نجم بدا فأضاء الشرق ثم هوى
في الغرب يا من رأى نجم الجلال خبا
A star appeared, lit up the East, and then fell.
In the West—O you who saw the star of majesty fade.
خطب له ارتج غرب الأرض اجمعه
وزلزل الشرق حتى الصبح صار دجى
A calamity that made the whole land of the West convulse,
and shook the East until morning turned to darkness.
نعى لنا اشأم الناعين خير فتى
فهل درى أي امال الأنام نعى
The most ill-omened of mourners announced to us the best of young men;
did he know what leader of humankind he mourned?
وأويلها كلمة وأويل قائلها
ملك العراق وملك الشام قبل قضى
Woe for that word—and woe for the one who uttered it:
Iraq’s king, who had ruled Syria before, was dead.
يا فيصل الملك بل يا فيصل العرب ال
غاني عن النعت مهما في النعوت سما
O Faisal the king—rather, O Faisal of the Arabs, the one
beyond need of praise, however high praises may soar.
ألست أشجع من أصمى وأكرم من
أعطى وأشرف من قد سادنا ورعى
Were you not the bravest of those who struck true, the most generous of those
who gave, and the noblest of those who ruled and shepherded us?
جددت للعرب مجدا قد بناه لنا
آباؤك الغر فوق الفرقدين علا
You renewed for the Arabs a glory built for us by
your illustrious forefathers—a glory that rose above the two Farqad stars.
من ذا يدانيك في أصل سموت به
يا ابن الحسين إذا سوق الفخار غلا
Who could rival you in the lineage through which you rose,
O son of al-Husayn, when pride’s market runs dear?
من للقبائل ينهاها ويأمرها
في الروع أو من للم الشعث بعدوغى
Who now will restrain the tribes and command them
amid terror—or gather the scattered after battle?
ومن لحزم وحلم يوم معضلة
يفرج الأمر حتى لني كون اذى
Who now has firm resolve and forbearance on a day of crisis,
bringing relief until even what causes hurt grows mild?
ومن لجمع هوى الاحزاب نافرة
مذ أعلن الحكم بالشورى فكان رقى
Who will unite the factions, their passions estranged,
after he proclaimed rule through consultation, and it brought advancement?
ومن لضبط أمور الملك في زمن
للطامعين احتيالات تعد دهى
Who will set the kingdom’s affairs in order at a time
when the covetous nurse designs counted among calamities?
ذاك المليك الذي ترضى حكومته
أرضى الملوك وأرضى من دنا ونأى
That sovereign whose government gave satisfaction
pleased kings and pleased all who drew near or stayed afar.
من زال يركب متن الريح مجتهدا
يسعى لعمران ذاك الملك دون ونا
He departed, riding on the wind’s back, striving,
laboring tirelessly for that kingdom’s flourishing,
يذيب جوهر جسم ليس يقعده
عن رفعة العرب سير مهلك وسرى
wearing away his body’s very substance; neither
deadly travel nor night journey kept him from raising up the Arabs,
حتى استقر بأرض يستعين بها
على الشفاء فكان الحتف شردوا
until he settled in a land whose aid he sought
for healing—but death proved the worst medicine.
في ذمة الله يا فرد الصلاح فقد
تركت للشرق من ذكراك أي شذا
In God’s keeping, O peerless righteous one: you have
left the East—what fragrance your memory bears!
في ذمة الله يا فرع النبوة أخ
لاقا هي الجوهر الاسمى صفا ونقا
In God’s keeping, O scion of Prophecy, whose virtues
were the loftiest jewel, pure and refined.
ليس العراق بباك وحده ابدا
حتى يكون اخوه الشام قبل بكى
Iraq alone is not forever to weep;
its brother Syria had already wept before it.
يا عنصر اللطف سوريا بأجمعها
تبكيك معربة عما تكن ولا
O essence of grace, all Syria
weeps for you, giving voice to what she holds within. And
ما أن ملكتهما حتى ملكت معا
قلوب أهليهما عفوا بغير عنا
no sooner had you ruled her than together you won
the hearts of both their peoples—freely, without toil.
يا قبر يا قبر ان ضن الصحاب على
بغداد سقاك دمع هاطل كحيا
O grave, O grave, if companions begrudge Baghdad their tears,
Baghdad’s own pouring tears will water you like life-giving rain.
يا كعبة العرب أنى كان مذهبهم
لديك يخشع من هاب الندا ودعا
O Kaaba of the Arabs, whatever their path may be,
before you bows whoever stands in awe of munificence and prays.
وأنتم قوم إسماعيل لا برحت
مسعاتكم للعلا في العالمين أسا
And you, people of Ishmael, may
your strivings for glory remain a model throughout the worlds.
حجوا إليها وطوفوا بالضريح عسى
ذكراه ان تسعد الامال فينا عسى
Make pilgrimage to it and circle the tomb—perhaps
his memory may make our hopes prosper; perhaps.
وليسلم الملك الغازي ودولتهُ
لا خاب للعرب سعي صالح ورجا
And may King Ghazi and his realm endure in safety;
may the Arabs’ righteous endeavor and hope never fail.
