مضَىcarried off رَيبُravages المَنُونِof death بِهِمْwith them جمِيعاall
مضَى رَيبُ المَنُونِ بِهِمْ جمِيعا
وَقَوَّضَand demolished ذَلِكthat الْبَيْتَthe house الرَّذِفيعَاlofty (apparently intended; text corrupted)
وَقَوَّضَ ذَلِك الْبَيْتَ الرَّذِفيعَا
The ravages of death carried them all away,
The fate of death swept them all away,
And demolished that lofty house.
Demolishing that lofty home.
أَلَمَّstruck بِهِمْupon them مُدَارَكَةًin rapid succession فَأَفْنَىand so annihilated
أَلَمَّ بِهِمْ مُدَارَكَةً فَأَفْنَى
أُصُولَهُمُtheir roots الزَّكِيَّةpure وَالْفروعاand the branches
أُصُولَهُمُ الزَّكِيَّة وَالْفروعا
It struck them in rapid succession, annihilating
It destroyed them utterly,
Their pure roots and their branches.
Their righteous roots and branches.
وكُنْتُand I had صَبِرْتُborne patiently بَعْضَsome الصبْرِpatience عَنْهُمْin their absence
وكُنْتُ صَبِرْتُ بَعْضَ الصبْرِ عَنْهُمْ
بِبَاقٍthrough a survivor مِنْهُمُamong them جَبَرَmended الصُّدُوعَاthe rifts
بِبَاقٍ مِنْهُمُ جَبَرَ الصُّدُوعَا
And I had borne their loss with some patience,
I was patient for a while about them
Through one survivor among them who mended the rifts.
As long as some remained to heal my pain.
فَلَمَّاbut when بَانَhe departed جَدَّتْwere renewed فِيwithin أَناتِيmy forbearance
فَلَمَّا بَانَ جَدَّتْ فِي أَناتِي
مَآتِمُهُمْtheir mourning rites وَأَقْلَقتِand troubled الضُّلوعَاthe ribs
مَآتِمُهُمْ وَأَقْلَقتِ الضُّلوعَا
But when he departed, renewed within my forbearance
But when my hopes were dashed
Were their mourning rites, and they troubled my ribs.
Their loss filled me with turmoil.
وَبِتُّand I spent the night إِذاwhenever تَذَكَّرَهُمْremembered them فُؤادِيmy heart
وَبِتُّ إِذا تَذَكَّرَهُمْ فُؤادِي
رَأَيْتُI saw خَوَاطِرِيmy thoughts تَجْرِيflow دُمُوعَاas tears
رَأَيْتُ خَوَاطِرِي تَجْرِي دُمُوعَا
And at night, whenever my heart remembered them,
My heart weeps tears of blood
I saw my thoughts flowing as tears.
When I remember them.
فَيَاso O قَلْبِيmy heart وَشِيمَتُكand your nature التَّأَسِّيseeking solace
فَيَا قَلْبِي وَشِيمَتُك التَّأَسِّي
نَهَيْتُكَI forbade you عَنْfrom نُهَاكَyour reason فَكُنْso be جَزُوعَاdistraught
نَهَيْتُكَ عَنْ نُهَاكَ فَكُنْ جَزُوعَا
O my heart, whose nature is to seek solace,
So curb your anguish, o my soul,
I have forbidden you your reason: be distraught.
And be forever inconsolable!
عَذَرْتُكَI excused you أَنْto تُرَاعَbe frightened فَبَعدْfor after هَذَاthis
عَذَرْتُكَ أَنْ تُرَاعَ فَبَعدْ هَذَا
يَشُقُّit is hard عَلَىfor الْحَوَادِثِcalamities أَنْto تَرُوعَاfrighten
يَشُقُّ عَلَى الْحَوَادِثِ أَنْ تَرُوعَا
I excuse you for being frightened; after this,
I chide you, yet excuse you now -
It will be hard for calamities to frighten you.
Bear calamities, but do not dread them.
أَمينُAmin إِذَاif سَكَتَّyou fall silent فَمَنْthen who نَدِيمٌa boon companion
أَمينُ إِذَا سَكَتَّ فَمَنْ نَدِيمٌ
تَهُزُّstir شُجُونُهُhis sorrows الْفَطِنَthe discerning السَّمِيعَاattentive listener
تَهُزُّ شُجُونُهُ الْفَطِنَ السَّمِيعَا
Amin, if you fall silent, what boon companion remains
When the trusted one is silent, who remains
Whose sorrows stir the keen, attentive listener?
To stir the hearts of those who hear?
