hearts; when he died,
We stood and no heart is at ease in anything.
we remained, and no heart found comfort in anything.
A brother whose loyalty matched the hopes of the generous
أَخٌa brother عِنْدَin keeping with آمَالِthe hopes of الْكِرَامِthe noble وَفَاؤُهُhis faithfulness
أَخٌ عِنْدَ آمَالِ الْكِرَامِ وَفَاؤُهُ
وَأَيَامُهُand his days أَعْيَادُfestivals صَفْوٍof serenity وَأَفْرَاحِand joys
وَأَيَامُهُ أَعْيَادُ صَفْوٍ وَأَفْرَاحِ
A brother whose faithfulness met the hopes of the noble,
And his days were holidays of sincerity and joys.
and whose days were festivals of serenity and joy.
And he was as the trusted loved his affection
وَكَانَand was كَمَاas يَهْوَىdesire الثِّقاتُthe trustworthy وَدَادُهُhis affection
وَكَانَ كَمَا يَهْوَى الثِّقاتُ وَدَادُهُ
وَلَيْسَand not بِنَمَّامٍa tale-bearer وَلَيْسَand not بِفَضَّاحِan exposer of faults
وَلَيْسَ بِنَمَّامٍ وَلَيْسَ بِفَضَّاحِ
And his affection was as the trustworthy desired;
And he was no gossip or scandalmonger.
and he was no tale-bearer, nor one to expose others' faults.
No evil taints the goodness of his talk
وَلَيْسَand not يَشُوبُtaints السُّوءُevil طِيبَthe sweetness of حَدِيثِهِhis speech
وَلَيْسَ يَشُوبُ السُّوءُ طِيبَ حَدِيثِهِ
كَمَاjust as لاَnot يَشُوبُtaints السوءُevil تَغْرِيدَthe warbling of صَدَّاحِa songbird
كَمَا لاَ يَشُوبُ السوءُ تَغْرِيدَ صَدَّاحِ
And no evil tainted the sweetness of his speech,
As no evil taints the warbling of a songbird.
just as no evil taints the warbling of a songbird.
A lad wise of opinion and eloquence should a situation
فَتَىa young man الرَّأْيِof judgment وَالإِفْصَاحِand clear expression إِنْif تَكُthere be حَالَةٌa plight
فَتَى الرَّأْيِ وَالإِفْصَاحِ إِنْ تَكُ حَالَةٌ
دهَتْكَbefell you فَحَالَتْand thus intervened دُونَin the way of رَأْيٍjudgment وَإِفْصَاحِand clear expression
دهَتْكَ فَحَالَتْ دُونَ رَأْيٍ وَإِفْصَاحِ
A young man of judgment and eloquence, should some plight
Befuddle you, it would bar view and eloquence.
befall you and bar both judgment and clear speech.
What boon companion after you takes
فَأَيُّthen what سَمِيرٍnighttime companion بِعْدَafter بَيْنِكَyour departure آخِذٌgaining
فَأَيُّ سَمِيرٍ بِعْدَ بَيْنِكَ آخِذٌ
مِنَاfrom النَّفسِthe soul حَظَّاًa share دُونَهُless than it مَأْخَذُthe hold of الرَّاحِwine
مِنَا النَّفسِ حَظَّاً دُونَهُ مَأْخَذُ الرَّاحِ
Then what nighttime companion, after your departure, can gain
From us the soul, next to him the place of rest?
a hold on the soul greater than the hold of wine?
And what tongue flows, eyes of his words
وَمِنْand who لَسِنٌeloquent تَجْرِيflow عُيُونُthe springs of كَلامِهِhis speech
وَمِنْ لَسِنٌ تَجْرِي عُيُونُ كَلامِهِ
عَلَىover شِبْهِthe likeness of دُرٍّpearls مِنْfrom مَعَانِيهِhis meanings وَضَّاحِradiant
عَلَى شِبْهِ دُرٍّ مِنْ مَعَانِيهِ وَضَّاحِ
And what eloquent man has springs of speech flowing
Like pearls' sheen, lucid meanings?
over his meanings, radiant as pearls?
And what keen mind fires up squalls of his thought
وَمِنْand who فَطِنٌdiscerning تَذْكِيgrow fragrant نَوَافِحُthe wafts of فِكْرِهِhis thought
وَمِنْ فَطِنٌ تَذْكِي نَوَافِحُ فِكْرِهِ
فَتُتْحِفُand thus gift أَرْوَاحَthe souls of الرِّفَاقthe companions بِأَرْوَاحِwith fragrant breezes
فَتُتْحِفُ أَرْوَاحَ الرِّفَاق بِأَرْوَاحِ
And what discerning man has wafts of thought that grow fragrant,
To endow companions’ souls with souls?
and gift his companions' souls with fragrant breezes?
And what a skilled maker in etiquette so burning it envelope
وَمِنْand who صَانِعٌperforming عُرْفَاًa kindness فَمُغْلِيهِthen making it precious حِيطَةًthrough care
وَمِنْ صَانِعٌ عُرْفَاً فَمُغْلِيهِ حِيطَةً
وَيَجْذَلُand rejoices أَنْto يُوفَىbe fully repaid بِلَفْظَةِwith a word تَمْدَاحِof praise
وَيَجْذَلُ أَنْ يُوفَى بِلَفْظَةِ تَمْدَاحِ
And who performs a kindness, making it precious through care,
Is too stingy to fulfill a word of praise?
and rejoices to be repaid with a word of praise?
Upon you God’s peace, your mention timeless
عَلَيْكَupon you سَلاَمُthe peace of اللهِGod ذِكْرُكَyour memory خَالِدٌeverlasting
عَلَيْكَ سَلاَمُ اللهِ ذِكْرُكَ خَالِدٌ
وَنَجْلُكَand your son مَرْجُوُّhoped for لِسَعْدٍfor good fortune وإِفْلاحِand success
وَنَجْلُكَ مَرْجُوُّ لِسَعْدٍ وإِفْلاحِ
God's peace be upon you; your memory is everlasting,
Your progeny hoped for fortune and success.
and we hope your son will find good fortune and success.
Partial English translation: 25 of 26 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1