مَاذَاwhat تُعِيضُكَcompensates you مِنfor صِبَاكْyour youth
مَاذَا تُعِيضُكَ مِن صِبَاكْ
شَكْوَىa lament شَجٍof a grieving man وَدَمُوُعand tears بَاكْof a weeper
شَكْوَى شَجٍ وَدَمُوُع بَاكْ
What recompense for your youth can they offer you—
What will compensate you for your youth,
a mourner's lament and a weeper's tears?
Complaining of the pain and shedding tears?
أَمْسَىhas become مُحَمَّدُMuhammad وهْوَwhile he is
أَمْسَى مُحَمَّدُ وهْوَ
مِقْدَامُthe boldest الشَّبابِof the young بِلاَwithout حَرَاكْmovement
مِقْدَامُ الشَّبابِ بِلاَ حَرَاكْ
Muhammad is now—he,
Muhammad has passed away while he
the boldest of the young—motionless.
Was the brave youth without motion.
عَنfrom مِصْرَEgypt نَاءَhas gone far وَهْوَwhile he is فِيهَاwithin it
عَن مِصْرَ نَاءَ وَهْوَ فِيهَا
إِنَّindeed شَرَّthe worst النَّأيِestrangement ذَاكْthat
إِنَّ شَرَّ النَّأيِ ذَاكْ
From Egypt he has gone far, though he is within it;
He yearned for Egypt while he was in it.
truly, that is the worst estrangement.
That was the worst kind of remoteness.
يَاO غَادِياًone departing at dawn وَيْلاَهُalas for him! مَاhow
يَا غَادِياً وَيْلاَهُ مَا
أجْنَىhas grievously wronged الغَدَاةَthe dawn علَىagainst ضحَاكْyour forenoon
أجْنَى الغَدَاةَ علَى ضحَاكْ
O dawn-departing one! Alas, how
O passerby, alas what did the dawn reap
cruelly dawn has wronged your morning light!
Except joy on the laughing dawn.
مهْماhowever much يُجِدَّrenews بِيَin me النَّوَىseparation
مهْما يُجِدَّ بِيَ النَّوَى
أَلَماًpain سَيُذكِرُنِيwill remind me نَوَاكْyour departure
أَلَماً سَيُذكِرُنِي نَوَاكْ
However much separation renews in me
No matter how destiny tries me with pain,
pain, it will remind me of your departure.
Your affection will remember me.
أَنْتَyou الصَّفيُّthe sincere friend لِمنْto whoever صَفَاwas sincere
أَنْتَ الصَّفيُّ لِمنْ صَفَا
أَنْتَyou الوَفِيُّthe loyal one لِمَنْto whoever رعَاكْcared for you
أَنْتَ الوَفِيُّ لِمَنْ رعَاكْ
You are the true friend of those who are sincere;
You are loyal to those who are loyal to you
you are loyal to whoever cared for you.
You are faithful to those who follow you
أَنْتَyou الكَرِيمُthe noble one ابنُson الكِرَاthe noble ones (word begins)
أَنْتَ الكَرِيمُ ابنُ الكِرَا
مِcompletes 'the noble ones' المُزْدَهِيtaking pride بِكَin you عُنْصُرَاكْyour two ancestral lines
مِ المُزْدَهِي بِكَ عُنْصُرَاكْ
You are noble, the son of noble
You are the generous, son of the generous
men; both your ancestral lines take pride in you.
The glittering star of your family.
أَنْتَyou الرَّجَاءُhope رَجَاءُthe hope مِصْرَof Egypt
أَنْتَ الرَّجَاءُ رَجَاءُ مِصْرَ
بَدَاappeared سَنَاهُits radiance فِيin سَنَاكْyour radiance
بَدَا سَنَاهُ فِي سَنَاكْ
You are hope—the hope of Egypt;
You are the hope, the hope of Egypt
its radiance shone in your radiance.
Its glory appeared through your glory.
وَرَآهُand saw it مُزْدَاناًadorned بِأَلْوَانِwith the colors of
وَرَآهُ مُزْدَاناً بِأَلْوَانِ
الأَشِعَّةthe rays مَنْwhoever رَآكْsaw you
الأَشِعَّة مَنْ رَآكْ
And it was seen, adorned with the colors
And he saw you adorned with the colors
of rays, by whoever saw you.
Of radiance, whoever saw you.
لَمْdid not يَحْبُbestow غَيْرَكَanyone other than you رَبُّهُhis Lord
لَمْ يَحْبُ غَيْرَكَ رَبُّهُ
كلّevery مَعْنىًquality مَاwhat حَبَاكHe bestowed on you
كلّ مَعْنىً مَا حَبَاك
No one else has been granted by his Lord
Your Lord did not love anyone
all the qualities He has bestowed on you.
Except you, all the meanings He gave you.
خُلُقٌcharacter عَظِيمٌgreat نَابِهٌdistinguished
خُلُقٌ عَظِيمٌ نَابِهٌ
لَمْdid not يَسْتَقِلَّbear alone بِهِit سِوَاكْanyone but you
لَمْ يَسْتَقِلَّ بِهِ سِوَاكْ
A great, distinguished character,
Great morals, brilliant ones
which none but you has borne in full.