وَإِنْand if تُلْقِyou lay aside الْيَرَاعَthe reed pen فَمَنْthen who أَدِيبٌa writer
وَإِنْ تُلْقِ الْيَرَاعَ فَمَنْ أَدِيبٌ
مَتَىwhenever يَدْعُhe calls upon الْخيَالَimagination يُجِبْit answers مُطِيعَاobediently
مَتَى يَدْعُ الْخيَالَ يُجِبْ مُطِيعَا
And if you lay aside the reed pen, what writer remains
And if adversity should strike, what poet
Whom imagination answers obediently whenever he calls?
Can make his imagination still obey?
عِصَامِيُّself-made الْبَيَانِin eloquence عَنِthrough ابْتِدَاعٍinvention
عِصَامِيُّ الْبَيَانِ عَنِ ابْتِدَاعٍ
وَإِنْand though لَمْnot ينْسَhe forgot إِلْفَتَهُhis familiarity with it رَضِيعَاas a nursling
وَإِنْ لَمْ ينْسَ إِلْفَتَهُ رَضِيعَا
Self-made in eloquence through invention,
Master of rhetoric - though never at a loss
Though he never forgot his bond with it as a nursling.
For eloquence, even when young.
تَضُوعُgive off fragrance خِلاَلُهُhis qualities أَدَباًrefinement وَظَرْفاًand wit
تَضُوعُ خِلاَلُهُ أَدَباً وَظَرْفاً
كَمَاas تَهْوَىlove الأَزَاهِرُthe flowers أَنْto تَضُوعَاgive off fragrance
كَمَا تَهْوَى الأَزَاهِرُ أَنْ تَضُوعَا
His qualities breathe refinement and wit,
His speech flows with the purest art and grace,
As flowers love to spread their fragrance.
As flowers yearn to bloom.
إِذاwhen نَثَرَhe scatters in prose الطَّرَائِفَrare delights مُرسَلاَتٍfreely sent forth
إِذا نَثَرَ الطَّرَائِفَ مُرسَلاَتٍ
أَعَزَّhe ennobles السهْلَthe simple وَافْتَتَحَand conquers المَنِيعَاthe impregnable
أَعَزَّ السهْلَ وَافْتَتَحَ المَنِيعَا
When he scatters rare delights in freely flowing prose,
He effortlessly unlocks what others barricade,
He ennobles the simple and conquers the impregnable.
Vanquishing the most obstinate.
وَإِنْand if نَظَمَhe strings together الْعِرَابَthe thoroughbreds مِنَof الْقَوَافِيrhymes
وَإِنْ نَظَمَ الْعِرَابَ مِنَ الْقَوَافِي
أَبَتْthey refuse فِيamong النَّابِغِينَthe gifted لَهُfor him قَرِيعَاa peer
أَبَتْ فِي النَّابِغِينَ لَهُ قَرِيعَا
And if he strings together thoroughbred rhymes,
His poetry eclipses even the greatest poets -
They allow him no peer among the gifted.
None can equal him.
شوَارِدَstrays تَسْتَضِيقُfind too narrow الأَرْضَthe earth حَدّاًas a boundary
شوَارِدَ تَسْتَضِيقُ الأَرْضَ حَدّاً
أَوَابِدَuntamed creatures تَرتَمِيrange toward الأَمَدَthe expanse الْوَسِيعَاvast
أَوَابِدَ تَرتَمِي الأَمَدَ الْوَسِيعَا
Strays that find the earth too narrow a boundary,
His writing fills the earth to overflowing,
Wild creatures ranging through the vast expanse,
Though his themes embrace eternity.
أَوَانِسَwinsome maidens رَاقِصَاتٍdancing مُرْقِصَاتٍmaking others dance
أَوَانِسَ رَاقِصَاتٍ مُرْقِصَاتٍ
يَكَادُalmost الحِلْمُsober reason يَشْهَدُهَاbeholds them خَلِيعَاwanton
يَكَادُ الحِلْمُ يَشْهَدُهَا خَلِيعَا
Winsome maidens, dancing and setting others dancing,
He makes seductive dancer-girls
Sober reason, watching them, almost grows wanton.
Whom even the devout would gladly watch.
مَعَانِيهَاtheir meanings سَبَتْcaptured لُبَّthe essence المَعَانِيof meanings
مَعَانِيهَا سَبَتْ لُبَّ المَعَانِي
وَسِحْرُand the magic بَدِيعِهَاof their artistry فَتَنَbewitched الْبَدِيعَاartistry itself
وَسِحْرُ بَدِيعِهَا فَتَنَ الْبَدِيعَا
Their meanings have captured the very essence of meaning,
His ideas entrance the world of ideas,
And the magic of their artistry has bewitched art itself.
