نجمa star بداappeared فأضاءand so illuminated الشرقthe East ثمthen هوىfell
نجم بدا فأضاء الشرق ثم هوى
فيin الغربthe West ياO منyou who رأىsaw نجمthe star of الجلالmajesty خباfaded
في الغرب يا من رأى نجم الجلال خبا
A star appeared, lit up the East, and then fell.
A star appeared, illuminated the East, then fell
In the West—O you who saw the star of majesty fade.
In the West—O you who saw the star of majesty fade!
خطبa calamity لهat which ارتجtrembled غربthe west of الأرضthe earth اجمعهall of it
خطب له ارتج غرب الأرض اجمعه
وزلزلand shook الشرقthe East حتىuntil الصبحdawn صارbecame دجىdarkness
وزلزل الشرق حتى الصبح صار دجى
A calamity that made the whole land of the West convulse,
A calamity that made the whole western world tremble,
and shook the East until morning turned to darkness.
And shook the East until dawn became darkness.
نعىannounced the death of لناto us اشأمthe most ill-omened الناعينdeath-announcers خيرthe finest فتىyoung man
نعى لنا اشأم الناعين خير فتى
فهلso did درىhe know أيwhich امالhopes of الأنامhumankind نعىhe pronounced dead
فهل درى أي امال الأنام نعى
The most ill-omened of mourners announced to us the best of young men;
The most ill-omened herald announced to us the finest young man's death.
did he know what leader of humankind he mourned?
Did he then know which hopes of humankind he pronounced dead?
وأويلهاand alas for it كلمةa word وأويلand alas for قائلهاits speaker
وأويلها كلمة وأويل قائلها
ملكking of العراقIraq وملكand king of الشامal-Sham قبلpreviously قضىdied
ملك العراق وملك الشام قبل قضى
Woe for that word—and woe for the one who uttered it:
Alas for that word, and alas for its speaker:
Iraq’s king, who had ruled Syria before, was dead.
The king of Iraq, and previously king of al-Sham, has died.
ياO فيصلFaisal الملكthe king بلrather ياO فيصلFaisal العربthe Arabs الthe (continues next line)
يا فيصل الملك بل يا فيصل العرب ال
غانيfree of need عنfor النعتan epithet مهماhowever much فيamong النعوتthe epithets سماrose high
غاني عن النعت مهما في النعوت سما
O Faisal the king—rather, O Faisal of the Arabs, the one
O King Faisal—rather, O Faisal of the Arabs,
beyond need of praise, however high praises may soar.
Needing no epithet, however lofty the epithets may be!
ألستare you not أشجعthe bravest منthose who أصمىstruck dead وأكرمand the most generous منthose who
ألست أشجع من أصمى وأكرم من
أعطىgave وأشرفand the noblest منthose who قدhave سادناruled us ورعىand cared for us
أعطى وأشرف من قد سادنا ورعى
Were you not the bravest of those who struck true, the most generous of those
Are you not the bravest of those who strike dead, and the most generous of those
who gave, and the noblest of those who ruled and shepherded us?
Who give, and the noblest of those who have ruled and cared for us?
جددتyou renewed للعربfor the Arabs مجداa glory قدalready بناهbuilt it لناfor us
جددت للعرب مجدا قد بناه لنا
آباؤكyour forefathers الغرthe illustrious فوقabove الفرقدينthe two Farqad stars علاrose high
آباؤك الغر فوق الفرقدين علا
You renewed for the Arabs a glory built for us by
You renewed for the Arabs a glory already built for us
your illustrious forefathers—a glory that rose above the two Farqad stars.
By your illustrious forefathers; it rose above the two Farqad stars.
منwho ذاis it that يدانيكrivals you فيin أصلlineage سموتyou rose high بهthrough it
من ذا يدانيك في أصل سموت به
ياO ابنson of الحسينal-Husayn إذاwhen سوقthe market of الفخارglory غلاgrew dear
يا ابن الحسين إذا سوق الفخار غلا
Who could rival you in the lineage through which you rose,
Who can rival you in the lineage through which you rose,
O son of al-Husayn, when pride’s market runs dear?
O son of al-Husayn, when glory's market grows dear?