None attained them except you.
أَدَبٌrefinement وَلاَand not even أَدَبُthe refinement المُلُوof kings (word begins)
أَدَبٌ وَلاَ أَدَبُ المُلُو
كِcompletes 'kings' وَذَاكَand that فيin الشِّيمِcharacter traits المِلاَكْthe foundation
كِ وَذَاكَ في الشِّيمِ المِلاَكْ
Refinement surpassing even that of
Manners, not the manners of kings
kings—and that is the foundation of noble character.
That is within the angelic traits.
نَظْمٌverse كَنَظْمِlike the stringing of الدُّرِّpearls
نَظْمٌ كَنَظْمِ الدُّرِّ
أَبْدَعَهُcreated it وَنَوَّعَهand varied it حِجَاكْyour intellect
أَبْدَعَهُ وَنَوَّعَه حِجَاكْ
Verse like the stringing of pearls,
A composition like that of pearls
fashioned and varied by your intellect.
Invented and diversified by your wisdom.
نَثْرٌprose بَلَغْتَyou attained بِهِthrough it الإِمَاpreeminence (word begins)
نَثْرٌ بَلَغْتَ بِهِ الإِمَا
مَةَcompletes 'preeminence' مَنwhoever تَلاَهread it فَقَدthen indeed تَلاَكْread you
مَةَ مَن تَلاَه فَقَد تَلاَكْ
Prose through which you attained
Prose you reached through it the imamate
preeminence; whoever reads it has read you.
Of those who read it, so he read you.
لَفْظٌwording نَفَسْتَyou breathed forth بلَحْنِهِthrough its cadence
لَفْظٌ نَفَسْتَ بلَحْنِهِ
لحْنَthe song الشَّوَادِيof singing birds فِيin الأَرَاكْthe arak trees
لحْنَ الشَّوَادِي فِي الأَرَاكْ
Words in whose cadence you breathed
An utterance you breathed into it
the song of singing birds in the arak trees.
The melody of meadows in Iraq.
فَنٌّart حَكِيتَyou emulated المُعْجِزِينthe wonder-workers
فَنٌّ حَكِيتَ المُعْجِزِين
بِهِthrough it وَمَاand not أَحدٌanyone حكَاكْemulated you
بِهِ وَمَا أَحدٌ حكَاكْ
An art: you rivaled the wonder-workers
An art you told the miracles through it
through it, yet no one rivaled you.
And no one told them except you.
كَمْhow many فَرَّfled أَبْطَالٌheroes فَعُدْand you returned (word begins)
كَمْ فَرَّ أَبْطَالٌ فَعُدْ
تَcompletes 'you returned' بِهِمْwith them إِلىto دُنْيَاthe world الْعِرَاكْof battle
تَ بِهِمْ إِلى دُنْيَا الْعِرَاكْ
How many heroes fled, and you brought
How many heroes escaped
them back into the world of battle!
And you returned them to the battle.
أَنْشَرْتَهُمْyou resurrected them بَعْدَafter الْبِلَىdecay
أَنْشَرْتَهُمْ بَعْدَ الْبِلَى
وَنُشُورُand the resurrection قَوْمكَof your people مُبْتَغَاكْyour aim
وَنُشُورُ قَوْمكَ مُبْتَغَاكْ
You revived them after decay,
You spread them after decay
and your people's resurrection was your aim.
And resurrecting your people is your goal.
لُطْفاًgentle care لِنَهْضَةِfor the rising of رَاسِفِيهِمْtheir shackled ones
لُطْفاً لِنَهْضَةِ رَاسِفِيهِمْ
وَاحْتِيَالاًand ingenuity لِلْفِكَاكْfor liberation
وَاحْتِيَالاً لِلْفِكَاكْ
With gentle care for the rise of their shackled ones,
Gently to awaken those sinking among them
and ingenuity to set them free.
And trying to set them free.
وَببَذْلand by expending هَاتِيكَthose الْقُوَىpowers
وَببَذْل هَاتِيكَ الْقُوَى
أَنْفَذْتَyou exhausted فِيin عَجَلٍhaste قوَاكْyour strength
أَنْفَذْتَ فِي عَجَلٍ قوَاكْ
And by expending those powers,
And by exerting these powers
you exhausted your strength in haste.
You accomplished your purposes promptly.
مَاnot مَنْany رَدّىdeath أَجْرىmade flow الشُّؤُوthe tear ducts (word begins)
مَا مَنْ رَدّى أَجْرى الشُّؤُو
نَcompletes 'tear ducts' دماًblood كَمَاas أَجْرَىmade flow رَدَاكْyour death
نَ دماً كَمَا أَجْرَى رَدَاكْ
No death has made the tear ducts
None who deflected the affairs poured blood
run blood as your death has done.
As your purpose poured blood.
تَاللهِby God إنِّيindeed I لَسْتُI am not أَدْknowing (word begins)
تَاللهِ إنِّي لَسْتُ أَدْ
رِيcompletes 'knowing' كَيْفَhow تَعْزِيَتِيmy consoling أَبَاكْyour father
رِي كَيْفَ تَعْزِيَتِي أَبَاكْ
By God, I do not
My God I really do not know how
know how to console your father.
