مَاnot تُرَىis seen غَيْرَexcept ذِكْرَيَاتٍmemories بَوَاقِremaining
مَا تُرَى غَيْرَ ذِكْرَيَاتٍ بَوَاقِ
مِنْof عُيُونِthe finest examples الآدَابِmanners وَالأَخْلاَقِand morals
مِنْ عُيُونِ الآدَابِ وَالأَخْلاَقِ
Nothing is seen but lingering memories
I see naught but memories of morals
Of the finest manners and morals.
From eyes of etiquette and ethics
أَفَلَset الفَرْقَدُthe Farqad star الَّذِيthat كَانَused to يَجْلُوهَاillumine them
أَفَلَ الفَرْقَدُ الَّذِي كَانَ يَجْلُوهَا
سَنَاءًsplendor فَآذَنَتْso they announced بِلِحَاقِthat they would follow
سَنَاءً فَآذَنَتْ بِلِحَاقِ
The Farqad star has set—the one that lit them
Did the radiant moon that lit them up
With splendor; they have signaled that they will follow.
Fade to proclaim its setting?
وَإِذَاand when مَاemphatic particle طَفَاوَةُthe halo النَّجمِof the star بَانَتْdeparted
وَإِذَا مَا طَفَاوَةُ النَّجمِ بَانَتْ
تَبِعَتْهَاfollowed it مَبَاهِجُthe delights الإِشْرَاقِof radiance
تَبِعَتْهَا مَبَاهِجُ الإِشْرَاقِ
And when the star's halo fades,
And when the star's glow appeared
The delights of radiance follow it.
The joys of dawn followed in sequence
يَاO حُسَيْنَHusayn النَّبيلِthe noble فِيin كُلِّevery مَعْنَىsense
يَا حُسَيْنَ النَّبيلِ فِي كُلِّ مَعْنَى
وَالكَرَمِand generosity الأُصُولِroots وَالأَعْرَاقِand lineages
وَالكَرَمِ الأُصُولِ وَالأَعْرَاقِ
O Husayn, noble in every sense,
Oh Hussein, noble in every meaning
And generous in your roots and lineage.
And in lineage, origin and branch
عَاقَنِيkept me away الدَّاءُillness عَنْكَfrom you يَوْمَthe day تَوَلَّيْتَyou departed
عَاقَنِي الدَّاءُ عَنْكَ يَوْمَ تَوَلَّيْتَ
وَمَاand not كُنْتَI was (contextual reading) عَنْكَfrom you بِالمُعْتَاقِone kept away
وَمَا كُنْتَ عَنْكَ بِالمُعْتَاقِ
Illness kept me from you on the day you departed,
Illness kept me from you the day you turned away
Though I was not one to be kept away from you.
Though I was not done with you
فَالصِّباfor youthful longing مُقْعِدِيwhat keeps me seated وَمَوْكِبُكand your procession الthe (word fragment)
فَالصِّبا مُقْعِدِي وَمَوْكِبُك ال
ذخَّارُsurging يَمْشِيmoves فِيin قَلْبِيmy heart الخَفَّاقِbeating
ذخَّارُ يَمْشِي فِي قَلْبِي الخَفَّاقِ
For youthful longing keeps me seated, while your procession—
So my youth is my seat and your procession
Surging—moves within my beating heart.
A throbbing heart walking in my breast
مَاnot كَفَتْنِيshielded me مُعْجِلَhastened السُّوءِsorrow أَيَّاmy days (first fragment)
مَا كَفَتْنِي مُعْجِلَ السُّوءِ أَيَّا
مِيmy days (final fragment) وَمَاand not مِنْagainst مُؤَجَّلdeferred السُّوءِsorrow وَاقِa protector
مِي وَمَا مِنْ مُؤَجَّل السُّوءِ وَاقِ
My days did not shield me from hastened sorrow,
Evil's haste did not suffice me
And against sorrow deferred there is no protector.
Nor evil's respite console me
كَيْفَhow لَمْnot تَدْرَإِward off الفَضَائِلَthe virtues مَاwhat رُحْتَyou went on
كَيْفَ لَمْ تَدْرَإِ الفَضَائِلَ مَا رُحْتَ
تُعَانِيsuffering مِنَof الأَذَىharm وَتُلاَقِيand encountering
تُعَانِي مِنَ الأَذَى وَتُلاَقِي
How did your virtues fail to ward off
How could you miss what virtues you bore
The harm you went on suffering and facing?