His artful style enchants art itself.
غَلَتْbecame too precious عَنْfor سَائِمٍa bidder وَالْعَصْرُwhile the age عَصْرٌis an age
غَلَتْ عَنْ سَائِمٍ وَالْعَصْرُ عَصْرٌ
إِذَاwhen مَاemphatic particle سِيمَis bid for فِيهِin it الْعِرْضُhonor بِيعَاis sold
إِذَا مَا سِيمَ فِيهِ الْعِرْضُ بِيعَا
They rose beyond a bidder's price, though this is an age
He has surpassed the eminent masters
In which honor is sold whenever a bid is made.
Who auctioned their wares in days gone by.
وَتَأْخُذُهَاand seize them النُّهَىminds نَهْباًas plunder مُبَاحاًfreely permitted
وَتَأْخُذُهَا النُّهَى نَهْباً مُبَاحاً
فَتَسْتَكْفِيand so find sufficiency بِهَاin them ظَمأًthirst وَجُوعَاand hunger
فَتَسْتَكْفِي بِهَا ظَمأً وَجُوعَا
And minds seize them as freely permitted plunder,
Forbidden fruit is free for his taking,
And with them satisfy their thirst and hunger.
Appeasing his hunger and thirst.
وَمَاand not يُزْهَىis puffed up مُدَبِّجهَاtheir composer بِسَامِيby the loftiness
وَمَا يُزْهَى مُدَبِّجهَا بِسَامِي
مَكانَتِهِof his station فَتحْسُبُهُso you think him وَضِيعَاlowly
مَكانَتِهِ فَتحْسُبُهُ وَضِيعَا
Their composer is not puffed up by the loftiness
But how can his glittering eminence
Of his station, so you might take him for a lowly man.
Be heightened or diminished?
إِذاif مَاemphatic particle رُمْتَyou seek غَايَاتِthe utmost reaches المَعَالِيof nobility
إِذا مَا رُمْتَ غَايَاتِ المَعَالِي
وَمَوْطِنهَاand their dwelling الْقُلُوبُthe hearts فَكُنْso be وَدِيعَاgentle
وَمَوْطِنهَا الْقُلُوبُ فَكُنْ وَدِيعَا
If you seek the highest reaches of nobility,
Set your sights as high as nobleness allows,
And their dwelling is in hearts, then be gentle.
Yet make the hearts your home, and there find peace.
أَمٍينُAmin طَوَاكَenfolded you لَيْلٌa night خِفْتُI feared أَلاَّthat not
أَمٍينُ طَوَاكَ لَيْلٌ خِفْتُ أَلاَّ
يَكُونَwould be ظَلاَمُهُits darkness الدَّاجِيpitch-dark هزِيعَاa watch of the night
يَكُونَ ظَلاَمُهُ الدَّاجِي هزِيعَا
Amin, a night has enfolded you; I feared that
My friend - the night has veiled you. I fear
Its pitch darkness would be no mere watch of night,
Its darkness will not lift, but bring extinction.
وَأَنْand that يَفْنَىit would perish بِفَخْرٍwith pride مِنْكَbecause of you فِيهِwithin it
وَأَنْ يَفْنَى بِفَخْرٍ مِنْكَ فِيهِ
فَيَأْبَىso would refuse فَجْرُهُits dawn الثَّانِيthe second طُلُوعَاto rise
فَيَأْبَى فَجْرُهُ الثَّانِي طُلُوعَا
And that it would perish of pride at having you within it,
That you, in whom we glory, will be no more,
So that its second dawn would refuse to rise.
And the second dawn will never rise.
عَلَىdespite أَنِّيthat I إِخالُكimagine you غَيْرَnot قالٍaverse to
عَلَى أَنِّي إِخالُك غَيْرَ قالٍ
سَكِينَتَهُits tranquility وَلاَnor بَاغٍseeking رجُوعَاa return
سَكِينَتَهُ وَلاَ بَاغٍ رجُوعَا
Yet I think you are neither averse to
I know you did no wrong,
Its tranquility nor desirous of return.
Or fled from the battle in retreat.
وَكُنْتَand you were المَرْءَthe man شَارَفَsurveyed مِنْfrom يَفَاعٍa height
وَكُنْتَ المَرْءَ شَارَفَ مِنْ يَفَاعٍ
فَجَالَand so roamed الْعُمْرَlife وَاجْتَنَبَand avoided الْوُقُوعَاfalling
فَجَالَ الْعُمْرَ وَاجْتَنَبَ الْوُقُوعَا
You were the man who surveyed from a height,
A man almost lost to peril -
Then ranged through life, avoiding a fall.
