إيهِ يا لَيلُ هَل شَهِدتَ المُصابا
كَيفَ يَنصَبُّ في النُفوسِ اِنصِبابا
O night, have you witnessed the calamity?
How it pours itself into souls.
بَلِّغِ المَشرِقَينِ قَبلَ اِنبِلاجِ الـ
ـصُبحِ أَنَّ الرَئيسَ وَلّى وَغابا
Tell the two Easts, before dawn breaks,
that the leader has departed and vanished.
وَاِنعَ لِلنَيِّراتِ سَعداً فَسَعدٌ
كانَ أَمضى في الأَرضِ مِنها شِهابا
Mourn Saad to the radiant stars—for Saad
flashed more swiftly across the earth than they.
قُدَّ يا لَيلُ مِن سَوادِكَ ثَوباً
لِلدَراري وَلِلضُحى جِلبابا
O night, cut from your blackness a garment
for the stars and for the morning light.
اُنسُجِ الحالِكاتِ مِنكَ نِقاباً
وَاِحبُ شَمسَ النَهارِ ذاكَ النِقابا
Weave from your darknesses a veil,
and make the face of day cherish that veil.
قُل لَها غابَ كَوكَبُ الأَرضِ في الأَر
ضِ فَغيبي عَنِ السَماءِ اِحتِجابا
Tell it: the earth’s star has set upon the earth,
so hide yourself from heaven, eclipsed.
وَاِلبَسيني عَلَيهِ ثَوبَ حِدادٍ
وَاِجلِسي لِلعَزاءِ فَالحُزنُ طابا
Put on mourning clothes for him,
and sit in condolence, for grief has come into its own.
أَينَ سَعدٌ فَذاكَ أَوَّلُ حَفلٍ
غابَ عَن صَدرِهِ وَعافَ الخِطابا
Where is Saad? This is the first assembly
whose chair he has left vacant, forsaking speech.
لَم يُعَوِّد جُنودَهُ يَومَ خَطبٍ
أَن يُنادى فَلا يَرُدُّ الجَوابا
His soldiers were never accustomed, on a momentous day,
to call him and receive no answer.
عَلَّ أَمراً قَد عاقَهُ عَلَّ سُقماً
قَد عَراهُ لَقَد أَطالَ الغِيابا
Perhaps some matter detained him—or an illness
befell him. How long his absence has grown!
أَي جُنودَ الرَئيسِ نادوا جِهاراً
فَإِذا لَم يُجِب فَشُقّوا الثِيابا
Soldiers of the leader, call aloud;
if he does not answer, tear your clothes.
إِنَّها النَكبَةُ الَّتي كُنتُ أَخشى
إِنَّها الساعَةُ الَّتي كُنتُ آبى
This is the catastrophe I always feared;
this is the hour I always dreaded.
إِنَّها اللَفظَةُ الَّتي تَنسِفُ الأَنـ
ـفُسَ نَسفاً وَتَفقُرُ الأَصلابا
This is the blast that sweeps souls away
utterly, and leaves minds impoverished.
ماتَ سَعدٌ لا كُنتِ يا ماتَ سَعدٌ
أَسِهاماً مَسمومَةً أَم حِرابا
Saad is dead—may you perish, words “Saad is dead”!
Are you poisoned arrows, or spears?
كَيفَ أَقصَدتِ كُلَّ حَيٍّ عَلى الأَر
ضِ وَأَحدَثتِ في الوُجودِ اِنقِلابا
How you struck down every living thing on earth
and brought upheaval into existence!
حَسرَةٌ عِندَ أَنَّةٍ عِندَ آهٍ
تَحتَها زَفرَةٌ تُذيبُ الصِلابا
A pang in every nation, and a cry
seized by a sigh that melts the hardest stone.
قُل لِمَن باتَ في فِلِسطينَ يَبكي
إِنَّ زِلزالَنا أَجَلُّ مُصابا
Tell whoever spends the night weeping in Palestine:
our earthquake is the greater affliction.
