لانَتْ صِلابُ العَزَائِمْ

لانَتْ صِلابُ العَزَائِمْ

وانْبَتَّ عِقْدُ العَظَائِمْ

وانْبَتَّ عِقْدُ العَظَائِمْ

Steadfast resolves have softened,

Since resolute determination declined,

and the necklace of great deeds has snapped.

And the assemblage of grave matters increased,

قَضَى حَبِيبُ المَعالِي

قَضَى حَبِيبُ المَعالِي

قَضَى عَدُّوُّ المَظَالِمْ

قَضَى عَدُّوُّ المَظَالِمْ

The beloved of lofty ideals has died;

The beloved of exalted ideals passed away,

the enemy of injustices has died.

The enemy of injustices passed away,

قَضَى فَتَى الْحِلْمِ وَالبَأْ

قَضَى فَتَى الْحِلْمِ وَالبَأْ

سِ وَالعُلَى وَالمَكَارِمْ

سِ وَالعُلَى وَالمَكَارِمْ

Gone is the youth of forbearance and valor,

The young man of forbearance and good mannerism passed away,

of loftiness and noble virtues.

The sublime and the noble passed away,

عَصْرٌ طَوَاهُ وَشيكاً

عَصْرٌ طَوَاهُ وَشيكاً

هَذَا الْقَضَاءُ الدَّاهِمْ

هَذَا الْقَضَاءُ الدَّاهِمْ

An age was swiftly folded away

An era which he soon enveloped,

by this overwhelming decree of fate.

With this overwhelming decree,

وَأُمَّةٌ مِنْ سَجَايَا

وَأُمَّةٌ مِنْ سَجَايَا

بَادَتْ كَأَحْلامِ حَالِمْ

بَادَتْ كَأَحْلامِ حَالِمْ

And a nation of noble traits

And a nation from whose chastisements

has vanished like a dreamer's dreams.

Illusions of a dreamer perished,

فِي كُلِّ مَجْمَعِ فَضْلٍ

فِي كُلِّ مَجْمَعِ فَضْلٍ

قَامَتْ عَلَيْهِ المَآتِمْ

قَامَتْ عَلَيْهِ المَآتِمْ

In every gathering of excellence,

In every assembly of merit,

mourning rites were held for him.

The bereavements stood over it,

مَاذَا دَهَى العِلْمَ فِيهِ

مَاذَا دَهَى العِلْمَ فِيهِ

وَكَانَ أَعْمَلَ عَالِمْ

وَكَانَ أَعْمَلَ عَالِمْ

What a blow befell learning in losing him,

What did knowledge avail in it?

who was the most industrious of scholars!

While the most expert scholar passed away,

أَلَمَّ بِالطبِّ رَيْبٌ

أَلَمَّ بِالطبِّ رَيْبٌ

كَأَنَّهُ فَأْسُ هَادِمْ

كَأَنَّهُ فَأْسُ هَادِمْ

A calamity struck medicine,

Doubt has stuck to medicine,

like a demolisher's axe.

As if it were a destructive axe,

وَصَحَّ فِي كُلِّ نَفْسٍ

وَصَحَّ فِي كُلِّ نَفْسٍ

أَنَّ الْحِجَى غَيْرُ عَاصِمْ

أَنَّ الْحِجَى غَيْرُ عَاصِمْ

And every soul has learned for certain

And it became well-known in every soul,

that reason affords no protection.

That caution does not make immune,

بِرَغْمِ كُلِّ شُجَاعٍ

بِرَغْمِ كُلِّ شُجَاعٍ

يَا شِبْلُ أَنَّكَ رَاغِمْ

يَا شِبْلُ أَنَّكَ رَاغِمْ

Against every brave man's will,

In spite of every courageous man,

O Shibl, you lie humbled.