منwho للقبائلfor the tribes ينهاهاrestrains them ويأمرهاand commands them
من للقبائل ينهاها ويأمرها
فيin الروعterror أوor منwho للمfor gathering الشعثthe scattered بعدوغىafter battle
في الروع أو من للم الشعث بعدوغى
Who now will restrain the tribes and command them
Who is there for the tribes, to restrain and command them
amid terror—or gather the scattered after battle?
In terror—or who will gather the scattered after battle?
ومنand who لحزمfor resolve وحلمand forbearance يومon a day of معضلةcrisis
ومن لحزم وحلم يوم معضلة
يفرجrelieves الأمرthe trouble حتىuntil لنيwill not (with verb beginning) كونbe (word ending) اذىharm
يفرج الأمر حتى لني كون اذى
Who now has firm resolve and forbearance on a day of crisis,
And who will bring resolve and forbearance on a day of crisis,
bringing relief until even what causes hurt grows mild?
To ease the trouble until no harm remains?
ومنand who لجمعto unite هوىthe desires of الاحزابthe parties نافرةat odds
ومن لجمع هوى الاحزاب نافرة
مذsince أعلنhe proclaimed الحكمrule بالشورىby consultation فكانand so became رقىhealing charms
مذ أعلن الحكم بالشورى فكان رقى
Who will unite the factions, their passions estranged,
And who will unite the desires of parties at odds,
after he proclaimed rule through consultation, and it brought advancement?
Since he proclaimed consultative rule, which worked like healing charms?
ومنand who لضبطto manage أمورthe affairs of الملكthe realm فيin زمنa time
ومن لضبط أمور الملك في زمن
للطامعينthe covetous have احتيالاتschemes تعدare deemed دهىfeats of cunning
للطامعين احتيالات تعد دهى
Who will set the kingdom’s affairs in order at a time
And who will manage the realm's affairs in a time
when the covetous nurse designs counted among calamities?
When the covetous have schemes deemed feats of cunning?
ذاكthat المليكsovereign الذيwhose ترضىis approved حكومتهhis rule
ذاك المليك الذي ترضى حكومته
أرضىpleased الملوكthe kings وأرضىand pleased منthose who دناcame near ونأىand went far away
أرضى الملوك وأرضى من دنا ونأى
That sovereign whose government gave satisfaction
That sovereign whose rule won approval
pleased kings and pleased all who drew near or stayed afar.
Pleased kings and pleased those near and far.
منhe who زالwent away يركبrides متنthe back of الريحthe wind مجتهداstriving earnestly
من زال يركب متن الريح مجتهدا
يسعىstrives لعمرانfor developing ذاكthat الملكrealm دونwithout وناweariness
يسعى لعمران ذاك الملك دون ونا
He departed, riding on the wind’s back, striving,
He who went forth, riding the wind's back in earnest,
laboring tirelessly for that kingdom’s flourishing,
Striving to develop that realm, without flagging,
يذيبmelts away جوهرthe essence of جسمa body ليسdoes not يقعدهhold him back
يذيب جوهر جسم ليس يقعده
عنfrom رفعةthe exaltation of العربthe Arabs سيرtravel مهلكruinous وسرىand night travel
عن رفعة العرب سير مهلك وسرى
wearing away his body’s very substance; neither
Melted away his body's essence, yet was not held back
deadly travel nor night journey kept him from raising up the Arabs,
From exalting the Arabs by ruinous journeys or travel by night.
حتىuntil استقرhe settled بأرضin a land يستعينseeks help بهاthrough it
حتى استقر بأرض يستعين بها
علىfor الشفاءhealing فكانand so was الحتفdeath شردواthe worst remedy
على الشفاء فكان الحتف شردوا
until he settled in a land whose aid he sought
Until he settled in a land whose help he sought
for healing—but death proved the worst medicine.
For healing—but death proved the worst remedy.
فيin ذمةthe keeping of اللهGod ياO فردpeerless one in الصلاحgoodness فقدfor indeed
في ذمة الله يا فرد الصلاح فقد
تركتyou left للشرقfor the East منfrom ذكراكyour memory أيwhat wondrous شذاfragrance
تركت للشرق من ذكراك أي شذا
In God’s keeping, O peerless righteous one: you have
In God's keeping, O peerless one in goodness, for you have
left the East—what fragrance your memory bears!
Left the East such fragrance from your memory!
