زُرْvisit تُربةًa grave فيin الحِمَىthe protected precinct ياO أيُّهاyou المَطَرُrain
زُرْ تُربةً في الحِمَى يا أيُّها المَطَرُ
وقُلْand say عليكupon you سلامُpeace اللهِof God ياO عُمَرُUmar
وقُلْ عليك سلامُ اللهِ يا عُمَرُ
Visit a grave in the sanctuary, O rain,
O rain, visit a grave in the sanctuary, and say "Peace be upon you, O Omar"
And say, "God's peace be upon you, O Umar."
If you make flowers bloom around his grave, let not the stars and flowers abound
إنif كنتَyou were تُنبِتُyou make grow زَهراًflowers حولَaround مَضجَعِهِhis resting place
إن كنتَ تُنبِتُ زَهراً حولَ مَضجَعِهِ
فليسَthen it is not تَكثُرُare too numerous فيهِin it الأنجُمُthe stars الزُهُرُbright
فليسَ تَكثُرُ فيهِ الأنجُمُ الزُهُرُ
If you make flowers grow around his resting place,
He who was a pillar of strength in adversities, and in whom victory was hoped
Then shining stars would not be too many there.
A sea, but not turbulent; pride, but no arrogance
هذاthis الذيwho كانَwas رُكناًa pillar يُستعانُhelp is sought بهِthrough him
هذا الذي كانَ رُكناً يُستعانُ بهِ
علىagainst الخُطوبِcalamities ويُرجىand is hoped for عِندَهُwith him الظَفَرُvictory
على الخُطوبِ ويُرجى عِندَهُ الظَفَرُ
This is he who was a pillar relied upon
In him religion and world came together, a rarity among people
Against calamities, and with whom victory was hoped for.
If the two concur, he observes; if oppose, he gives religion the preference
وكانَand he was بحراًan ocean ولكنْbut غيرَnot مُضطربٍturbulent
وكانَ بحراً ولكنْ غيرَ مُضطربٍ
وكانَand he was فخراًa source of pride ولكنْbut ليسَnot يَفتَخِرُhe boasts
وكانَ فخراً ولكنْ ليسَ يَفتَخِرُ
And he was an ocean, yet never turbulent;
Refined manners, no harm in his manners; pure heart, no evil in his heart
And he was a source of pride, yet never boasted.
Pleased God, who pleased him with his loyalty, from youth to old age
فيin شَخصِهِhis person الدِّينُreligion والدُّنياand worldly life قدِindeed اجتَمَعاwere united
في شَخصِهِ الدِّينُ والدُّنيا قدِ اجتَمَعا
وذاكand that يَندُرُis rare أنْthat تحظَىbe favored بهِwith it البَشَرُhumankind
وذاك يَندُرُ أنْ تحظَى بهِ البَشَرُ
In his person, religion and worldly life were united,
His death was a lesson for people, as he was a huge mountain demolished by fate
And that is something humankind seldom enjoys.
The highest glory did not protect him, nor the family, companions, angels or the full moon
يَرعَىhe tends إذاwhen اتَّفقَاthe two agree هذاthis (religion) وتِلكَand that (worldly life) فإنْbut if
يَرعَى إذا اتَّفقَا هذا وتِلكَ فإنْ
تَخالَفاthe two differ فَلِهذاthen for this (religion) عِندَهُwith him النَّظَرُconsideration
تَخالَفا فَلِهذا عِندَهُ النَّظَرُ
He tended both when they agreed; but if
They carried him above a bier soaked with tears pouring over it
They differed, his concern was for religion.
Until they came to a blessed land, where verses of Quran are read over him
مُهذَّبُrefined الخُلقِcharacter ماno فيin خُلقِهِhis character أَوَدٌcrookedness
مُهذَّبُ الخُلقِ ما في خُلقِهِ أَوَدٌ
مُطهَّرُpurified القلبِthe heart ماno فيin قلبِهِhis heart وَضَرُstain
مُطهَّرُ القلبِ ما في قلبِهِ وَضَرُ
Refined in character, with no crookedness in his nature,
A garden crowded by people from every town, none left
Pure of heart, with no stain within his heart.