O lion cub you surely overwhelmed,

فُوجِئْتَ حَتْفاً وَهَذَا

فُوجِئْتَ حَتْفاً وَهَذَا

أَوْلَى بِعِزِّ الضَّيَاغِمْ

أَوْلَى بِعِزِّ الضَّيَاغِمْ

Death took you by surprise, and this

You were stricken suddenly, and this

better befits the pride of lions.

Is more appropriate for the pride of the strong,

فَاليَوْمَ تَسْكُنُ كَرْهاً

فَاليَوْمَ تَسْكُنُ كَرْهاً

وَالدَّهْرُ حَوْلَكَ قَائِمْ

وَالدَّهْرُ حَوْلَكَ قَائِمْ

Today you lie still against your will,

Today you rest unwillingly,

while time rises all around you,

While time around you stands,

قِيَامَ بَحْرٍ تَلاقَى

قِيَامَ بَحْرٍ تَلاقَى

حَبَابُهُ وَالغَمَائِمْ

حَبَابُهُ وَالغَمَائِمْ

like a sea where mingle

Like the standing of a sea, whose billows

its foam and the clouds.

And clouds have collided,

غَريقُهُ مُطْمَئِنٌّ

غَريقُهُ مُطْمَئِنٌّ

وَمَوْجُهُ مُتَلاطِمْ

وَمَوْجُهُ مُتَلاطِمْ

Its drowned one lies at peace,

Its drowned rests reassured,

while its waves clash together.

And its waves clash,

مَا كَانَ مِنْكَ بِعَهْدِ

مَا كَانَ مِنْكَ بِعَهْدِ

هَذَا الجُمُودُ الدَّائِمْ

هَذَا الجُمُودُ الدَّائِمْ

You had no acquaintance with

This lasting inertia was not of your morals,

this unending stillness,

After the struggle constantly unwearying,

بَعْدَ الجِهَادِ تُوَالِي

بَعْدَ الجِهَادِ تُوَالِي

هِ دَائِباً غَيْرَ سَائِمْ

هِ دَائِباً غَيْرَ سَائِمْ

after the struggle—you pursued

And after the zeal of great efforts,

it tirelessly, never weary—

For praise not blaming,

وَبَعْدَ غرِّ مَسَاعٍ

وَبَعْدَ غرِّ مَسَاعٍ

لِلحَمْدِ غَيْرِ ذَمَائِمْ

لِلحَمْدِ غَيْرِ ذَمَائِمْ

and after splendid endeavors

O inhabitant of the narrow tomb,

worthy of praise, free of blame.

While the horizons were expansive,

يَا سَاكِنَ الرَّمْسِ ضَيْقاً

يَا سَاكِنَ الرَّمْسِ ضَيْقاً

وَكَانَ وُسْعَ المَعَالِمْ

وَكَانَ وُسْعَ المَعَالِمْ

O dweller in the narrow grave,

Perhaps your heart in it,

though once your home was the world's expanse,

Is awake while the eyelids sleep,

لَعَلَّ قَلْبَكَ فِيهِ

لَعَلَّ قَلْبَكَ فِيهِ

يَقْظَانَ وَالجَفْنُ نَائِمْ

يَقْظَانَ وَالجَفْنُ نَائِمْ

perhaps your heart within it

A secret I ask about,

is awake, while your eyelid sleeps.

The day of fire every resolute person,

سِرٌّ أُسَائِلُ عَنْهُ

سِرٌّ أُسَائِلُ عَنْهُ

يَوْمَ النَّوَى كُلَّ حَازِمْ

يَوْمَ النَّوَى كُلَّ حَازِمْ

A mystery I ask about

What perplexes an answer,

on parting day, of every resolute man;

Removes perplexity from an assailant,

فَمَا يُحِيرُ جَوَاباً

فَمَا يُحِيرُ جَوَاباً

يُزِيلُ حَيْرَةَ وَاجِمْ

يُزِيلُ حَيْرَةَ وَاجِمْ

yet none returns an answer

Do you rest while you were

that dispels a grieving man's bewilderment.