قَد دُهيتُم في دورِكُم وَدُهينا
في نُفوسٍ أَبَينَ إِلّا اِحتِسابا
You were struck within your homes, and we were struck
within souls that accept nothing but patient reckoning.
فَفَقَدتُم عَلى الحَوادِثِ جَفناً
وَفَقَدنا المُهَنَّدَ القِرضابا
You lost, amid disasters, a shield;
we lost the keen, trenchant sword.
سَلَّهُ رَبُّهُ زَماناً فَأَبلى
ثُمَّ ناداهُ رَبُّهُ فَأَجابا
His Lord granted him time and gave him respite;
then called him, and he answered.
قَدَرٌ شاءَ أَن يُزَلزِلَ مِصراً
فَتَغالى فَزَلزَلَ الأَلبابا
Fate wished to shake Egypt;
it rose high and shook every mind.
طاحَ بِالرَأسِ مِن رِجالاتِ مِصرٍ
وَتَخَطّى التُحوتَ وَالأَوشابا
Yesterday one of Egypt’s great men fell,
and death passed through thrones and doors.
وَالمَقاديرُ إِن رَمَت لا تُبالي
أَرُؤوساً تُصيبُ أَم أَذنابا
When the decrees of fate strike, they do not care
whether they hit heads or tails.
خَرَجَت أُمَّةٌ تُشَيِّعُ نَعشاً
قَد حَوى أُمَّةً وَبَحراً عُبابا
A nation came out to carry him in procession—
a bier containing a nation and a surging sea.
حَمَلوهُ عَلى المَدافِعِ لَمّا
أَعجَزَ الهامَ حَملُهُ وَالرِقابا
They bore him upon the cannons when
shoulders and necks were unable to bear him.
حالَ لَونُ الأَصيلِ وَالدَمعُ يَجري
شَفَقاً سائِلاً وَصُبحاً مُذابا
The sunset changed color, and tears ran—
liquid twilights, while his companions melted away.
وَسَها النيلُ عَن سُراهُ ذُهولاً
حينَ أَلفى الجُموعَ تَبكي اِنتِحابا
The Nile forgot its nightly course in bewilderment
when it found the crowds wailing.
ظَنَّ يا سَعدُ أَن يَرى مِهرَجاناً
فَرَأى مَأتَماً وَحَشداً عُجابا
Did it think Saad had come, or that it saw a festival?
It saw mourning rites and a tormented multitude.
لَم تَسُق مِثلَهُ فَراعينُ مِصرٍ
يَومَ كانوا لِأَهلِها أَربابا
Egypt’s pharaohs were never accorded the like,
even when they were lords among gods.
خَضَبَ الشيبُ شَيبَهُم بِسَوادٍ
وَمَحا البيضُ يَومَ مِتَّ الخِضابا
Old men dyed their whitened hair black,
and young faces lost their color when all dye failed.
وَاِستَهَلَّت سُحبُ البُكاءِ عَلى الوا
دي فَغَطَّت خَضراءَهُ وَاليَبابا
The clouds of weeping burst over the valley,
covering its green lands and its wastes.
ساقَت التَيمِسُ العَزاءَ إِلَينا
وَتَوَخَّت في مَدحِكَ الإِسهابا
The Thames sent its condolences to us,
while I sought ample speech in praising you.
لَم يَنُح جازِعٌ عَلَيكَ كَما نا
حَت وَلا أَطنَبَ المُحِبُّ وَحابى
My anguish for you did not keep me from lamenting,
nor do I manufacture praise or offer flattery.
وَاِعتِرافُ التاميزِ يا سَعدُ مِقيا
سٌ لِما نالَ نيلَنا وَأَصابا
Yet pride overtook me, O Saad, as I contemplated
what our Nile had attained and achieved.
يا كَبيرَ الفُؤادِ وَالنَفسِ وَالآ
مالِ أَينَ اِعتَزَمتَ عَنّا الذَهابا
O great in heart, in soul, and in aspiration,
where have you resolved to go from us?
