مَحا نورَ النَواظِرِ وَالعُقولِ
أُفولُكَ وَالبُدورُ إِلى أُفولِ
The light of eyes and minds was effaced
The light of sights and minds has faded,
by your setting—and full moons are bound to set.
Your sunset, and stars setting into sunset,
وَمِن جَلَلِ الخُطوبِ نَعِيُّ ناعٍ
أَتانا عَنكَ بِالخَطبِ الجَليلِ
Among the gravest calamities was a herald's death announcement
And from the gravity of events a mourner laments,
that reached us about you, bearing the grievous calamity.
Bringing us tremendous news of you,
هُوَ النَبَأُ العَظيمُ وَكَم بِأَرضِ
أُسيلَ دَمٌ عَلى خَدٍّ أَسيلِ
It is the momentous news; and how often, somewhere on earth,
It is grave news, and how much blood
has blood been made to flow upon a smooth cheek!
Has flowed down cheeks made to flow,
أَيَومَ مُحَمَّدٍ لَم تُبقِ سُؤلاً
وَلا أَمَلاً لِذي أَمَلٍ وَسولِ
O day of Muhammad, you left no wish
O days of Mohammed, you left no hopes,
nor any hope for one with hope and desire.
Nor aspirations for the hopeful and determined,
فَكَم أَذلَلتَ مِن رَجُلٍ عَزيزٍ
وَكَم أَعزَزتَ مِن رَجُلٍ ذَليلِ
How many a mighty man you brought low,
How many a mighty man you have humbled,
and how many a lowly man you raised high!
And how many a lowly man you have empowered,
وَلَم يَكُ سَيِّداً لَو كانَ قَيلاً
تُغَضُّ لَدَيهِ أَبصارُ القُيولِ
Nor would he have been a lord, even had he been a king
And he would not be a master had he been said to be,
before whom the eyes of kings were lowered.
Before whom the sights of the resolute are downcast,
وَما راحَت بِهِ النَكباءُ حَتّى
دَعا داعي المَكارِمِ بِالرَحيلِ
And the crosswind did not carry him away until
And misfortune did not ease until,
the herald of noble deeds called for departure.
The caller to nobility bid farewell,
وَكَم مِن حُرِّ وَجهٍ فاطِمِيٍّ
جَلَوتَ وَكانَ كَالرَسمِ المُحيلِ
And how many a noble face of Fatimah's line
And how many a free Fatimid face,
you brightened, when it had been like a weathered ruin;
You have exposed, though it seemed ideal,
وَمِن عَظمٍ كَسيرٍ أَبطَحِيٍّ
جَبَرتَ بِنائِلٍ غَمرٍ جَزيلِ
and many a broken bone of an Abtahi
And from great monuments, you have demolished,
you mended with abundant, lavish bounty.
With floods pouring heavily,
أَعَينَ السَلسَبيلِ سَقاكِ جوداً
كَجودِكِ مِن عُيونِ السَلسَبيلِ
O spring of Salsabil, may you be watered with bounty
The eyes of Salsabil have quenched you with generosity,
like your own, from the springs of Salsabil.
Like your generosity from the springs of Salsabil,
عَدَتكَ مَحَبَّةٌ زادَتكَ حُبّاً
إِلى الصَلَواتِ وَالسُنَنِ العُدولِ
A love drew you away, making you dearer
Affection for you increased your love,
to prayers and upright ways.
For prayers and exemplary traditions,
وَلَمّا لَم نَجِد دَرَكاً لِثاوٍ
وَجَلَّ المَوتُ عَن طَلَبِ الذُحولِ
And when we found no way to recover the one laid to rest,
And when we found no cure for one who passes away,
and death lay beyond the pursuit of vengeance,
And death kept clear of seeking the vanished,
رَدَدنا البيضَ في الأَغمادِ يَأساً
وَأَطلَقنا المَدامِعَ لِلغَليلِ
we returned the gleaming swords to their sheaths in despair,
We sheathed the swords in sorrow,
and let our tears loose to quench our burning grief.
And let tears flow in anguish,
وَرُحنا حَولَ شَرجَعِهِ كَأَنّا
نَشاوى رائِحونَ مِنَ الشُمولِ
And we went around his bier as though we were
And we gathered around his deathbed as if,
drunk, coming away from wine.
We were inhaling fragrance wafting from musk,
نَغُضُّ لَهُ النَواظِرَ وَهوَ مَيتٌ
لِهَيبَتِهِ وَنُخفِضُ مِن عَويلِ
We lower our eyes before him, though he is dead,
We avert our sights from him though dead,
in awe of him, and quiet our wailing,
Out of reverence, stifling our wailing,
حَياءً مِن صَنائِعِهِ اللَواتي
أَخَذنَ لَهُ مَواثيقَ العُقولِ
out of modesty before his favors, which
Shy because of his achievements which,
secured for him the solemn pledges of our minds.
Took pledges of minds,
Sol 6.1