A guarantor for the protected?

أَتَسْتَرِيحُ وَقَدْ كُنْ

أَتَسْتَرِيحُ وَقَدْ كُنْ

تَ ضَامِناً لِلْمَغَارِمْ

تَ ضَامِناً لِلْمَغَارِمْ

Do you rest, though you were

You have spent the most tiring that passed,

a guarantor of debts?

Without a disputed right,

قَدْ بِتَّ أَتْعَبَ مَا بَا

قَدْ بِتَّ أَتْعَبَ مَا بَا

تَ دُونَ حَقٍّ مُخَاصِمْ

تَ دُونَ حَقٍّ مُخَاصِمْ

You have lain more weary than any

And you went where the most resting of visitors would despair,

disputant without a rightful claim has lain;

In the captivity of soft yarn,

وَرُحْتَ أَيْأَسَ مَا رَا

وَرُحْتَ أَيْأَسَ مَا رَا

حَ زَائِرٌ لِلْمَآتِمْ

حَ زَائِرٌ لِلْمَآتِمْ

and departed more despairing than any

While you can undo the strong,

visitor to mourning rites has gone,

You left your world afire,

فِي قَيْدِ خَزٍّ رَقِيقٍ

فِي قَيْدِ خَزٍّ رَقِيقٍ

وَقَدْ تُفَكُّ الأَدَاهِمْ

وَقَدْ تُفَكُّ الأَدَاهِمْ

in bonds of delicate silk,

Kindled at the hands of a tyrant,

though even iron fetters may be undone.

It has become a place for deaths,

تَرَكْتَ دُنْيَاكَ نَاراً

تَرَكْتَ دُنْيَاكَ نَاراً

شُبَّتْ عَلَى يَدِ غَاشِمْ

شُبَّتْ عَلَى يَدِ غَاشِمْ

You left your world in flames,

Between the warring armies,

kindled by a tyrant's hand;

You were the band of harmony in it, and the war of generosity,

أَضْحَتْ مَجَالَ مَنَايَا

أَضْحَتْ مَجَالَ مَنَايَا

بَيْنَ الْجُيُوشِ الْخَضَارِمْ

بَيْنَ الْجُيُوشِ الْخَضَارِمْ

it became a field of deaths

You invigorate the mind, justice, and the unjust nations,

between the vast armies.

Against the panel of disobedience,

وَكُنْتَ سِلْمَ التَّآخِي

وَكُنْتَ سِلْمَ التَّآخِي

فِيهَا وَحَرْبَ السَّخَائِمْ

فِيهَا وَحَرْبَ السَّخَائِمْ

And you were the peace of brotherhood

And the violator of the prohibited,

within it, and war against rancor,

You complain of misery for a rapacious one,

تَسْتَنْهِضُ الْعَقْلَ وَالعَدْ

تَسْتَنْهِضُ الْعَقْلَ وَالعَدْ

لَ وَالشُّعُوبَ الْجَوَاثِمْ

لَ وَالشُّعُوبَ الْجَوَاثِمْ

rousing reason and justice,

Who some spoils are claimed for him,

and the crouching peoples,

You blame every painful blamer,

عَلَى مُحِلِّ المَعَاصِي

عَلَى مُحِلِّ المَعَاصِي

وَمُسْتَبِيحِ المَحَارِمْ

وَمُسْتَبِيحِ المَحَارِمْ

against the one who sanctions sins

Since there is no blamer among the people,

and violates sacred bounds.

You have not ceased being loyal,

تَشْكُو أَسًى لِنِهَابٍ

تَشْكُو أَسًى لِنِهَابٍ

يُزْعَمْنَ بَعْضَ الْغَنَائِمْ

يُزْعَمْنَ بَعْضَ الْغَنَائِمْ

You sorrowfully lament the plunder

To every amicable opponent,

claimed as part of the spoils;

And you have not ceased being a supporter,

تَلُومُ كُلَّ مُلِيمٍ

تَلُومُ كُلَّ مُلِيمٍ

إِذْ لَيْسَ فِي الخَلْقِ لائِمْ

إِذْ لَيْسَ فِي الخَلْقِ لائِمْ

you rebuke every blameworthy man

Of your brother while time was hostile,

when no one else among mankind rebukes.