To console your father.
يَاO أَحْمَدَAhmad; most praiseworthy الآبَاءِof fathers مَاwhat (word begins)
يَا أَحْمَدَ الآبَاءِ مَا
ذَاcompletes 'what' فِيthrough ابْنِكَyour son الغَالِيthe beloved دَهَاكْhas struck you
ذَا فِي ابْنِكَ الغَالِي دَهَاكْ
O Ahmad, most praiseworthy of fathers, what
O Ahmad of fathers, what is
has befallen you through your beloved son?
In your precious son that grieved you.
لَماwhen ثكِلْتَyou were bereaved of فَتَاكَyour young son مِصْرُEgypt
لَما ثكِلْتَ فَتَاكَ مِصْرُ
جَمِيعُهَاall of it ثَكِلَتwas bereaved of فَتَاكْyour young son
جَمِيعُهَا ثَكِلَت فَتَاكْ
When you lost your young son, Egypt—
Since you lost your son, all of Egypt
all of it—lost your young son.
Lost him, so it lost you.
فَكَأنَّماso it is as though فِيin كُلِّevery وَجْهٍface
فَكَأنَّما فِي كُلِّ وَجْهٍ
مُسْتَهِلٍّstreaming with tears مُقْلَتَاكْyour two eyes
مُسْتَهِلٍّ مُقْلَتَاكْ
So it is as though in every face
It is as if in every fading face
streaming with tears are your two eyes;
Are your two teary eyes.
وَكَأنَّماand it is as though فِيin كُلِّevery جِسْمٍbody
وَكَأنَّما فِي كُلِّ جِسْمٍ
بَاتَhas come to dwell قَلْبُكَyour heart وَهْوَand it is ذَاكْthat very one
بَاتَ قَلْبُكَ وَهْوَ ذَاكْ
and as though in every body
And it is as if in every body
your heart has come to dwell, the very same.
Lay your heart, that is it.
سَلْask أَنْthat يُثَبّتَكَHe make you steadfast الذَّيHe who
سَلْ أَنْ يُثَبّتَكَ الذَّي
فِيthrough فِلْذَةِa piece of الكَبِدِthe liver ابْتَلاَكhas tested you
فِي فِلْذَةِ الكَبِدِ ابْتَلاَك
Ask Him to make you steadfast, He who
Ask Him who tested you in the apple
has tried you through a piece of your liver.
Of your heart to make you steadfast.
وَليَعْصِمَنْكَand may it surely protect you الْيَوْمَtoday مَاwhatever
وَليَعْصِمَنْكَ الْيَوْمَ مَا
نَهْنَهْتَyou held back عِلْماًas knowledge مِنْfrom نُهَاكْyour reason
نَهْنَهْتَ عِلْماً مِنْ نُهَاكْ
And may you be guarded today by whatever
And may He protect you today from what
knowledge you have held in reserve from your reason.
You prohibited, knowing it would hurt you.
وَلْيَنْفَعَنْكَand may it benefit you الخُبْرُexperience فِيin
وَلْيَنْفَعَنْكَ الخُبْرُ فِي
تَطْوِيعِtaming صَبْرِكَyour patience إِنْif عَصَاكْit disobeys you
تَطْوِيعِ صَبْرِكَ إِنْ عَصَاكْ
And may experience help you in
And may experience benefit you in
taming your patience, if it disobeys you.
Taming your patience if it disobeyed you.
وَلْتَغدُوَنَّand may they become عَتَادَكَyour armor
وَلْتَغدُوَنَّ عَتَادَكَ
الشِّيمُthe virtues الَّتِيthat كَانَتْwere حُلاَكْyour adornments
الشِّيمُ الَّتِي كَانَتْ حُلاَكْ
And may your armor now be
And may your qualities that were your wardrobe
the virtues that once adorned you.
Become your habit again.
أَمُحَمَّدُO Muhammad اقْرَرْbe at rest فِيin جَواthe shelter (word begins)
أَمُحَمَّدُ اقْرَرْ فِي جَوا
رِcompletes 'shelter' اللهِof God فَهْوَfor He قدِindeed اصْطَفَاكْhas chosen you
رِ اللهِ فَهْوَ قدِ اصْطَفَاكْ
O Muhammad, rest in the shelter
O Muhammad, admit in the proximity of God
of God, for He has indeed chosen you.
For He has chosen you.
أَمْحَمَّدُO Muhammad انْعَمْenjoy bliss بِالْخُلُوin immortality (word begins)
أَمْحَمَّدُ انْعَمْ بِالْخُلُو
دِcompletes 'immortality' وَطَابَand may it be sweet بِالذِّكْرَىthrough remembrance ثرَاكyour grave's soil
دِ وَطَابَ بِالذِّكْرَى ثرَاك
O Muhammad, delight in eternal
O Muhammad, be content with eternity
life; may remembrance sweeten your grave's soil.
And your memory was good.
Sol 6.1