أَلاAh! بِأَبِيwith my father as ransom مَنْhim who كَانَwas نُوراًlight مُجَسَّداًembodied
أَلا بِأَبِي مَنْ كَانَ نُوراً مُجَسَّداً
يَفِيضُpours forth عَلَينَاupon us بِالنَّعِيمِwith bliss رَواؤُهُhis beauty
يَفِيضُ عَلَينَا بِالنَّعِيمِ رَواؤُهُ
Ah, may my father be ransom for him who was light embodied,
Oh my father, whose light embodied
Whose beauty pours bliss upon us.
Bestows upon us bounty overflowing
ثَوَىdwelt بُرْهَةًa while فيin الأَرْضِthe earth حَتىuntil إِذاwhen قَضَىfulfilled
ثَوَى بُرْهَةً في الأَرْضِ حَتى إِذا قَضَى
لُبانَتَهُhis desire مِنْهَاfrom it دَعَتْهُcalled him سَمَاؤُهُhis heaven
لُبانَتَهُ مِنْهَا دَعَتْهُ سَمَاؤُهُ
He dwelt awhile on earth, until, when he had fulfilled
He tarried for a time upon this earth
His desire there, his heaven called him.
Until his heavenly abode came calling
وَماand not كانَwas إِلَّاexcept كَوْكَباًa star حَلَّalighted بِالثَّرَىupon the soil
وَما كانَ إِلَّا كَوْكَباً حَلَّ بِالثَّرَى
لِوَقْتٍfor a time فَلَمَّاthen when تَمَّwas complete شالَrose ضِيَاؤُهُhis radiance
لِوَقْتٍ فَلَمَّا تَمَّ شالَ ضِيَاؤُهُ
He was but a star that alighted upon the dust
For he was but a star that graced the soil
For a time; when it ended, his radiance rose.
Awhile, but when his time was done, withdrew his glow
نَضَاshed عَنْهُfrom himself أَثْوَابَgarments الْفَنَاءِmortality وَرَفْرَفَتْand fluttered
نَضَا عَنْهُ أَثْوَابَ الْفَنَاءِ وَرَفْرَفَتْ
إِلَىto الْفَلَكِthe celestial sphere الأَعْلَىthe highest بِهِwith him مُضوَاؤُهُhis radiance (uncertain reading)
إِلَى الْفَلَكِ الأَعْلَى بِهِ مُضوَاؤُهُ
He cast off the robes of mortality, and there fluttered
He shed the raiment of demise, unfurled
To the highest celestial sphere, bearing him, his radiance.
To highest heaven, radiant in its hallowed flow
فَأَصْبَحَso he became فيin لُجٍّa deep sea مِنَof النُّورِlight سَابِحاًswimming
فَأَصْبَحَ في لُجٍّ مِنَ النُّورِ سَابِحاً
سَوَاحِلُهُits shores مَجْهُولَةٌunknown وَفَضاؤُهُand its expanse
سَوَاحِلُهُ مَجْهُولَةٌ وَفَضاؤُهُ
Thus he came to swim in an ocean of light,
Now swimming in a sea of light serene
Its shores unknown, and its expanse as well.
Unknown his shores, boundless his ebb and flow
تَجَرَّدَemerged bare مِنْfrom غِمْدِthe sheath الْحَوادِثِvicissitudes ناصِعاًgleaming
تَجَرَّدَ مِنْ غِمْدِ الْحَوادِثِ ناصِعاً
وَمَاand not السَّيْفُthe sword إِلاَّexcept أَثْرُهُits sheen ومَضاؤُهُand its keenness
وَمَا السَّيْفُ إِلاَّ أَثْرُهُ ومَضاؤُهُ
He emerged gleaming from the sheath of life's vicissitudes,
Freed from sheath of worldly woes, pristine
And a sword is nothing but its sheen and its keenness.
Naught left but glimmer of his shining sword’s echo
فإِنْso if يَكُhe is وَلَّىdeparted فَهُوَthen he باقٍenduring بِأُفْقِهِon his horizon
فإِنْ يَكُ وَلَّى فَهُوَ باقٍ بِأُفْقِهِ
كَنَجْمٍlike a star يَشُوقُmakes yearn النّاظِرِينَthe beholders بَهَاؤُهُits splendor
كَنَجْمٍ يَشُوقُ النّاظِرِينَ بَهَاؤُهُ
So if he has departed, he still remains on his horizon,
If he's now gone, still he endures, his visage
Like a star whose splendor makes beholders yearn.
A star motivating yearning with its halo
وَلَوْلاand were it not for اعْتِقَادِيmy belief أَنَّهُthat he فيin حَظِيرَةٍa sanctuary
وَلَوْلا اعْتِقَادِي أَنَّهُ في حَظِيرَةٍ
مِنَof الْقُدْسِholiness لاسْتَوْلَىwould surely have prevailed علىover الْجَفْنِthe eyelid ماؤُهُits water (tears)
مِنَ الْقُدْسِ لاسْتَوْلَى على الْجَفْنِ ماؤُهُ
And were it not for my belief that he is in a sanctuary
And were it not my faith he's in a garden
Of holiness, tears would have overwhelmed my eyelid.
Celestial, his memory would tears bestow
عَليكَupon you سَلامٌpeace مِنْfrom فُؤادٍa heart نَزَاsurged بِهِwithin it
عَليكَ سَلامٌ مِنْ فُؤادٍ نَزَا بِهِ
إِلَيكَfor you نِزاعٌlonging أَعْجَزَbaffled الطِّبَّmedicine داؤُهُits malady
إِلَيكَ نِزاعٌ أَعْجَزَ الطِّبَّ داؤُهُ
Peace be upon you from a heart stirred by
On you, peace, from a heart that sends
Longing for you, whose malady has baffled medicine.
To you, a yearning no remedy can know
Sol 6.1