If fate faced you one day,

وَمَا بَرِحْتَ وًَفِيّاً

وَمَا بَرِحْتَ وًَفِيّاً

لِكُلِّ خِلٍ مُخَالِمْ

لِكُلِّ خِلٍ مُخَالِمْ

And you never ceased to be faithful

You distributed all its shares,

to every intimate friend;

Leaving you only,

وَمَا بَرِحْتَ مُعِيناً

وَمَا بَرِحْتَ مُعِيناً

أَخَاكَ وَالْوَقْتُ عَارِمْ

أَخَاكَ وَالْوَقْتُ عَارِمْ

and you never ceased to help

The lowest portion of partners,

your brother while the times raged.

And if you passed away in absence,

إِنْ أَقْبَلَ الدَّهْرُ يَوْماً

إِنْ أَقْبَلَ الدَّهْرُ يَوْماً

قَاسَمْتَ كُلَّ مُقَاسِمْ

قَاسَمْتَ كُلَّ مُقَاسِمْ

If fortune smiled one day,

Then who would make your absent revert?

you shared with everyone who shared,

The house of healing is a frequented shrine,

لا مُبْقِياً لَكَ إِلاَّ

لا مُبْقِياً لَكَ إِلاَّ

أَدْنَى نَصِيبِ المُسَاهِمْ

أَدْنَى نَصِيبِ المُسَاهِمْ

keeping nothing for yourself except

That every passing visitor arrives to it,

the smallest sharer's portion.

Undeterred by a departed,

وَإِنْ مُنِيتَ بِعُدْمٍ

وَإِنْ مُنِيتَ بِعُدْمٍ

فَمَا مُرَجِّيكَ عَادِمْ

فَمَا مُرَجِّيكَ عَادِمْ

And if you were afflicted with poverty,

Until meeting a newcomer,

whoever hoped in you did not go without.

In it is a cure for illness,

بَيْتُ الشفَاءِ مَزَارٌ

بَيْتُ الشفَاءِ مَزَارٌ

يَؤمهُ كُل رَائِمْ

يَؤمهُ كُل رَائِمْ

The house of healing is a shrine

And ointments for wounds,

sought by every seeker.

Not by God’s reckoning, but

مَا يَنْثَنِي عَنْهُ مَاضٍ

مَا يَنْثَنِي عَنْهُ مَاضٍ

حَتَّى يُوَافِي قَادِمْ

حَتَّى يُوَافِي قَادِمْ

No departing visitor turns from it

The generosity and mercy of the Merciful,

until a newcomer arrives.

Of a great aromatic plant,

لِلدَّاءِ فِيهِ دَوَاءٌ

لِلدَّاءِ فِيهِ دَوَاءٌ

وَلِلْجِرَاحِ مَرَاهِمْ

وَلِلْجِرَاحِ مَرَاهِمْ

Within it is medicine for illness,

That was not arrogant,

and ointments for wounds:

It heals the bodies and casts

لا حِسْبةَ اللهِ لَكِنْ

لا حِسْبةَ اللهِ لَكِنْ

جُودٌ وَرَحْمَةُ رَاحِمْ

جُودٌ وَرَحْمَةُ رَاحِمْ

not seeking God's reward, but

Off the worries from the minds,

generosity and a merciful man's compassion,

It seeks the guidance for every nation,

مِنْ أَرْيَحيٍّ عَظِيمٍ

مِنْ أَرْيَحيٍّ عَظِيمٍ

مَا كَانَ بِالمُتَعَاظِمْ

مَا كَانَ بِالمُتَعَاظِمْ

from a great, generous man

To the suitable reform,

who was never self-important.