فيin ذمةthe keeping of اللهGod ياO فرعscion of النبوةprophethood أخbeginning of 'virtues'
في ذمة الله يا فرع النبوة أخ
لاقاending of 'virtues' هيthey are الجوهرthe essence الاسمىthe loftiest صفاclarity ونقاand purity
لاقا هي الجوهر الاسمى صفا ونقا
In God’s keeping, O scion of Prophecy, whose virtues
In God's keeping, O scion of prophethood, whose virtues
were the loftiest jewel, pure and refined.
Are the loftiest essence in clarity and purity.
ليسis not العراقIraq بباكweeping وحدهalone ابداever
ليس العراق بباك وحده ابدا
حتىuntil يكونbe اخوهits brother الشامal-Sham قبلbeforehand بكىwept
حتى يكون اخوه الشام قبل بكى
Iraq alone is not forever to weep;
Iraq will never weep alone,
its brother Syria had already wept before it.
Without its brother al-Sham having wept before it.
ياO عنصرessence of اللطفgentleness سورياSyria بأجمعهاin its entirety
يا عنصر اللطف سوريا بأجمعها
تبكيكweeps for you معربةexpressing عماabout what تكنshe harbors ولاloyalty
تبكيك معربة عما تكن ولا
O essence of grace, all Syria
O essence of gentleness, all of Syria
weeps for you, giving voice to what she holds within. And
Mourns you, voicing the loyalty she holds within.
ماnot أنthat ملكتهماyou ruled them both حتىuntil ملكتyou won معاat once
ما أن ملكتهما حتى ملكت معا
قلوبthe hearts of أهليهماboth their peoples عفواspontaneously بغيرwithout عناtoil
قلوب أهليهما عفوا بغير عنا
no sooner had you ruled her than together you won
No sooner had you ruled them both than you won, at once,
the hearts of both their peoples—freely, without toil.
The hearts of both their peoples, freely and without toil.
ياO قبرgrave ياO قبرgrave انif ضنwere sparing الصحابthe companions علىtoward
يا قبر يا قبر ان ضن الصحاب على
بغدادBaghdad سقاكwaters you دمعtears هاطلpouring كحياlike rain
بغداد سقاك دمع هاطل كحيا
O grave, O grave, if companions begrudge Baghdad their tears,
O grave, O grave, if the companions are sparing toward
Baghdad’s own pouring tears will water you like life-giving rain.
Baghdad, pouring tears will water you like rain.
ياO كعبةKaaba of العربthe Arabs أنىwhatever كانwas مذهبهمtheir creed
يا كعبة العرب أنى كان مذهبهم
لديكbefore you يخشعbows humbly منwhoever هابrevered النداgenerosity ودعاand prayed
لديك يخشع من هاب الندا ودعا
O Kaaba of the Arabs, whatever their path may be,
O Kaaba of the Arabs, whatever their creed,
before you bows whoever stands in awe of munificence and prays.
Before you bows humbly whoever revered generosity and prayed.
وأنتمand you قومpeople of إسماعيلIshmael لاnot برحتcease
وأنتم قوم إسماعيل لا برحت
مسعاتكمyour striving للعلاfor greatness فيamong العالمينthe worlds أساexamples to follow
مسعاتكم للعلا في العالمين أسا
And you, people of Ishmael, may
And you, people of Ishmael—may there forever endure
your strivings for glory remain a model throughout the worlds.
Your striving for greatness, an example among the worlds.
حجواmake pilgrimage إليهاto it وطوفواand circle بالضريحaround the tomb عسىmay
حجوا إليها وطوفوا بالضريح عسى
ذكراهhis memory انthat تسعدgladden الامالthe hopes فيناwithin us عسىmay it be so
ذكراه ان تسعد الامال فينا عسى
Make pilgrimage to it and circle the tomb—perhaps
Make pilgrimage to it and circle the tomb; may
his memory may make our hopes prosper; perhaps.
His memory gladden the hopes within us—may it!
وليسلمand may be safe الملكthe king الغازيGhazi ودولتهُand his state
وليسلم الملك الغازي ودولتهُ
لاmay not خابfail للعربfor the Arabs سعيstriving صالحworthy ورجاand hope
لا خاب للعرب سعي صالح ورجا
And may King Ghazi and his realm endure in safety;
And may King Ghazi and his state be safe;
may the Arabs’ righteous endeavor and hope never fail.
May the Arabs' worthy striving and hope never fail.
Sol 6.1