إِنّما الدّنيا فَناءٌ
قَد نَأى عَنها البقاءُ
This world is fleeting,
Eternity has departed from it.
لَم يَكُن فيها اِرتِياحٌ
إِنّما فيها العَناءُ
There is no comfort in it,
Only sorrow remains.
لَم تَكُن تَحفَظُ ودّاً
لم يُفِد منها الإخاءُ
It did not keep its promises,
Kinship was of no use.
طبعُها نقضُ عُهودٍ
ما لها يوماً وفاءُ
Its nature is to break covenants,
It is never faithful.
غدرُها داءٌ عُضالٌ
ما له فيها دَواءُ
Its betrayal is an incurable disease,
There is no cure for it.
فِعلُها مَكرٌ وخدْعٌ
ونفاقٌ ورِياءُ
Its actions are deceit and guile
Hypocrisy and pretense.
صَفْوُها الأكدار دوماً
أينَ لي فيها الصّفاءُ
Its essence is always murky,
Where is clarity found?
عَيشُها همٌّ وغمٌّ
وكُروبٌ وبَلاءُ
Its life is anxiety and sorrow,
Distress and tribulation.
حُلوةٌ تخضرُّ عَيشاً
طعمُه فيه الأذاءُ
A sweetness that turns life bitter,
Affliction is its flavor.
كُلَّما فيها ضَحِكنا
أَعقَبَ الضحكَ البُكاءُ
Whenever we laugh in it,
Sorrow follows the laughter.
لم يدُمْ فيها سُرورٌ
لم يدُم فيها هناءُ
No joy endures within it,
No bliss remains.
لَم يَدُم فيها اِفتِقارٌ
لم يدم فيها غناءُ
Neither poverty nor riches last,
Neither song nor wail.
لَم يَدُم فيها اِجتِماعٌ
لَم يَدُم فيها اِلتِقاءُ
No company remains stable,
No union endures.
فهيَ لا شكَّ فِراقٌ
وبِعادٌ وجَفاءُ
Without doubt it is separation
And distance and disdain.
وهي لا شكَّ مَجازٌ
ما لنا فيه اِستِواءُ
It is unquestionably a mirage,
We have no equality in it.
عُمرُنا فيها قصيرٌ
ما له فيه ثَواءُ
Our lives in it are short,
We find no shelter.
إِنّهُ لو طالَ فيها
لَصَباحٌ أو مساءُ
If we live long in it,
It is but morn or eve.
جَيشُها كانَ المَنايا
شَأنُهُ فينا الغَزاءُ
Its troops are always death,
Its business with us is to raid.
لا تُضاهيها أسودٌ
لو بَدا منها اِجتِراءُ
No calamity equals it,
Though it boasts of providing refuge.
فَلَها الآسادُ تخشى
إذ لها فيها السّطاءُ
It is the lion feared,
For its hunting ground is right here.
ما نجا منها عَظيمٌ
أينَ ينجو العظماءُ
No great man survives it,
Where do the exalted escape?
كم مليكٍ صرَعتهُ
ما له فيها فِداءُ
How many kings has it laid low?
Who can afford its ransom?
كم كريمٍ أخذتهُ
ظلَّ يبكيه السّخاءُ
How many nobles has it seized,
As generosity weeps over them?
فَجعَتنا بِكَريمٍ
فيه تسمو الكُرَماءُ
It saddened us with the loss of the generous,
The very best of people.
فَجعَتنا بأديبٍ
عَنهُ تَروي الأُدَباءُ
It saddened us with the loss of the learned,
Whom scholars narrate.
فَجعتنا بِشَريفٍ
فيهِ تَعلو الشّرفاءُ
It saddened us with the loss of the honorable,
The very best of nobles.
فَجعتنا ببليغٍ
منه تعيا البُلَغاءُ
It saddened us with the loss of the eloquent,
The masters of rhetoric.
كانَ في الدّنيا كَشَمسٍ
عمَّها منه الضياءُ
He was a sun whose brilliance
Illuminated the world.
اِبنُ نصّارٍ وأَنعِمْ
مَنْ بهم طابَ الثّناءُ
The son of Nasser was a blessing,
Through him praise became sublime.
فَهوَ ذو العَلياءِ يَحيا
مَن به يحيا العلاءُ
He lives on in the exalted,
Through him the lofty endure.
عَينُ صَيدا وحَلاها
وَلَها فيهِ اِعتِلاءُ
The pride of Sidon and its glory,
It rises high because of him.
وَهوَ بَدرٌ فيهِ كانَتْ
تغبِطُ الأرضَ السماءُ
A full moon whose light
Made heavens envy the earth.
مَنْ له عِزٌّ وفخرٌ
مَن لَهُ المجدُ رداءُ
The possessor of glory and pride,
Garbed in majesty.
وكَمالٌ وجمالٌ
وجلالٌ وبهاءُ
Perfection, beauty,
Splendor and brilliance were his.
وله حِلمٌ وحزمٌ
ثُمَّ عَزمٌ ومضاءُ
Forbearance, wisdom,
Resolution and zeal were his.
وسخاءٌ وعطاءٌ
ووقارٌ وحياءُ
Generosity and giving,
Dignity and modesty were his.
حينَ أَودى وَعَلِمنا
فَبِنا ضاقَ الفضاءُ
When he passed away we knew
The earth narrowed around us.
وَبَكَيناه دُموعاً
هيَ لا شكّ دماءُ
We shed copious tears,
They were undoubtedly blood.
لَم يَكُن يُجدي بكاءٌ
ليتَه يُجدي البكاءُ
Crying was of no use,
If only crying could avail!
مَوتُهُ خَطْبٌ عظيمٌ
عمّنا فيه البلاءُ
His death was a grave calamity,
Afflicting us with tribulation.
لَيتَه قَد كانَ يحيا
وبه يحيا الهناءُ
Would that he lived on,
And through him bliss endured!
لَيتَه قَد كانَ يُفدى
وَلَهُ الدّنيا فِداءُ
Would that he could be ransomed,
The whole world his price!
هَل لِمَوتٍ مِن شِفاءٍ
لَيسَ لِلمَوتِ شِفاءُ
Can death be cured?
Death has no remedy.
رَبِّ صَبراً وَرِضاءً
بِالّذي يَقضي القضاءُ
Lord, grant us patience and acceptance
Of that which You decree.
رَبِّ أَجراً في مُصابٍ
ما لَنا عَنهُ عَزاءُ
Lord, grant us reward in this affliction,
We have no consolation.
رَبِّ وَاِمْنَحْهُ نَعيماً
ما لَهُ مِنكَ اِنقِضاءُ
Lord, grant him bliss,
From You it will not diminish.
وَعَليهِ مِنكَ فَضلاً
رَحماتٌ ورِضاءُ
Lord, grant him favor from You,
Mercy and acceptance.
كُلّما جاءَ صَباحٌ
ظَلَّ يَتلوهُ المَساءُ
As each morn arrives,
Eve follows it evermore.
