أَنَاI أَبْكِيكَI weep for you يَاO حُسَيْنُHusayn وَمَاand how
أَنَا أَبْكِيكَ يَا حُسَيْنُ وَمَا
أَوْلَىdeserving خَلِيلاًa friend فَارَقْتَهُyou have parted from him بِالبُكَاءِof weeping
أَوْلَى خَلِيلاً فَارَقْتَهُ بِالبُكَاءِ
I weep for you, O Husayn—and how
I weep for you, O Hussein, though
Worthy of tears is a friend you have parted from!
No friend is worthier of tears shed in grief
وَإِذَاand if مَاemphatic particle رَثَاكَlaments you كُلُّevery أَدِيبٍman of letters
وَإِذَا مَا رَثَاكَ كُلُّ أَدِيبٍ
كُنْتُI would be أَحْرَىmost entitled مُوَدِّعٍone bidding farewell بِالرِّثاءِto lament
كُنْتُ أَحْرَى مُوَدِّعٍ بِالرِّثاءِ
And if every man of letters laments you,
And whenever the literati mourn you
I would be the one bidding farewell most entitled to lament.
I am most bereaved in elegy
فُجِعَتْwas bereaved مِصْرُEgypt إِذْwhen تَوَلَّيْتَyou departed عَنْهَاfrom her
فُجِعَتْ مِصْرُ إِذْ تَوَلَّيْتَ عَنْهَا
فيin المَبَرَّاتِcharitable deeds وَالتُقَىand piety وَالوَفَاءِand fidelity
في المَبَرَّاتِ وَالتُقَى وَالوَفَاءِ
Egypt was bereaved when you departed from her,
Egypt was aggrieved when you turned from it
In charitable deeds, piety, and fidelity.
In nobility, piety, and loyalty
وَأُصِيبَتْand was stricken بِفَقْدِby the loss of أَيِّwhat a عَمِيدٍpatriarch
وَأُصِيبَتْ بِفَقْدِ أَيِّ عَمِيدٍ
أُسْرَةُthe family of المَجْدِglory وَالنَّدَىand generosity وَالذِّكَاءِand intellect
أُسْرَةُ المَجْدِ وَالنَّدَى وَالذِّكَاءِ
And the loss of so great a patriarch struck
And was struck by the loss of a patron
The family of glory, generosity, and intellect.
Of glory, grace, and intellect
عِشْتَyou lived فيin خَلْوَةٍseclusion زَمَاناًfor a time فَخِيلَتْso it was thought
عِشْتَ في خَلْوَةٍ زَمَاناً فَخِيلَتْ
عُزْلَةٌisolation وَهِيَthough it was مُهْجَةُthe heart of العَلْيَاءِgreatness
عُزْلَةٌ وَهِيَ مُهْجَةُ العَلْيَاءِ
You lived in seclusion awhile, so it was thought to be
You lived reclusively for a time, so seclusion
Isolation—yet it was the heart of greatness.
Became a refuge for the eminent
وَإِذَاand when مَاemphatic particle تَنَزَّهَتْpurifies itself نَفْسُthe soul of حُرٍّa free man
وَإِذَا مَا تَنَزَّهَتْ نَفْسُ حُرٍّ
رَدَّتِreturns الأَرْضُthe earth قِطْعَةًa fragment مِنْof سَمَاءِheaven
رَدَّتِ الأَرْضُ قِطْعَةً مِنْ سَمَاءِ
And when a free man's soul purifies itself,
And whenever a free soul strolled
The earth returns a fragment of heaven.
The land reflected a piece of heaven
فَامْضِso depart مُسْتَخْلِفاًappointing successors بِكُلِّin every كَرِيمٍnoble one
فَامْضِ مُسْتَخْلِفاً بِكُلِّ كَرِيمٍ
مِنْamong بَنيكَyour sons الأَعِزَّةِcherished النُجَبَاءِdistinguished
مِنْ بَنيكَ الأَعِزَّةِ النُجَبَاءِ
So depart, leaving a successor in every noble one
So go appointing your noble
Among your cherished, distinguished sons.
And excellent sons as successors
نَفَرٌa band مِنْof نَوابِغِbrilliant minds of الجِّيلِthe generation فِيهِin its midst
نَفَرٌ مِنْ نَوابِغِ الجِّيلِ فِيهِ
طَلَعَوْاthey rose كَالكواكِبِlike the stars الزَّهْرَاءِradiant
طَلَعَوْا كَالكواكِبِ الزَّهْرَاءِ
A band of the generation's brilliant minds—in its midst
A group of the brilliant ones of the age
They rose like radiant stars.
Rose like radiant stars
وَالْقِand meet قَدَّمَتْhave sent ahead يَداكَyour two hands مِنَof الْخيْرِgoodness
وَالْقِ قَدَّمَتْ يَداكَ مِنَ الْخيْرِ
فَعِنْدَfor with الرِّحْمَنِthe All-Merciful خَيْرُthe best الجَزَاءِrecompense
فَعِنْدَ الرِّحْمَنِ خَيْرُ الجَزَاءِ
And meet the good your hands have sent ahead;
And El-Qa presented your hand with good
For with the All-Merciful is the best recompense.
So with the Merciful - the best reward
Sol 6.1