And it does not resent sincere advice,

يَشْفِي الْجُسُومَ وَيُلْقِي

يَشْفِي الْجُسُومَ وَيُلْقِي

عَنِ العُقُولِ الشَّكَائِمْ

عَنِ العُقُولِ الشَّكَائِمْ

He heals bodies and removes

Firm and a conclusive opinion,

the bits from minds;

As if in its hands, is lightning,

يَبْغِي هُدَى كُلِّ قَوْمٍ

يَبْغِي هُدَى كُلِّ قَوْمٍ

إِلَى الصَّلاحِ المُلائِمْ

إِلَى الصَّلاحِ المُلائِمْ

he seeks to guide every people

Striking on swords unsheathed,

toward the good that suits them,

The signs of clear prose,

وَلا يَضَنُّ بِنُصْحٍ

وَلا يَضَنُّ بِنُصْحٍ

ثَبْتٍ وَرَأْيٍ حَاسِمْ

ثَبْتٍ وَرَأْيٍ حَاسِمْ

and does not grudge counsel

And the verses of the composer,

that is sound, or a decisive judgment.

Are the purpose of every wise person,

كَأَنَّمَا فِي يَدَيْهِ

كَأَنَّمَا فِي يَدَيْهِ

بَرْقٌ عَلَى الطِّرْسِ رَاقِمْ

بَرْقٌ عَلَى الطِّرْسِ رَاقِمْ

As though in his two hands

And the piety of every ruler,

were lightning, inscribing the parchment:

Fantasies sometimes overwhelm the facts in it,

آيَاتُ نَثْرٍ مُبِينٍ

آيَاتُ نَثْرٍ مُبِينٍ

تُجْلَى وَأَبْيَاتُ نَاظِمْ

تُجْلَى وَأَبْيَاتُ نَاظِمْ

wonders of lucid prose

For God you are a fancy,

are unveiled, and a poet's verses,

A pleasant recurring one,

مَرَامُ كُلِّ حَكِيمٍ

مَرَامُ كُلِّ حَكِيمٍ

وَمُتَّقَى كُلِّ حَاكِمْ

وَمُتَّقَى كُلِّ حَاكِمْ

the goal of every sage

For the sake of your nation how much

and the dread of every ruler.

You spent in nights keeping them company,

تَغْشَى الْحَقَائِقَ فِيهَا

تَغْشَى الْحَقَائِقَ فِيهَا

حِيناً مَخِيلاتُ وَاهِمْ

حِيناً مَخِيلاتُ وَاهِمْ

Within them, truths are veiled

No distress of yours will be relieved,

at times by a deluded man's imaginings.

That has been growing,

للهِ أَنْتَ وَهَمٌّ

للهِ أَنْتَ وَهَمٌّ

مُبَرِّحٌ مُتَقَادِمْ

مُبَرِّحٌ مُتَقَادِمْ

God bless you—and your anguish,

And you do not tire from a struggle,

harrowing and long-endured!

For which hope is a constant companion,

مِنْ أَجْلِ قَوْمِكَ كَمْ بِ

مِنْ أَجْلِ قَوْمِكَ كَمْ بِ

تَّ فِي لَيَالٍ جَوَاهُمْ

تَّ فِي لَيَالٍ جَوَاهُمْ

For your people's sake, how often you spent

Those far countries,

gloomy nights!

On the obstinate tyrants,

مَا إِنْ يُفَرَّجَ بَثٌّ

مَا إِنْ يُفَرَّجَ بَثٌّ

مِنْ كَرْبِكَ المُتَفَاقِمْ

مِنْ كَرْبِكَ المُتَفَاقِمْ

No sorrow is ever relieved

Become more inflamed for them,

from your mounting distress.

