لحىmay curse اللَّهGod دهراًan age شرّهits evil دونَnearer than خيرهِits good
لحى اللَّه دهراً شرّه دونَ خيرهِ
وجداًout of grief بِصَيفِيfor Sayfi نَأىdeparted بعدafter مَعبَدMaʿbad
وجداً بِصَيفِي نَأى بعد مَعبَد
May God curse an age whose evil lies nearer than its good,
Out of grief for Sayfi, who departed after Maʿbad.
بقيّةُthe last of خلانيmy close friends أتىhas come الدَّهرُtime دونَهمbetween me and them
بقيّةُ خلاني أتى الدَّهرُ دونَهم
فَماthen what جزعيmy anguish أمor كيفَhow عَنهُمwithout them تجلُّديmy steadfastness
فَما جزعي أم كيفَ عَنهُم تجلُّدي
The last of my friends—time has come between me and them.
What, then, is my anguish—or how can I be steadfast without them?
فَلوso if only أنَّهاthat it إِحدىone of يَديّmy two hands رُزِيتُهاI was bereft of it
فَلو أنَّها إِحدى يَديّ رُزِيتُها
ولكِنand yet يديmy hand بانتwas severed علىon إثرهاits heels يديmy hand
ولكِن يدي بانت على إثرها يدي
If only it had been one of my two hands that I lost!
But my hand was severed, and my other hand followed it.
كأنيas though I وصَيفياًand Sayfi أخاa brother of الصِّدقsincerity لمhad not نَقُلwe said
كأني وصَيفياً أخا الصِّدق لم نَقُل
لموقِدِto a kindler of نارٍa fire آخرat the end of الليلthe night أوقِدِkindle!
لموقِدِ نارٍ آخر الليل أوقِدِ
As though Sayfi, a true brother, and I had never said
To one kindling a fire at night’s end, "Light it!"
فلستُso I am not ببالٍat all concerned بعدَهُafter him اثرthe trace of هالكٍone who dies
فلستُ ببالٍ بعدَهُ اثر هالكٍ
قديenough for me الآنnow منof وَجديmy grief علىfor هالكٍone who died قديenough for me
قدي الآن من وَجدي على هالكٍ قدي
So after him I care no more for the trace of anyone who dies;
Enough for me now of my grief for one who has died—enough for me!
Sol 6.1