As you suffered harm and met
شَرِبَdrank الطَّالِحُونَthe wicked عَذْباًsweet زِلاَلاًclear
شَرِبَ الطَّالِحُونَ عَذْباً زِلاَلاً
وَشَرِبْتَand you drank القِذَىthe dregs بِكَأْسٍfrom a cup دِهَاقِbrimming
وَشَرِبْتَ القِذَى بِكَأْسٍ دِهَاقِ
The wicked drank water sweet and clear,
The wicked drank pure, cool water
While you drank dregs from a brimming cup.
While you drank grit in a cup of bile
إِنَّindeed مَوْتاًa death وَالعَيْشُwhile life مَاnot زَالَceased مَنْصُوtriumphant (first fragment)
إِنَّ مَوْتاً وَالعَيْشُ مَا زَالَ مَنْصُو
راًtriumphant (final fragment) شَهِيَّsweet الحَيِّيto the living لِمُرِّsurely bitter المَذَاقِin taste
راً شَهِيَّ الحَيِّي لِمُرِّ المَذَاقِ
Indeed, death, while life is still triumphant
Death and life remaining balanced
And sweet to the living, is bitter to taste.
Though death's taste bitter for the living
أَيُّwhat an غُبْنٍinjustice أَنْthat يَقْصِبَbe severed الغِصْنُthe branch
أَيُّ غُبْنٍ أَنْ يَقْصِبَ الغِصْنُ
مِخْصَلاًlush طَرِيفَfresh الأَزْهَارِflowers وَالأَوْرَاقِand leaves
مِخْصَلاً طَرِيفَ الأَزْهَارِ وَالأَوْرَاقِ
What an injustice, that a branch should be severed,
What loss that the blooming branch would wither
Lush with fresh flowers and leaves.
Its flowers and leaves once exquisite
وَشَجِيٌّand sorrowful أَنْthat يَمُرَّpass بِالْكَوْكَبِacross the star السَّاshining (first fragment)
وَشَجِيٌّ أَنْ يَمُرَّ بِالْكَوْكَبِ السَّا
طِعِshining (final fragment) ظِلٌّa shadow فَيَبْتَلِيso it is afflicted بِالْمُحَاقِwith darkness
طِعِ ظِلٌّ فَيَبْتَلِي بِالْمُحَاقِ
And how sorrowful, that across the shining star
What pain that over the shining star
A shadow should pass, afflicting it with darkness.
A shadow would pass to eclipse it
لاَno اعْتِرَاضَobjection عَلَىto القَضَاءِthe divine decree وَلَكِنْbut
لاَ اعْتِرَاضَ عَلَى القَضَاءِ وَلَكِنْ
أَشَدthe harshest الأَحْكَامِjudgments حِكْمُthe decree الفِرَاقِof parting
أَشَد الأَحْكَامِ حِكْمُ الفِرَاقِ
There is no objection to fate, but
No objection to fate, but of rulings
The harshest judgment is the decree of parting.
Parting's rule harshest of edicts
كَانَwas لِلأَعْيُنِfor the eyes ابْتِسَامُكَyour smile نُوراًa light
كَانَ لِلأَعْيُنِ ابْتِسَامُكَ نُوراً
فَقَدَتْهُthey lost it فَمَاؤُهَاso their tears غَيْرُnot رَاقِceasing
فَقَدَتْهُ فَمَاؤُهَا غَيْرُ رَاقِ
Your smile was a light for the eyes;
Your smile was light to eyes
They have lost it, and their tears will not cease.
Now their tears flow unchecked
وَنَبَاand jarred بِالآذَانِupon the ears أَشْهَىthe sweetest سَمَاعٍsound
وَنَبَا بِالآذَانِ أَشْهَى سَمَاعٍ
بَعْدَafter أَلْفَاظِكَyour words اللِّطَافِgentle الرِّقَاقِtender
بَعْدَ أَلْفَاظِكَ اللِّطَافِ الرِّقَاقِ
Even the sweetest sound jars upon the ears
Ears heard most beloved sounds
After your gentle, tender words.
After your gentle, subtle words
قَلَّfew were مَنْthose who عَاشَlived مِثْلَlike مَاthe way عِشْتَyou lived
قَلَّ مَنْ عَاشَ مِثْلَ مَا عِشْتَ
فِيin أَنْزَهِthe purest حَالٍstate عَنْfrom رِيبَةٍsuspicion وَنفَاقِand hypocrisy
فِي أَنْزَهِ حَالٍ عَنْ رِيبَةٍ وَنفَاقِ
Few have lived as you lived,
Few lived as you did
In a state so free of suspicion and hypocrisy.