The more crimes increased in them,

وَمَا تَنِي فِي جِهَادٍ

وَمَا تَنِي فِي جِهَادٍ

لَهُ الرَّجَاءُ مُلازِمْ

لَهُ الرَّجَاءُ مُلازِمْ

And you never falter in a struggle

You disdain any injustice to them,

to which hope remains bound:

While time is biased,

تِلْكَ البِلادُ الغَوَالِي

تِلْكَ البِلادُ الغَوَالِي

عَلَى الْحُمَاةِ الصَّلادِمْ

عَلَى الْحُمَاةِ الصَّلادِمْ

those lands so dear

If not for it and ignorance - I mean -

to their stalwart defenders.

There would have remained no unjust on earth,

تَزْدَادُ لَهْفاً عَلَيْهَا

تَزْدَادُ لَهْفاً عَلَيْهَا

مَا ازْدَادَ فِيهَا الْجَرَائِمْ

مَا ازْدَادَ فِيهَا الْجَرَائِمْ

You grow more anguished for them

O you who passed away from praise,

as crimes within them increase;

Filling the generous souls,

تَأْبَى لَهَا الضَّيمَ مَا فِي

تَأْبَى لَهَا الضَّيمَ مَا فِي

يَدَيْكَ وَالدَّهْرُ ضَائِمْ

يَدَيْكَ وَالدَّهْرُ ضَائِمْ

you resist their oppression with all

Your remembrance has dwelt,

that lies in your hands, while time oppresses.

In skins among humankind,

لَوْلاهُ وَالجَهْلُ أَعْنِي

لَوْلاهُ وَالجَهْلُ أَعْنِي

لَمْ يَبْقَ فِي الأَرْضِ ظَالِمْ

لَمْ يَبْقَ فِي الأَرْضِ ظَالِمْ

Without it—and I mean ignorance—

By it the ship of light sailed,

no oppressor would remain on earth.

On pouring tearful waters,

يَا مَنْ مَضَى عَنْ ثَنَاءٍ

يَا مَنْ مَضَى عَنْ ثَنَاءٍ

مِلْءَ النفوسِ الكَرَائِمْ

مِلْءَ النفوسِ الكَرَائِمْ

O you who departed, leaving praise

To the shores of illuminated glory,

filling noble souls,

With landmarks,

قَدْ أُوطِنَتْ فِي جُلُودٍ

قَدْ أُوطِنَتْ فِي جُلُودٍ

ذِكْرَاكَ بَيْنَ العَوَالِمْ

ذِكْرَاكَ بَيْنَ العَوَالِمْ

within skins has been enshrined

So the course between seasons was not missed that day,

your memory among the worlds;

The rains of your place were poured unstinting,

جَرَتْ بِهَا فُلْكُ نُورٍ

جَرَتْ بِهَا فُلْكُ نُورٍ

عَلَى الدمُوعِ السَّوَاجِمْ

عَلَى الدمُوعِ السَّوَاجِمْ

ships of light sailed with it

With the merciful downpour.

upon streaming tears

إِلَى شَوَاطِيءِ مَجْدٍ

إِلَى شَوَاطِيءِ مَجْدٍ

مُنَوَّرَاتٍ بَوَاسِمْ

مُنَوَّرَاتٍ بَوَاسِمْ

to shores of glory,

radiant and smiling.

فَلَمْ يََلْ يَوْمَ ذَاكَ الرَّ

فَلَمْ يََلْ يَوْمَ ذَاكَ الرَّ

حِيلِ بَيْنَ المَوَاسِمْ

حِيلِ بَيْنَ المَوَاسِمْ

Thus the day of that departure [still remains]

among the commemorative occasions.

سَقَتْ ثَرَاكَ غُيُوثٌ

سَقَتْ ثَرَاكَ غُيُوثٌ

مُخَضَلَّة بِالمَرَاحِمْ

مُخَضَلَّة بِالمَرَاحِمْ

May rains water your dust,

drenched with mercies.