كَيفَ نَنسى مَواقِفاً لَكَ فينا
كُنتَ فيها المَهيبَ لا الهَيّابا
How could we forget your stands among us,
when you inspired awe and never knew fear?
كُنتَ في مَيعَةِ الشَبابِ حُساماً
زادَ صَقلاً فِرِندُهُ حينَ شابا
In the first vigor of youth you were a sword;
age only polished it and made it keener.
لَم يُنازِلكَ قارِحُ القَومِ إِلّا
كُنتَ أَقوى يَداً وَأَعلى جَنابا
No seasoned champion ever challenged you
but yours was the stronger hand and loftier station.
عِظَمٌ لَو حَواهُ كِسرى أَنوشَر
وانَ يَوماً لَضاقَ عَنهُ إِهابا
A grandeur that the frame of Chosroes Anushirvan
could scarcely have contained within its skin;
وَمَضاءٌ يُريكَ حَدَّ قَضاءِ اللَ
هِ يَفري مَتناً وَيَحطِمُ نابا
and a resolve displaying the edge of God’s decree,
cleaving the back and smashing the fang.
قَد تَحَدَّيتَ قُوَّةً تَملَأُ المَعـ
ـمورَ مِن هَولِ بَطشِها إِرهابا
You challenged a power that fills the inhabited world
with terror at the violence of its might;
تَملِكُ البَرَّ وَالبِحارَ وَتَمشي
فَوقَ هامِ الوَرى وَتَجبي السَحابا
it owns land and sea and rises above
the heads of humankind, levying even the clouds.
لَم يُنَهنِه مِن عَزمِكَ السِجنُ وَالنَفـ
ـسُ وَساجَلتَها بِمِصرَ الضِرابا
Prison and exile never weakened your determination;
in Egypt you matched that power blow for blow.
سائِلوا سيشِلاً أَأَوجَسَ خَوفاً
وَسَلوا طارِقاً أَرامَ اِنسِحابا
Ask the prisoners, over whom fear stole;
ask the night visitor who wished to wail.
عَزمَةٌ لا يَصُدُّها عَن مَداها
ما يَصُدُّ السُيولَ تَغشى الهِضابا
A resolve no force could turn from its course,
just as mountains cannot halt the torrents.
لَيتَ سَعداً أَقامَ حَتّى يَرانا
كَيفَ نُعلي عَلى الأَساسِ القِبابا
You were not one to remain until you saw us
raising domes in honor of our bondage.
قَد كَشَفنا بِهَديِهِ كُلَّ خافٍ
وَحَسِبنا لِكُلِّ شَيءٍ حِسابا
Through your guidance we exposed every corruption
and reckoned every matter to its full account.
حُجَجُ المُبطِلينَ تَمضي سِراعاً
مِثلَما تُطلِعُ الكُؤوسُ الحَبابا
The plotters’ arguments vanished swiftly,
like bubbles rising in goblets.
حينَ قالَ اِنتَهَيتُ قُلنا بَدَأنا
نَحمِلُ العِبءَ وَحدَنا وَالصِعابا
When they said, “You are finished,” we answered, “We have begun;
we shall bear the burden and hardships alone.”
فَاِحجُبوا الشَمسَ وَاِحبِسوا الرَوحَ عَنّا
وَاِمنَعونا طَعامَنا وَالشَرابا
“Drag down the sun and imprison the spirit from us;
deny us food and drink.
وَاِستَشِفّوا يَقينَنا رَغمَ ما نَلـ
ـقى فَهَل تَلمَحونَ فيهِ اِرتِيابا
Then examine our certainty, despite all we suffer—
can you glimpse the least doubt within it?”
قَد مَلَكتُم فَمَ السَبيلِ عَلَينا
وَفَتَحتُم لِكُلِّ شَعواءَ بابا
You have gained dominion—but what path remains against us,
though you twist ropes for every people?
وَأَتَيتُم بِالحائِماتِ تَرامى
تَحمِلُ المَوتَ جاثِماً وَالخَرابا
You brought circling craft to keep watch,
carrying crouching death and ruin;
وَمَلَأتُم جَوانِبَ النيلِ وَعداً
وَوَعيداً وَرَحمَةً وَعَذابا
you filled the banks of the Nile with threats,
with promises, mercy, and torment.