They circumambulated his coffin like pilgrims around the Kaaba, as if it were a sanctum with the Black Stone in its midst
أرضَىhe pleased الإلهَGod فأرضاهُso He pleased him بِمِنَّتِهِthrough His grace
أرضَى الإلهَ فأرضاهُ بِمِنَّتِهِ
منذُfrom الحَداثةِyouth حتىuntil مَسَّهُtouched him الكِبَرُold age
منذُ الحَداثةِ حتى مَسَّهُ الكِبَرُ
He pleased God, and God in His grace made him content,
He went to his Forgiving Lord, seeking refuge in His kindness, under the shade of pardon
From youth until old age touched him.
An abode darkened after him, until night and dawn became equal in its seeds
كانتwas مَنِيَّتُهُhis death للناسِfor people مَوعِظةًan admonition
كانت مَنِيَّتُهُ للناسِ مَوعِظةً
إذfor كانَhe was طَوْداًa mountain عظيماًmighty دَكَّهcrushed it القَدَرُfate
إذ كانَ طَوْداً عظيماً دَكَّه القَدَرُ
His death was an admonition to the people,
O people, the sleep has prolonged on an eye; the time has come for it to stay awake
For he was a mighty mountain laid low by fate.
Be not heedless in greed for life, and awake, for death waits at the doors
لمnot يحْمِهِprotect him الشَرَفُhonor الأعلىthe highest بجُرمتِهِin all its fullness
لم يحْمِهِ الشَرَفُ الأعلى بجُرمتِهِ
والآلُand kin والصَّحْبُand companions والأملاكُand possessions والبِدَرُand moneybags
والآلُ والصَّحْبُ والأملاكُ والبِدَرُ
His exalted rank, in all its fullness, did not protect him,
In each day, there are lessons for us from the dead; apparent, but would that lessons avail!
Nor kin, companions, possessions, or bags of money.
We are intoxicated with the deceitful life, never waking except when death rebukes
سارواthey walked بهِwith him فوقَupon نعشٍa bier بلَّdrenched حامِلَهُits bearer
ساروا بهِ فوقَ نعشٍ بلَّ حامِلَهُ
منfrom ماءِwater دَمعٍtears عليهِupon it كانَwas يَنحدِرُstreaming down
من ماءِ دَمعٍ عليهِ كانَ يَنحدِرُ
They bore him on a bier that drenched its bearer
Each one is duped until death, with no chance given to fulfill wishes
With tears that streamed down upon it,
Time has aged, and we grew old, while exuberant youth shows no trace of old age
حتىuntil أفاضواthey streamed forth إلىtoward أرضٍland مباركةٍblessed
حتى أفاضوا إلى أرضٍ مباركةٍ
تُتْلَىare recited بهاin it فوقَهُover him الأورادُlitanies والسُّوَرُand Qur'anic chapters
تُتْلَى بها فوقَهُ الأورادُ والسُّوَرُ
Until they streamed toward blessed ground,
O infatuated with it! If you have no experience, has not news reached you?
Where litanies and Qur'anic chapters are recited over him.
Every passion is harmful, said Muzawwaj; does a passion without harm exist?
حديقةٌa garden طَبَّقَتْهاcovered it النَّاسُpeople منfrom بَلَدٍa town
حديقةٌ طَبَّقَتْها النَّاسُ من بَلَدٍ
خلاbecame deserted فلمso did not يبقَremain فيin أبياتِهِits houses نَفَرُa group of people
خلا فلم يبقَ في أبياتِهِ نَفَرُ
A garden crowded with people from a town
Left deserted, with not a soul remaining in its houses.
طافواthey circled بتابوتِهِaround his coffin مثلَlike الحجيجِpilgrims بهاin it
طافوا بتابوتِهِ مثلَ الحجيجِ بها
كأنَّهاas though it were حَرَمٌa sanctuary فيin وَسْطهِits center الحَجَرُthe Stone
كأنَّها حَرَمٌ في وَسْطهِ الحَجَرُ
They circled his coffin there like pilgrims,
As though it were a sanctuary with the Stone at its center.
مضىhe departed إلىto رَبِّهِhis Lord الغَفَّارِthe All-Forgiving مُعتصِماًseeking refuge
مضى إلى رَبِّهِ الغَفَّارِ مُعتصِماً
بلُطفِهِin His kindness تحتَbeneath ذيلِthe hem العَفْوِof pardon يَستترُhe shelters himself
بلُطفِهِ تحتَ ذيلِ العَفْوِ يَستترُ
He departed to his Lord, the All-Forgiving, seeking refuge
In His kindness, sheltering beneath the hem of pardon.