Without doubt or hypocrisy
وَالْتِمَاسٌand seeking لِوَجْهِfor the countenance of رَبِّكyour Lord فِيin
وَالْتِمَاسٌ لِوَجْهِ رَبِّك فِي
إِسْعَافِaiding ذِيone with عِلَّةٍillness وَذِيand one with إِمْلاَقِdestitution
إِسْعَافِ ذِي عِلَّةٍ وَذِي إِمْلاَقِ
And seeking your Lord's countenance through
Seeking your Lord in aiding
Aiding those with illness and those in poverty.
The infirm and destitute
وَابْتِغَاءٌand pursuing لِكُلِّfor every أَمْرٍundertaking عَظِيمٍgreat
وَابْتِغَاءٌ لِكُلِّ أَمْرٍ عَظِيمٍ
لَمْdid not يَذَعْهُbroadcast it الطَّنينُthe clamor فِيin الآفَاقِthe horizons
لَمْ يَذَعْهُ الطَّنينُ فِي الآفَاقِ
And pursuing every noble undertaking
And pursuing each great matter
That no clamor had broadcast across the horizons.
Unmarred by echoes in horizons
ظَلْتَyou remained سِبَّاقَforemost at غَايَةٍa goal بَعْدَafter أُخْرَىanother
ظَلْتَ سِبَّاقَ غَايَةٍ بَعْدَ أُخْرَى
فِيin المَعَالِيnoble deeds فُدِيْتَmay you be ransomed مِنْsuch a سَبَّاقِforerunner
فِي المَعَالِي فُدِيْتَ مِنْ سَبَّاقِ
You led the race to one goal after another
You preceded every summit with another
In noble deeds—may I be your ransom, foremost racer!
In the heights, you were redeemed from rivalry
فِيin الحَيَاةِlife الدُّنْيَاearthly إِلىtoward المَجْدِglory رَاقٍascending
فِي الحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا إِلى المَجْدِ رَاقٍ
وَإِلىand toward اللهِGod فِيin المَنيَّةdeath رَاقِascending
وَإِلى اللهِ فِي المَنيَّة رَاقِ
In earthly life, ascending toward glory,
In life, to glory refined
And in death, ascending toward God.
And to God in death, sublime
تُهَيءُyou prepare الخُلْدَeternity صُورَةًan image كَمُلَتْwas perfected
تُهَيءُ الخُلْدَ صُورَةً كَمُلَتْ
زِينَاتُهَاits adornments مِنْof جَلاَئِلٍgrand things وَدَقَاقِand fine details
زِينَاتُهَا مِنْ جَلاَئِلٍ وَدَقَاقِ
You prepare for eternity an image made perfect
You were prepared for eternity
In its adornments, grand and delicate.
Perfect in majesty and detail
نَزَعَهَاtore it away المَنُونُDeath نَزْعاًa tearing أَلِيماًpainful
نَزَعَهَا المَنُونُ نَزْعاً أَلِيماً
مِنْfrom سِوَادِthe dark cores القُلُوبِof hearts وَالأَحْدَاقِand eyes
مِنْ سِوَادِ القُلُوبِ وَالأَحْدَاقِ
Death tore it painfully away
But death tore you painfully
From the dark cores of hearts and eyes.
From hearts and eyes in darkness
سَلَخَtore away التَّوْأَمَthe twin الحَبِيبَthe beloved فَمَاذَاso what
سَلَخَ التَّوْأَمَ الحَبِيبَ فَمَاذَا
حَلَّbefell مِنْهُfrom it بِصِنْوِهِupon his twin المُشْتَاقِthe yearning
حَلَّ مِنْهُ بِصِنْوِهِ المُشْتَاقِ
It tore away the beloved twin; what, then,
Severing the beloved companions
Befell his yearning twin because of it?
What solace for the bereft remains?
وَهُمَاand the two مُنْذُsince قُدِّرَاthey were ordained فِيin ضَمِيرِthe heart of الدَّهْTime (first fragment)
وَهُمَا مُنْذُ قُدِّرَا فِي ضَمِيرِ الدَّهْ
رِTime (final fragment) حِلْفَاtwo allies هَوَىof love وَإِلْفَاand two companions عِنَاقِof embrace
رِ حِلْفَا هَوَى وَإِلْفَا عِنَاقِ
The two, since they were ordained in the heart of Time,
Since destiny bound their love and embrace
Have been allies in love and companions in embrace.
His brother consoles him though
إِنْعَزَىshall we console? (unclear form) أَخَاهُhis brother عَنْهُover him وَمَاwhile not
إِنْعَزَى أَخَاهُ عَنْهُ وَمَا
نَمْلِكُwe can حَبْسَhold back الدُّمُوعِthe tears فِيin الآمَاقِthe corners of the eyes
نَمْلِكُ حَبْسَ الدُّمُوعِ فِي الآمَاقِ
Shall we console his brother for his loss, when
We cannot curb tears' flow
We cannot hold the tears within our eyes?
