ماwhat لِلحَمائِمِwith the doves لاnot تَكادُalmost تطيرُfly
ما لِلحَمائِمِ لا تَكادُ تطيرُ
ماwhat للأراضيwith the lands بالأنامwith humankind تَمورُheave
ما للأراضي بالأنام تَمورُ
Why do the doves scarcely take wing?
Why do the lands heave with their people?
ماwhat لِلجبالِwith the mountains الشّامِخاتِthe towering تَدكْدَكَتhave crumbled
ما لِلجبالِ الشّامِخاتِ تَدكْدَكَت
وأبوand Abu قُبيسQubays قدindeed هوىhas fallen وثبيرُand Thabir
وأبو قُبيس قد هوى وثبيرُ
Why have the towering mountains crumbled,
and Abu Qubays and Thabir fallen?
ماwhat للنّفوسِwith souls تَكادُalmost تَزهَقُperish لَوعةًin anguish
ما للنّفوسِ تَكادُ تَزهَقُ لَوعةً
وَلَهاand they have شَهيقٌgasping قَدindeed عَلاrisen high وَزَفيرُand sighing
وَلَها شَهيقٌ قَد عَلا وَزَفيرُ
Why do souls almost perish in anguish,
their gasps and sighs rising high?
ماwhat لِلعُيونِwith the eyes دُموعُهاtheir tears مَصبوبَةٌpoured out
ما لِلعُيونِ دُموعُها مَصبوبَةٌ
مِثلُlike الدّماءِblood عَلىupon الخُدودِthe cheeks تَسيرُflow
مِثلُ الدّماءِ عَلى الخُدودِ تَسيرُ
Why are the eyes' tears poured forth,
flowing like blood down the cheeks?
فَكأنّهاand as though they were حُمراًred وسوداًand black أحرفٌletters
فَكأنّها حُمراً وسوداً أحرفٌ
لَكِنّهاbut they are فَوقَupon الخدودِthe cheeks سُطورُlines of writing
لَكِنّها فَوقَ الخدودِ سُطورُ
They seem like letters, red and black,
yet upon the cheeks they are lines of writing.
ماwhat بالُthe matter with قلبيmy heart قدindeed تهلّبhas blazed حُرقةًwith anguish
ما بالُ قلبي قد تهلّب حُرقةً
مِنfrom أَينwhere فيهِwithin it جهَنّمٌHell وَسعيرُand blazing fire
مِن أَين فيهِ جهَنّمٌ وَسعيرُ
What ails my heart, ablaze with anguish?
Whence this Hell and blazing fire within it?
ماwhat لِلنّجومِwith the stars غَربنhave set وهيَwhile they are طوالعٌrising
ما لِلنّجومِ غَربن وهيَ طوالعٌ
جنحَin the depths of الدّجىnight's darkness وَخسفنand were eclipsed وَهيَwhile they are بُدورُfull moons
جنحَ الدّجى وَخسفن وَهيَ بُدورُ
Why have the stars set even as they rise
in the night's darkness, and been eclipsed though full moons?
ماwhat لِلشّموسِwith the suns لَبِسنَhave donned فيin رأَدِthe height of الضّحىthe forenoon
ما لِلشّموسِ لَبِسنَ في رأَدِ الضّحى
ثَوبَthe robe of الكسوفِeclipse وَماand not لَهنَّfor them ظُهورُan appearance
ثَوبَ الكسوفِ وَما لَهنَّ ظُهورُ
Why have the suns, at the height of morning, donned
the robe of eclipse, no longer to be seen?
ماwhat لِلجِنانِwith Paradise's gardens تَزخرَفَتhave adorned themselves ثمّthen اِغتَدىcame to be
ما لِلجِنانِ تَزخرَفَت ثمّ اِغتَدى
مِنهاfrom them يَلوحُappear مِنازلٌdwellings وقصورُand palaces
مِنها يَلوحُ مِنازلٌ وقصورُ
Why have Paradise's gardens been adorned, and then
dwellings and palaces begun to shine within them?
وَتَزيَّنَتand have adorned themselves وُلدانهاtheir youths وَتَقلَّدتand have donned
وَتَزيَّنَت وُلدانها وَتَقلَّدت
عِقْدَa necklace of الجَواهرِgems فيupon النّحورِthe throats الحورُthe houris
عِقْدَ الجَواهرِ في النّحورِ الحورُ
Their youths have adorned themselves, and arrayed
in necklaces of gems about their throats are the houris.