هَل ظَفِرتُم مِنّا بِقَلبٍ أَبِيٍّ
أَو رَأَيتُم مِنّا إِلَيكُم مَثابا
Have you found in us anything but a proud heart?
Have you seen us return submissively to you?
لا تَقولوا خَلا العَرينُ فَفيهِ
أَلفُ لَيثٍ إِذا العَرينُ أَهابا
Do not say the lion’s den is empty: within it
are a thousand lions whenever the den calls.
فَاِجمَعوا كَيدَكُم وَروعوا حِماها
إِنَّ عِندَ العَرينِ أُسداً غِضابا
Gather all your schemes and terrorize its sanctuary;
beside that den stand wrathful lions.
جَزِعَ الشَرقُ كُلُّهُ لِعَظيمٍ
مَلَأَ الشَرقَ كُلَّهُ إِعجابا
The whole East drank in a mighty man
who filled the whole East with admiration.
عَلَّمَ الشامَ وَالعِراقَ وَنَجداً
كَيفَ يُحمى الحِمى إِذا الخَطبُ نابا
He taught Syria, Iraq, and Najd
how a homeland is defended when calamity strikes.
جَمَعَ الحَقَّ كُلَّهُ في كِتابٍ
وَاِستَثارَ الأُسودَ غاباً فَغابا
He gathered the whole truth into a book
and roused the lions, forest after forest.
وَمَشى يَحمِلُ اللِواءَ إِلى الحَـ
ـقِ وَيَتلو في الناسِ ذاكَ الكِتابا
He went carrying the banner into the assembly,
reciting that book among the people.
كُلَّما أَسدَلوا عَلَيهِ حِجاباً
مِن ظَلامٍ أَزالَ ذاكَ الحِجابا
Whenever they lowered a veil over him,
he removed that veil of darkness.
واقِفٌ في سَبيلِهِم أَينَ ساروا
عالِمٌ بِاِحتِيالِهِم أَينَ جابا
He stood in their path wherever they went,
knowing their devices wherever they roamed.
أَيُّ مَكرٍ يَدِقُّ عَن ذِهنِ سَعدٍ
أَيُّ خَتلٍ يُريغُ مِنهُ اِضطِرابا
What plot could escape Saad’s mind?
What scheme could throw him into confusion?
شاعَ في نَفسِهِ اليَقينُ فَوَقّا
هُ بِهِ اللَهُ عَثرَةً أَو تَبابا
Certainty filled his soul, and through it
God guarded him from stumbling and ruin.
عَجَزَت حيلَةُ الشِباكِ وَكانَ الـ
ـشَرقُ لِلصَيدِ مَغنَماً مُستَطابا
The schemers’ stratagems failed, though the East
had once been sweet and easy prey for them.
كُلَّما أَحكَموا بِأَرضِكَ فَخّاً
مِن فِخاخِ الدَهاءِ خابوا وَخابا
Whenever they laid a snare in your land—
one of cunning’s traps—they failed utterly.
أَو أَطاروا الحَمامَ يَوماً لِزَجلٍ
قابَلوا مِنكَ في السَماءِ عُقابا
Whenever they raised clamor over a sparrow,
they met an eagle in your sky.
تَقتُلُ الدَسَّ بِالصَراحَةِ قَتلاً
وَتُسَقّي مُنافِقَ القَومِ صابا
You killed intrigue outright with firmness
and made the hypocrite taste bitter poison.
وَتَرى الصِدقَ وَالصَراحَةَ ديناً
لا يَراهُ المُخالِفونَ صَوابا
You held truthfulness and candor as a creed,
though opponents did not deem them right.
تَعشَقُ الجَوَّ صافي اللَونِ صَحواً
وَالمُضِلّونَ يَعشَقونَ الضَبابا
You loved the air clear and bright,
while the misleaders loved the fog.