You spent your years escaping falls.
فَلَمْso not تَسْمَعْyou heard وَأَنْتَwhile you هُنَاكَthere لَغْواًidle talk
فَلَمْ تَسْمَعْ وَأَنْتَ هُنَاكَ لَغْواً
وَلَمْand not تَكُyou were رائِياًseeing إِلاَّexcept رَبِيعَاspring
وَلَمْ تَكُ رائِياً إِلاَّ رَبِيعَا
You heard no idle talk while you were there,
Not once did we hear you chatter nonsense
And saw nothing but spring.
Or make a show of false airs.
وَلَمْand not تَكُyou were حَاقِداًresentful وَالْحِقْدُand hatred دَاءٌa disease
وَلَمْ تَكُ حَاقِداً وَالْحِقْدُ دَاءٌ
يُحَلِّبُsecretes فِيwithin الحَشَاthe innermost parts سُمّاًpoison نَقِيعَاًdeadly
يُحَلِّبُ فِي الحَشَا سُمّاً نَقِيعَاً
You harbored no hatred; hatred is a disease
Nor did malice, hatred's poison,
That secretes deadly poison within the breast.
Flow bitter from your lips.
وَتُنْضِيand you unsheathe واضِحَbright الْحَدَّيْنِthe two edges رَأْياًa judgment
وَتُنْضِي واضِحَ الْحَدَّيْنِ رَأْياً
فَيَمْلأُand it fills كُلَّevery غَامِضَةٍobscure matter سُطُوعَاbrilliance
فَيَمْلأُ كُلَّ غَامِضَةٍ سُطُوعَا
And you unsheathe a judgment, both edges bright,
You speak sense, shedding light
And it fills every obscurity with brilliance.
That illuminates each shadowed place.
وَتَرْثِيand you pity لِلأَنَامِhumankind مِنَbecause of اللَّيَالِيthe nights
وَتَرْثِي لِلأَنَامِ مِنَ اللَّيَالِي
وَلاَand not يَلْقَاكَfinds you حَادِثُهَاtheir calamity هَلُوعَاpanic-stricken
وَلاَ يَلْقَاكَ حَادِثُهَا هَلُوعَا
You pity humankind for what the nights bring,
You mourn the days that die,
Yet their calamities never find you panic-stricken.
No misfortune ever makes you lose your wits.
وَتَأْنَفُand you scorn أَنْto تَبِيتَspend the night عَلَىin رَجاءٍhope
وَتَأْنَفُ أَنْ تَبِيتَ عَلَى رَجاءٍ
وَلَسْتَand you are not لِمَاof what تُرَجِّيyou hope for مُسْتَطِيعَاcapable
وَلَسْتَ لِمَا تُرَجِّي مُسْتَطِيعَا
And you scorn to spend the night in hope
Scorn to spend the night in fruitless hopes
When you have no power to attain what you hope for.
Of what you cannot execution.
يُضِيعُloses المَرْءُa person ماwhat كَسَبَتْearned يَدَاهُhis hands
يُضِيعُ المَرْءُ ما كَسَبَتْ يَدَاهُ
بِمَطْمَعِهِthrough his greed وَيَملكهُand possesses it قَنُوعَاcontented
بِمَطْمَعِهِ وَيَملكهُ قَنُوعَا
A man loses what his hands have earned
Grasping greed destroys what hands have earned.
Through his greed, yet possesses it when content.
Contentment gives a man true wealth.
فَضَائِلُvirtues أَعْطَتِgave الدُّنْيَاthe world جَمَالاًbeauty
فَضَائِلُ أَعْطَتِ الدُّنْيَا جَمَالاً
وَلَكِنْand yet لَمْnot تَدَعْكَthey left you بِهَاwith it وَلُوعَاinfatuated
وَلَكِنْ لَمْ تَدَعْكَ بِهَا وَلُوعَا
Virtues that gave the world beauty,
Your virtues lent the world its beauty.
Yet never left you enamored of it.
Yet they left you never restless.
فَيَاso O أَسَفِيmy sorrow عَلَىfor تِلْكَthose المَزَايَاvirtues
فَيَا أَسَفِي عَلَى تِلْكَ المَزَايَا
وحَاشَاand except for طِيبَthe sweetness ذِكْرِكَof your remembrance أَنْthat تَضِيعَاthey perish
وحَاشَا طِيبَ ذِكْرِكَ أَنْ تَضِيعَا
How I grieve for those virtues,
How I regret the loss of your great soul!
That they should perish—save your sweet remembrance.
Never shall your name be forgotten.