فَعَجِبتso I marveled مِنat هذاthis وَقُلناand we said حادِثٌan event
فَعَجِبت مِن هذا وَقُلنا حادِثٌ
فيin الكَونِthe universe بانَhas appeared وَإنّهand it is لَكَبيرُindeed great
في الكَونِ بانَ وَإنّه لَكَبيرُ
I marveled at this, and we said, 'An event
has appeared in the universe, and great indeed it is!'
فَأُجبتُso I was answered لاdo not تَذهلbe bewildered وَقيلَand it was said لِيَto me اِنتَبِهtake heed
فَأُجبتُ لا تَذهل وَقيلَ لِيَ اِنتَبِه
فَاليومَfor today ماتَhas died العالِمِthe scholar النحريرُthe consummate master
فَاليومَ ماتَ العالِمِ النحريرُ
I was answered, 'Do not be bewildered,' and told, 'Take heed:
today the consummate scholar has died.'
شَيخُmaster of الجَهابِذِthe great scholars وَالأفاضِلِand the virtuous مُفرداًunrivaled
شَيخُ الجَهابِذِ وَالأفاضِلِ مُفرداً
نَجمُstar of العُلومِthe sciences الجَهبَذُthe savant المَشهورُthe renowned
نَجمُ العُلومِ الجَهبَذُ المَشهورُ
The unrivaled master of great scholars and the virtuous,
the star of learning, the renowned savant;
بَدرُfull moon of الشّريعَةِthe sacred law وَالطّريقَةِand the spiritual path وَالهُدىand guidance
بَدرُ الشّريعَةِ وَالطّريقَةِ وَالهُدى
شَمسُsun of الحَقيقَةِspiritual truth أَحمدAhmad البربيرُal-Barbir
شَمسُ الحَقيقَةِ أَحمد البربيرُ
full moon of the sacred Law, the spiritual Way, and guidance,
sun of spiritual Truth—Ahmad al-Barbir.
بَحرُan ocean of المَعارِفِknowledge ماnot لَهfor him مِنany ساحلٍshore
بَحرُ المَعارِفِ ما لَه مِن ساحلٍ
مِنهُfrom him اِستَمدّتdrew sustenance فيamong الأنامِhumankind بُحورُseas
مِنهُ اِستَمدّت في الأنامِ بُحورُ
An ocean of knowledge with no shore,
from him seas among humankind drew sustenance.
رَبُّmaster of الفَطانةِdiscernment والفُهومِand understanding مَعalong with الذّكاintelligence
رَبُّ الفَطانةِ والفُهومِ مَع الذّكا
فيunder طَوعِهِhis command التّحقيقُrigorous inquiry والتحريرُand precise exposition
في طَوعِهِ التّحقيقُ والتحريرُ
Master of discernment, understanding, and intelligence,
rigorous inquiry and precise exposition were at his command.
عَنهُfrom him الحَديثHadith سَماعُهُhearing it قَدindeed يَنبَغيis fitting
عَنهُ الحَديث سَماعُهُ قَد يَنبَغي
وَالفِقهُand jurisprudence وَالتوحيدُand theology وَالتفسيرُand Quranic exegesis
وَالفِقهُ وَالتوحيدُ وَالتفسيرُ
From him one should indeed hear Hadith,
and jurisprudence, theology, and Quranic exegesis;
وَكَذاand likewise الأصولُthe principles وَكلُّand all مَنthat which يَنتميbelongs
وَكَذا الأصولُ وَكلُّ مَن يَنتمي
لِلنّقلِto transmitted learning أَوor لِلعقلِto reason وَهوَand he is شَهيرُrenowned
لِلنّقلِ أَو لِلعقلِ وَهوَ شَهيرُ
likewise the principles, and all that pertains
to tradition or reason; he was renowned.
كَمhow many a قَلبheart علمٍof a scholar سَرّهُdelighted it تَأليفهhis writings
كَم قَلب علمٍ سَرّهُ تَأليفه
وَأَقرَّand gladdened منهُfrom him طرفَهُhis eye تَقريرُan exposition
وَأَقرَّ منهُ طرفَهُ تَقريرُ
How many a scholar's heart his writings delighted,
and an exposition from him gladdened the scholar's eye.
مَولَىmaster of القَوافيrhymes قَدindeed تَملَّكtook control of أَمرَهاtheir affairs
مَولَى القَوافي قَد تَملَّك أَمرَها
فَأَطاعَهُso obeyed him المَنظومverse وَالمَنثورُand prose
فَأَطاعَهُ المَنظوم وَالمَنثورُ
Master of rhymes, he ruled their affairs,
and verse and prose obeyed him.