وأقفَرَتْand became desolate منهُwithout him دارٌa house أظلَمتْgrew dark كَمَداًwith grief
وأقفَرَتْ منهُ دارٌ أظلَمتْ كَمَداً
حتىuntil استَوَىbecame alike فيin ذَراهاits heights الليلُnight والسَحرُand the predawn hour
حتى استَوَى في ذَراها الليلُ والسَحرُ
And a house, desolate without him, grew dark with grief,
Until night and the predawn hour were alike upon its heights.
ياO أيُّهاyou النَّاسُpeople قدindeed طالَhas lasted long الرُّقادُslumber علىupon
يا أيُّها النَّاسُ قد طالَ الرُّقادُ على
عينٍan eye لَقدindeed حانَthe time has come أنْthat يَنتْابَهاvisit it السَهَرُwakefulness
عينٍ لَقد حانَ أنْ يَنتْابَها السَهَرُ
O people, slumber has long lain upon
An eye; surely it is time for wakefulness to visit it.
لاdo not تَغفُلواbe heedless طَمَعَاًout of longing فيfor العيشِlife وانتَبِهواand awaken
لا تَغفُلوا طَمَعَاً في العيشِ وانتَبِهوا
إنَّindeed المناياdeaths علىat الأبوابِthe doors تنتظِرُare waiting
إنَّ المنايا على الأبوابِ تنتظِرُ
Do not be heedless in your longing for life; awaken!
For deaths are waiting at the doors.
فيin كلِّevery يومٍday منَfrom المَوتىthe dead لناfor us عِبَرٌlessons
في كلِّ يومٍ منَ المَوتى لنا عِبَرٌ
تبدوappear وياand oh حَبَّذاhow good لوif only تَنفْعُare useful العِبَرُthe lessons
تبدو ويا حَبَّذا لو تَنفْعُ العِبَرُ
Every day we have lessons from the dead
That appear—and oh, if only those lessons were of use!
قُمناwe stood علىupon سَكْرَةِthe intoxication الدُّنياthe world الغَرُورِdeceitful فماand so not
قُمنا على سَكْرَةِ الدُّنيا الغَرُورِ فما
نُفيقُwe come to our senses إلاّexcept وداعيwhile the summoner الموتِof death يَنتهِرُshouts in rebuke
نُفيقُ إلاّ وداعي الموتِ يَنتهِرُ
We stand amid the stupor of the deceitful world, and do not
Come to our senses until death's summoner cries out in rebuke.
كلٌّeveryone منَamong النَّاسِpeople يَهْواهاloves her فَتَخْدعُهُand so she deceives him
كلٌّ منَ النَّاسِ يَهْواها فَتَخْدعُهُ
حتىuntil يَموتَhe dies ولاand not يُقضَىis fulfilled لهُfor him وَطَرُa desire
حتى يَموتَ ولا يُقضَى لهُ وَطَرُ
Everyone loves her, and she deceives him,
Until he dies, with no desire of his fulfilled.
شابَgrew gray الزَّمانُtime وشِبناand we grew gray وَهْيَwhile she يافعةٌyoung
شابَ الزَّمانُ وشِبنا وَهْيَ يافعةٌ
لمnot يَبدُappear للشَّيبِof gray hair فيin فَرْعٍa lock of hair لهاof hers أثَرُa trace
لم يَبدُ للشَّيبِ في فَرْعٍ لها أثَرُ
Time has grown gray, and so have we, while she remains young;
No trace of gray has appeared in her tresses.
ياO مُغرَمينَthose enamored بهاof her إنif لمnot يكُنْthere is لكُمُfor you
يا مُغرَمينَ بها إن لم يكُنْ لكُمُ
خُبْرٌexperience فهلthen has...? لمnot يأتِكمreached you خَبَرُnews
خُبْرٌ فهل لم يأتِكم خَبَرُ
O you enamored of her, if you have no
Experience, has no news reached you?
كلُّall الغَرامِpassion مُضِرٌّharmful قالَsaid مُزدَوجاًin doubled form
كلُّ الغَرامِ مُضِرٌّ قالَ مُزدَوجاً
تأريخُهُhis chronogram هلis there...? غَرامٌpassion ماnot لهُit has ضَرَرُharm
تأريخُهُ هل غَرامٌ ما لهُ ضَرَرُ
All passion is harmful; in doubled form spoke
His chronogram: "Is there passion without harm?"
Partial English translation: 24 of 48 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1