أُحَاشِيI exempt الذِّكْرَremembrance وَهْوَthough it بِغَيْرِwithout جَدْوَىbenefit
أُحَاشِي الذِّكْرَ وَهْوَ بِغَيْرِ جَدْوَى
بَطِيئاًslowly مَاemphatic particle تُنُوسِيَit is forgotten أَوْor سَرِيعَاquickly
بَطِيئاً مَا تُنُوسِيَ أَوْ سَرِيعَا
I exempt remembrance, though it brings no benefit,
Why speak of one whose worth speaks for itself,
Whether it is forgotten slowly or quickly.
Whether told slow or fast?
وَهَلْand is هُوَit غَيْرُother than أَفْعَالٍdeeds مَوَاضٍpast
وَهَلْ هُوَ غَيْرُ أَفْعَالٍ مَوَاضٍ
تَذِيعُbecome known وَفَضْلُهَاand their merit أَلاَّnot to تَذِيعَاbecome known
تَذِيعُ وَفَضْلُهَا أَلاَّ تَذِيعَا
And is it anything but bygone deeds
Are not brave deeds their own reward,
That become known, though their virtue lies in remaining unknown?
Requiting those who do and those who tell?
وَهَلْand is there فِيin الشُّهْرَةِfame الْيَقْظَىwakeful خُلودٌimmortality
وَهَلْ فِي الشُّهْرَةِ الْيَقْظَى خُلودٌ
يُرَامُsought لِخَالِدٍfor one abiding forever عَنْهَاaway from it هجُوعَاin sleep
يُرَامُ لِخَالِدٍ عَنْهَا هجُوعَا
And is there in wakeful fame an immortality
Can lasting fame give immortality
To be sought for one forever asleep to it?
To one who yearns to rest obscured?
أَلاَbehold إِنِّيindeed I وَمَرْثِيَتِيand my elegy for أَمِيناًAmin
أَلاَ إِنِّي وَمَرْثِيَتِي أَمِيناً
لَسَاقٍsurely watering صَخْرَةَthe rock الْوَادِيof the valley نَجِيعَاwith blood
لَسَاقٍ صَخْرَةَ الْوَادِي نَجِيعَا
Indeed, I, with my elegy for Amin,
Indeed, for me and my elegy of you,
Am watering the valley's rock with blood.
A solid pillar in this valley's gorge,
وَأَعْلَمُand I know أَنَّthat أَبْلَغَthe most eloquent كُلِّof all مَدْحٍpraise
وَأَعْلَمُ أَنَّ أَبْلَغَ كُلِّ مَدْحٍ
لِمَيْتٍfor a dead man مَجْدُهُhis glory وَسِعَencompassed الرُّبُوعَاthe lands
لِمَيْتٍ مَجْدُهُ وَسِعَ الرُّبُوعَا
And I know that the most eloquent of all praise
I know the highest praise for one long dead
For a dead man whose glory encompassed the lands
Is that his glory filled both far and near.
غرُورdelusion بَاطِلٌvain كَغُرُورِlike the delusion يَوْمٍof a day
غرُور بَاطِلٌ كَغُرُورِ يَوْمٍ
رَثَىmourned فِيهِon which الضحىthe morning light نَسْراًan eagle صَرِيعَاfallen
رَثَى فِيهِ الضحى نَسْراً صَرِيعَا
Is a vain delusion, like the delusion of a day
What fools we are! One transient dawn,
When morning light mourned a fallen eagle,
The rising sun shed rays on a slain eagle,
فَصاغَand so fashioned مِنَfrom الشُّعاعِthe rays لَهُfor him خَيَالاًa phantom
فَصاغَ مِنَ الشُّعاعِ لَهُ خَيَالاً
وَأَلْقَاهُand laid it بِجَانِبِهِat his side ضَجِيعاas a bedfellow
وَأَلْقَاهُ بِجَانِبِهِ ضَجِيعا
Then fashioned him a phantom from its rays,
And in its fading gleam he shaped a dream,
And laid it at his side as a bedfellow.
A lifeless vision by its side.
سَموْتَyou rose إِلىto الْحَقِيقَةِtruth وَهْيَand it شَأْوٌa distant goal
سَموْتَ إِلى الْحَقِيقَةِ وَهْيَ شَأْوٌ
فَدَعْنَاso leave us ظَالِعاًone limping يَتْلُوfollowing ظَلِيعَاa lame one
فَدَعْنَا ظَالِعاً يَتْلُو ظَلِيعَا
You rose to truth, and it is a distant goal;
But you have soared into the truth -
So leave us, one limping after another.
Leave us in shadow, joining the light above.
Sol 6.1