ذَهِلتُI was stunned فَلَمso did not أَنقَعI quench غَليلاًburning anguish بِعَبرَةٍwith a tear
ذَهِلتُ فَلَم أَنقَع غَليلاً بِعَبرَةٍ
وَأَكبَرتُand I deemed it dreadful أَنto أَلقىI meet بِيَومِكَon your day of death ناعِياa death-herald
وَأَكبَرتُ أَن أَلقى بِيَومِكَ ناعِيا
I was stunned, and did not quench my burning anguish with a tear.
I was perplexed and could not quench my thirst with tears,
And I found it too dreadful to meet a death-herald on the day of your death.
And thought it unworthy to announce your death as a mourner.
فَلَمّاthen when بَداbecame clear ليto me أَنَّهُthat it was لاعِجُthe searing torment of الأَسىsorrow
فَلَمّا بَدا لي أَنَّهُ لاعِجُ الأَسى
وَأَنand that لَيسَis not إِلّاexcept الدَمعُtears لِلحُزنِfor grief شافِياa cure
وَأَن لَيسَ إِلّا الدَمعُ لِلحُزنِ شافِيا
Then, when it became clear to me that this was sorrow's searing torment,
But when it was clear that sorrow would not diminish,
And that tears alone could heal grief,
And that only tears could soothe the sadness,
أَقَمتُI raised لَكَfor you الأَنواحَlamentations تَرتَدُّresound بَينَهاamong them
أَقَمتُ لَكَ الأَنواحَ تَرتَدُّ بَينَها
مَآتِمُmourning assemblies يَندُبنَthey lament النَدىgenerosity وَالمَعالِياand lofty virtues
مَآتِمُ يَندُبنَ النَدى وَالمَعالِيا
I raised laments for you; among them resounded
I set up dirges for you, echoing between them
Mourning assemblies, bewailing generosity and lofty virtues.
Elegies mourning the dew and highlands.
وَماand not كانَwas مَنعىthe death announcement of الفَضلِal-Fadl مَنعىa death announcement of وَحادَةٍone alone
وَما كانَ مَنعى الفَضلِ مَنعى وَحادَةٍ
وَلَكِنَّand yet مَنعىthe death announcement of الفَضلِal-Fadl كانَwas مَناعِياmany death announcements
وَلَكِنَّ مَنعى الفَضلِ كانَ مَناعِيا
And the tidings of al-Fadl's death were not tidings of one death alone,
It was not excellence that hindered me, nor arrogance,
But the tidings of al-Fadl's death were tidings of many deaths:
But excellence that acted as my preventer.
أَلِلبَأسِfor valor? أَمor لِلجودِfor generosity أَمor لِمُقاوِمٍfor lofty stations
أَلِلبَأسِ أَم لِلجودِ أَم لِمُقاوِمٍ
مِنَof المُلكِkingship يَزحَمنَthey jostle الجِبالَthe mountains الرَواسِياfirmly rooted
مِنَ المُلكِ يَزحَمنَ الجِبالَ الرَواسِيا
Was it for valor, or for generosity, or for lofty stations
Was it for valor, generosity, or for one who withstands
Of kingship that jostled the firmly rooted mountains?
Kings, climbing over lofty mountains?
عَفَتfaded بَعدَكَafter you الأَيّامُthe days لاno بَلrather تَبَدَّلَتthey were transformed
عَفَت بَعدَكَ الأَيّامُ لا بَل تَبَدَّلَت
وَكُنَّand they were كَأَعيادٍlike festivals فَعُدنَso they became مَباكِياoccasions for weeping
وَكُنَّ كَأَعيادٍ فَعُدنَ مَباكِيا
The days faded after you—no, rather, they were transformed;
After you, the days have passed - no, rather they have changed,
And they had been like festivals, but became occasions for weeping.
And become like feasts, only to return mourning.
فَلَمso did not أَرَI see إِلّاexcept قَبلَbefore يَومِكَyour day of death ضاحِكاًsomeone laughing
فَلَم أَرَ إِلّا قَبلَ يَومِكَ ضاحِكاً
وَلَمand did not أَرىI see إِلّاexcept بَعدَafter يَومِكَyour day of death باكِياsomeone weeping
وَلَم أَرى إِلّا بَعدَ يَومِكَ باكِيا
So I saw no one laughing except before the day of your death,
I saw none smiling except before your day,
And I saw no one weeping except after the day of your death.
And I saw none crying except after your day.
Sol 6.1