أَنتَ أَورَدتَنا مِنَ الماءِ عَذباً
وَأَراهُم قَد أَورَدونا السَرابا
You brought us to fresh, sweet water;
they brought us only to a mirage.
قَد جَمَعتَ الأَحزابَ حَولَكَ صَفّاً
وَنَظَمتَ الشُيوخَ وَالنُوّابا
You gathered the parties around you in one rank
and marshaled old men and young.
وَمَلَكتَ الزِمامَ وَاِحتَطتَ لِلغَيـ
ـبِ وَأَدرَكتَ بِالأَناةِ الطِلابا
You held the reins and took precautions for good;
through patience you attained the goal.
ثُمَّ خَلَّفتَ بِالكِنانَةِ أَبطا
لاً كُهولاً أَعِزَّةً وَشَبابا
You left in Egypt stalwart men—
dignified elders and young men—
قَد مَشى جَمعُهُم إِلى المَقصِدِ الأَس
مى يُغِذّونَ لِلوُصولِ الرِكابا
whose host has gone toward the loftiest aim,
mounting the steeds of union.
يَبتَنونَ العُلا يَشيدونَ مَجداً
يُسعِدونَ البَنينَ وَالأَعقابا
They seek the heights and hunt for glory,
bringing happiness to sons and descendants.
قَد بَلَوناكَ قاضِياً وَوَزيراً
وَرَئيساً وَمِدرَهاً خَلّابا
We saw you as judge and minister,
as president and masterful orator;
فَوَجَدناكَ مِن جَميعِ نَواحيـ
ـكَ عَظيماً مُوَفَّقاً غَلّابا
and found you, from every side,
mighty, successful, and triumphant.
لَم يَنَل حاسِدوكَ مِنكَ مُناهُم
لا وَلَم يُلصِقوا بِعَلياكَ عابا
Your enemies never gained their desire against you,
nor managed to fasten any blemish upon you.
نَم هَنيئاً فَقَد سَهِدتَ طَويلاً
وَسَئِمتَ السَقامَ وَالأَوصابا
Sleep in peace: long was your good fortune,
and you grew weary of sickness and pain.
كَم شَكَوتَ السُهادَ لي يَومَ كُنّا
بِالبَساتينِ نَستَعيدُ الشَبابا
How often you complained of sleepless nights,
while by day you endured their ache.
نَنهَبُ اللَهوَ غافِلَينَ وَكُنّا
نَحسَبُ الدَهرَ قَد أَنابَ وَتابا
God granted you to us unawares, and we thought
that time had relented and repented.
فَإِذا الرُزءُ كانَ مِنّا بِمَرمىً
وَإِذا حائِمُ الرَدى كانَ قابا
Then suddenly grief stood within bowshot,
and death’s barrier was close at hand.
حَرَمَتنا المَنونُ ذَيّالِكَ الوَجـ
ـهَ وَذاكَ الحِمى وَتِلكَ الرِحابا
Death deprived us of that face,
that sanctuary and those spacious courts.
وَسَجايا لَهُنَّ في النَفسِ رَوحٌ
يَعدِلُ الفَوزَ وَالدُعاءَ المُجابا
Yet its grace remained within the soul—a spirit
equal to victory and to answered prayer.
كَم وَرَدنا مَوارِدَ الأُنسِ مِنها
وَرَشَفنا سُلافَها وَالرُضابا
How often we reached sources of companionship there
and sipped their vintage and sweetness.
وَمَرَحنا في ساحِها فَنَسينا الـ
ـأَهلَ وَالأَصدِقاءَ وَالأَحبابا
We delighted in its courtyard and forgot
family, friends, and loved ones.
ثُمَّ وَلَّت بَشاشَةُ العَيشِ عَنّا
حينَ ساروا فَوَسَّدوكَ التُرابا
Then the joys of life turned away from us
when we went forth and laid you in the dust.
خِفتَ فينا مَقامَ رَبِّكَ حَيّاً
فَتَنَظَّر بِجَنَّتَيهِ الثَوابا
You left among us a station your Lord keeps alive;
so await, within His gardens, your reward.