فيهاin them تَصرَّفَhe exercised mastery كيفَas شاءَhe wished وَصاغَهاand fashioned them
فيها تَصرَّفَ كيفَ شاءَ وَصاغَها
صَوْغاًa fashioning عَلىaround الإِتقانِperfection ظلَّkept يَدورُrevolving
صَوْغاً عَلى الإِتقانِ ظلَّ يَدورُ
He handled them as he wished and fashioned them
with craftsmanship forever centered on perfection,
مِنfrom كلِّevery مَعنىmeaning لَيسَwas not مَسبوقاًpreceded لَهُfor him
مِن كلِّ مَعنى لَيسَ مَسبوقاً لَهُ
كَلّاno indeed وَلاand no بسِواهُin anyone but him فيهِof it شُعورُawareness
كَلّا وَلا بسِواهُ فيهِ شُعورُ
from every meaning in which none had preceded him—
indeed, no other had even conceived of it—
مِنfrom كلِّevery مُختَرِعٍinvention يَسيلُflowing بَلاغَةًwith eloquence
مِن كلِّ مُختَرِعٍ يَسيلُ بَلاغَةً
وَيَكادُand almost فيin سِحرِthe magic of البيانِexpression يَطيرُtakes flight
وَيَكادُ في سِحرِ البيانِ يَطيرُ
from every invention flowing with eloquence
and almost taking flight through the magic of expression.
ماwhat is البحتريُّal-Buhturi لَديهِbeside him ماwhat is سَحبانُSahban ماwhat are
ما البحتريُّ لَديهِ ما سَحبانُ ما
نَحوthe likes of الفَرزدَقal-Farazdaq عِندَهُbeside him وجريرُand Jarir
نَحو الفَرزدَق عِندَهُ وجريرُ
What is al-Buhturi beside him? What is Sahban? What
are the likes of al-Farazdaq and Jarir beside him?
فيهin losing him أُصِبناwe were stricken والمصائبُand calamities جمّةٌmany
فيه أُصِبنا والمصائبُ جمّةٌ
منهاamong them العظيمُthe grave كَمَوتِهِlike his death وَحقيرُand the slight
منها العظيمُ كَمَوتِهِ وَحقيرُ
In losing him we were stricken; calamities are many,
some grave, like his death, and others slight.
لاno بِدْعَwonder إنْif ذهبَdepart الكرامُthe noble فإنَّماfor only
لا بِدْعَ إنْ ذهبَ الكرامُ فإنَّما
عمرُthe lifespan الكِرامِof the noble مِنَamong الأنامِhumankind قَصيرُshort
عمرُ الكِرامِ مِنَ الأنامِ قَصيرُ
No wonder if the noble depart, for
the noble among humankind have but a short life.
ياoh لَيتَwould that أَعمارَthe lives الكِرامِof the noble مَديدةٌwere long
يا لَيتَ أَعمارَ الكِرامِ مَديدةٌ
وَيَكونُand there might be فيهاin them الطولُlength وَالتّأخيرُand reprieve
وَيَكونُ فيها الطولُ وَالتّأخيرُ
Oh, would that the lives of the noble were long,
and length and reprieve were theirs!
ياoh وَيحَpity بَيروتBeirut وَقِلّةَand the scantness of حظِّهاits fortune
يا وَيحَ بَيروت وَقِلّةَ حظِّها
هَيهاتَfar beyond reach مِنهاfrom it مِثلهُhis like وَنَظيرُand an equal
هَيهاتَ مِنها مِثلهُ وَنَظيرُ
Oh, pity Beirut and its scant good fortune!
How far from it are his like and equal!
لَكِنْbut لَهاit has فَخرٌpride بِهِin him لاnot يَنتَهيends
لَكِنْ لَها فَخرٌ بِهِ لا يَنتَهي
يَفنىwill perish الزّمانُtime وَماwhile not لَهُfor it تَغييرُany change
يَفنى الزّمانُ وَما لَهُ تَغييرُ
Yet its pride in him will never end;
time will perish, but that pride will never change.
أَرواحُناour souls لَوif كانَit were possible فيهاwith them يُفتَدىhe could be ransomed
أَرواحُنا لَو كانَ فيها يُفتَدى
جُدناwe would give freely بِهاwith them وَبِهاand with them الفِداءُransoming يَسيرُeasy
جُدنا بِها وَبِها الفِداءُ يَسيرُ
If he could have been ransomed with our souls,
we would have given them freely; such a ransom would be easy.