Sorrow shared lessens its clutch
وَيَسِيرُand little فِيin ذَلِكَthat الحُزْنِsorrow مَاwhat يَنْقُصُlessens
وَيَسِيرُ فِي ذَلِكَ الحُزْنِ مَا يَنْقُصُ
مِنٌfrom بُرْحِهِits anguish اقْتِسَامُsharing الرِّفَاقِof companions
مِنٌ بُرْحِهِ اقْتِسَامُ الرِّفَاقِ
And little, in that sorrow, can be taken
For companions ease the touch
From its anguish by companions sharing it.
He has only God's grace and care
مَاnot لَهُhe has فِيin مُصَابِهِhis affliction غَيْرَexcept عَوْنِthe help of اللَّGod (first fragment)
مَا لَهُ فِي مُصَابِهِ غَيْرَ عَوْنِ اللَّ
هِGod (final fragment) وَاللُّطْفِand kindness مِنْهُfrom Him وَالإِشْفَاقِand compassion
هِ وَاللُّطْفِ مِنْهُ وَالإِشْفَاقِ
In his affliction, he has nothing but the help of
Gentle comfort in his despair
God, and His kindness and compassion.
The cure lies in the wounded one
وَالعَلاَجُand the remedy الأَكْفَىthe surest إِذwhen الجُرْحُthe wound أَشْفىbrings near death
وَالعَلاَجُ الأَكْفَى إِذ الجُرْحُ أَشْفى
فِيin اعْتِصَامِseeking refuge المَخْلُوقِthe creature بِالخَلاَّقِin the Creator
فِي اعْتِصَامِ المَخْلُوقِ بِالخَلاَّقِ
And the surest remedy, when the wound brings one near death,
Clinging to the Healer, the only One
Is the creature's seeking refuge in the Creator.
So let Sherine rest in his Master's precinct
فَلْيَطِبُso may he be happy فِيin جِوَارِthe presence of مَوْلاَهُhis Lord شِيرينُShirin
فَلْيَطِبُ فِي جِوَارِ مَوْلاَهُ شِيرينُ
وَيَأْخُذْand may he take مِنْfrom فَضْلِهِHis bounty بِخَلاَقِwith a share
وَيَأْخُذْ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ بِخَلاَقِ
So may Shirin rest happily beside his Lord,
And take of His bounty with grace
And receive a share of His bounty.
He was a believer, trusted
إِنَّهindeed he كَانَwas مُؤْمِناًa believer وَأَمِيناًand trustworthy
إِنَّه كَانَ مُؤْمِناً وَأَمِيناً
وَوَفِيّاًand faithful بِالعَهْدِto the pledge وَالمِيثَاقِand the covenant
وَوَفِيّاً بِالعَهْدِ وَالمِيثَاقِ
He was indeed a believer and trustworthy,
Loyal of oath and covenant
And faithful to his pledge and covenant.
What devotion, faith and life
أَيُّwhat تَقْوَىpiety وَأَيُّand what دِينٍfaith وَدُنْيَاand earthly life
أَيُّ تَقْوَى وَأَيُّ دِينٍ وَدُنْيَا
حَمَلَتْcarried نَعْشَهُhis bier عَلَىupon الأَعْنَاقِthe necks
حَمَلَتْ نَعْشَهُ عَلَى الأَعْنَاقِ
What piety, what faith, and what earthly life
Bore his bier upon their backs
Carried his bier upon their necks!
Farewell him beautifully, for nothing
أَجْمَلُواbe measured يَاO مُوَدِّعِيهِyou who bid him farewell فَمَاfor not حَالُbarred
أَجْمَلُوا يَا مُوَدِّعِيهِ فَمَا حَالُ
تَنَائِيهِhis remoteness دُونَfrom كُلِّevery تَلاَقِreunion
تَنَائِيهِ دُونَ كُلِّ تَلاَقِ
Be measured, you who bid him farewell, for
Hinders every visitation
His remoteness has not barred every reunion.
If you miss the beloved created face
إِنْif يَفُتْكُمْeludes you وَجْهُthe face العَزِيزِof the beloved المُوَلَّىthe departed
إِنْ يَفُتْكُمْ وَجْهُ العَزِيزِ المُوَلَّى
لَمْnot يَفُتْكُمْeludes you وَجْهُthe face العَزِيزِof the beloved البَاقِيwho remains
لَمْ يَفُتْكُمْ وَجْهُ العَزِيزِ البَاقِي
If the face of the departed beloved is lost to you,
The Beloved Ever-Living's face remains
The face of the beloved who remains is not.
Partial English translation: 65 of 66 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1