لَكِنbut فناءُthe perishing of الخَلقِcreation حُكمٌa decree نافِذٌirrevocable
لَكِن فناءُ الخَلقِ حُكمٌ نافِذٌ
لَمdid not يَنجُescape مِنهfrom it كَبيرُناour elders وَصَغيرُand the young
لَم يَنجُ مِنه كَبيرُنا وَصَغيرُ
But the perishing of creation is an irrevocable decree;
neither our old nor young have escaped it.
ماnot كانَwas there فيin الدّنياthis world خُلودٌimmortality لِامرِئٍfor anyone
ما كانَ في الدّنيا خُلودٌ لِامرِئٍ
ظَنُّthe supposition of الخلودِimmortality جَهالَةٌignorance وَغرورُand delusion
ظَنُّ الخلودِ جَهالَةٌ وَغرورُ
No person has immortality in this world;
to suppose immortality is ignorance and delusion.
لَوif كانَit existed فيهاin it لَمnot يَمُتwould die فيهاin it اِمرِؤٌanyone
لَو كانَ فيها لَم يَمُت فيها اِمرِؤٌ
بَلrather لَمnot يَكُنwould there be لِلأنبِياءِfor the prophets قبورُgraves
بَل لَم يَكُن لِلأنبِياءِ قبورُ
Were there immortality here, no one here would die;
indeed, the prophets would have no graves.
فَاللَّهso may God يُلهِمُناinspire us with الرضاءَacceptance بِحُكمِهِof His decree
فَاللَّه يُلهِمُنا الرضاءَ بِحُكمِهِ
وَالصبرَand patience عندat الرزْءِbereavement فهوfor He is قديرُall-powerful
وَالصبرَ عند الرزْءِ فهو قديرُ
May God inspire us with acceptance of His decree
and patience in bereavement, for He is all-powerful.
وَالحُكمُand judgment للَّهِbelongs to God العليِّthe Most High وَإِنّماand only
وَالحُكمُ للَّهِ العليِّ وَإِنّما
خَيرُthe best of المصابِthe bereaved مسلمresigned to God وَصَبورُand patient
خَيرُ المصابِ مسلم وَصَبورُ
Judgment belongs to God Most High, and truly
the best of the bereaved is resigned and patient.
فيin صالِحيّةِal-Salihiyya جِلَّقٍJillaq وَرِياضِهاand its gardens
في صالِحيّةِ جِلَّقٍ وَرِياضِها
أَودىhe died فَراحَthen went إِلىto الجِنانParadise يَسيرُjourneying
أَودى فَراحَ إِلى الجِنان يَسيرُ
In Jillaq's al-Salihiyya and its gardens,
he died and set out on his way to Paradise.
وَضَريحُهُand his tomb فيin رَوضَةٍa garden قَدindeed أَنوَرَتhas grown radiant
وَضَريحُهُ في رَوضَةٍ قَد أَنوَرَت
بِضَريحِby the tomb of مُحييMuhyi الدّينِal-Din وَهوَand it is منيرُradiant
بِضَريحِ مُحيي الدّينِ وَهوَ منيرُ
His tomb lies in a garden made radiant
by the tomb of Muhyi al-Din, itself shining bright.
بِجِوارِهِbeside him قَدindeed حلَّhe settled وَهوَand he is ضَجيعُهُhis companion in repose
بِجِوارِهِ قَد حلَّ وَهوَ ضَجيعُهُ
نِعمَblessed is الجِوارُthe proximity وَكَمand how much لَهُit has تَأثيرُinfluence
نِعمَ الجِوارُ وَكَم لَهُ تَأثيرُ
He has settled beside him, his companion in repose.
Blessed is such proximity; how great its influence!
فَعَلَيهِso upon him رِضوانfavor وَرَحمَةand mercy رَبِّهِof his Lord
فَعَلَيهِ رِضوان وَرَحمَة رَبِّهِ
ماas long as غَرَّدَتsing فَوقَabove الغُصونِthe branches طُيورُbirds
ما غَرَّدَت فَوقَ الغُصونِ طُيورُ
May his Lord's favor and mercy rest upon him
as long as birds sing upon the branches,
أَوor ماas long as اِبنُIbn (son of) فَتحِFath اللَّهِAllah أَنشدrecites راثياًin mourning
أَو ما اِبنُ فَتحِ اللَّهِ أَنشد راثياً
ماwhat لِلحَمائِمِwith the doves لاnot تَكادُalmost تَطيرُfly
ما لِلحَمائِمِ لا تَكادُ تَطيرُ
or Ibn Fath Allah recites in mourning:
Why do the doves scarcely take wing?
Sol 6.1