أَبنيO sons of البَلاغَةَeloquence فيمَwhy حَفلُthe gathering of الناديthe hall
أَبني البَلاغَةَ فيمَ حَفلُ النادي
هَبهاsuppose it is عُكاظَUkaz فَأَينَthen where is قِسُّQuss of إِيادِIyad
هَبها عُكاظَ فَأَينَ قِسُّ إِيادِ
O sons of eloquence, why this gathering in the hall?
Suppose it is Ukaz—where, then, is Quss of Iyad?
أَماas for البَيانُeloquence فَقَدthen indeed أَجَرَّslit لِسانَهُits tongue
أَما البَيانُ فَقَد أَجَرَّ لِسانَهُ
فيكُمamong you بِفَتكَتِهِwith its deadly blow الحِمامُdeath العاديravaging
فيكُم بِفَتكَتِهِ الحِمامُ العادي
As for eloquence, its tongue has been slit
among you by ravaging death, with its deadly blow.
عُرِشَتwas brought down سَماءُthe heaven of عَلائِكُمyour eminence ماwhat أَنتُمُyou
عُرِشَت سَماءُ عَلائِكُم ما أَنتُمُ
مِنfrom بَعدafter ذلِكُمthat الشهابُthe meteor الهاديguiding
مِن بَعد ذلِكُم الشهابُ الهادي
The heaven of your eminence has fallen; what are you
after that guiding meteor?
حُطّواalight عَلىat عَنَدِthe side of الطَريقِthe road فَقَدfor indeed خَباhas faded
حُطّوا عَلى عَنَدِ الطَريقِ فَقَد خَبا
لأَلاءُthe radiance of ذاكَthat الكَوكَبِthe star الوَقّادِblazing
لأَلاءُ ذاكَ الكَوكَبِ الوَقّادِ
Alight by the roadside, for there has faded
the radiance of that blazing star.
ماnot فُلَّwas blunted لهذمُهُhis spearhead الصَقيلpolished وَإِنَّماbut rather
ما فُلَّ لهذمُهُ الصَقيل وَإِنَّما
نُثِرَتwere scattered كَعوبُthe joints of قَناكِمُyour spear-shafts المُنآدِbending
نُثِرَت كَعوبُ قَناكِمُ المُنآدِ
His polished spearhead was not blunted; rather,
the joints of your bending spear-shafts were scattered.
إيهٍspeak on عَميدَchief of الحَيِّthe clan غَيرَnot مُدافَعٍchallenged
إيهٍ عَميدَ الحَيِّ غَيرَ مُدافَعٍ
إيهٍspeak on فِدىًa ransom لَكَfor you غابِرُthe surviving الأَمجادِillustrious men
إيهٍ فِدىً لَكَ غابِرُ الأَمجادِ
Speak on, unchallenged chief of the clan;
speak on—may the surviving great ones be your ransom.
ماwhat عُذرُexcuse has سِلكٍa thread كُنتَyou were عِقدَthe necklace of نِظامِهِits stringing
ما عُذرُ سِلكٍ كُنتَ عِقدَ نِظامِهِ
إِنif لَمnot يَصِرit becomes بُرداًa cloak إِلىuntil الآبادِall eternity
إِن لَم يَصِر بُرداً إِلى الآبادِ
What excuse has a thread whose strung necklace you were,
if it does not become a cloak for all eternity?
حَسبُsufficient for الزَمانِTime عَلَيكَover you ثُكلاًas bereavement أَنthat يُرىit be seen
حَسبُ الزَمانِ عَلَيكَ ثُكلاً أَن يُرى
مِنthrough طولِthe length of لَيلٍnight فيin قَميصِa shirt of حِدادِmourning
مِن طولِ لَيلٍ في قَميصِ حِدادِ
It is bereavement enough for Time at your loss to be seen
through the long night in a shirt of mourning,
يُوميit gestures بَأَنجُمِهwith its stars لِماtoward what قَلَّدتهُyou adorned it
يُومي بَأَنجُمِه لِما قَلَّدتهُ
مِنof دُرِّpearls of أَلفاظٍutterances وَبيضِand radiant أَيادِbenefactions
مِن دُرِّ أَلفاظٍ وَبيضِ أَيادِ
pointing with its stars to what you hung about its neck:
pearls of speech and radiant benefactions.
كَثُفَhas grown thick الحِجابُthe veil فَماso not تُرىyou are seen مُتَفَضِّلاًgracious
كَثُفَ الحِجابُ فَما تُرى مُتَفَضِّلاً
فيat ساعَةٍan hour تُصغيyou listen بِهِthrough it وَتُناديand you call out
في ساعَةٍ تُصغي بِهِ وَتُنادي
The veil has thickened; you are no longer seen graciously appearing
at any hour, listening through it and calling out.
أَلمِمcall بِرَبعِكَat your dwelling غَيرَnot مَأمورٍcommanded فَقَدfor indeed
أَلمِم بِرَبعِكَ غَيرَ مَأمورٍ فَقَد
غَصَّis choked الفناءُthe courtyard بِأَرجُلِwith the feet of القُصّادِseekers
غَصَّ الفناءُ بِأَرجُلِ القُصّادِ
Come to your dwelling, if you please, for
the courtyard is choked with the feet of those seeking you.
خَبَراًa report يُبَلِّغُهُhe conveys it إِلَيكَto you وَدونهand barring it
خَبَراً يُبَلِّغُهُ إِلَيكَ وَدونه
أَمنُthe safety of العُداةِfoes وَراحَةُand the ease of الحُسّادِenviers
أَمنُ العُداةِ وَراحَةُ الحُسّادِ
A report for someone to bring you—yet barring it are
the safety of foes and the ease of enviers.
قَدindeed طأطَأَhas lowered الجَبَلُthe mountain المنيفُlofty قَذالَهُits nape
قَد طأطَأَ الجَبَلُ المنيفُ قَذالَهُ
لِلجارِto the neighbor بَعدَكَafter you وَاِقشَعَرَّand shuddered الواديthe valley
لِلجارِ بَعدَكَ وَاِقشَعَرَّ الوادي
The lofty mountain has lowered its nape
to the neighbor after you, and the valley has shuddered.
أَعِدِrepeat اِلتِفاتَكَyour turning نَحوَناtoward us وَأَظُنُّهُand I think it
أَعِدِ اِلتِفاتَكَ نَحوَنا وَأَظُنُّهُ
مِثلَlike الحَديثِspeech لَدَيكَwith you غَيرَnot مُعادِrepeated
مِثلَ الحَديثِ لَدَيكَ غَيرَ مُعادِ
Turn your gaze toward us again—though I think it,
like your speech, will never be repeated.
وَاِمسَحand wipe لَناfor us عَنfrom مُقلَتَيكَyour two eyes مِنَof الكَرىdrowsiness
وَاِمسَح لَنا عَن مُقلَتَيكَ مِنَ الكَرى
نَوماًa sleep تكابِدyou struggle with مِنamid بُكاًweeping وَسُهادِand sleeplessness
نَوماً تكابِد مِن بُكاً وَسُهادِ
And brush from your eyes, for us, their drowsiness—
a sleep you struggle with amid weeping and sleeplessness.
هذاthis الصَباحُmorning وَلاand not تَهُبّyou rise إِلىuntil مَتىwhen
هذا الصَباحُ وَلا تَهُبّ إِلى مَتى
طالَhas grown long الرُقادِslumber وَلاتَand it is no حينَtime for رقادِslumber
طالَ الرُقادِ وَلاتَ حينَ رقادِ
This is morning, yet you do not rise—until when?
Slumber has lasted long, and this is no time for slumber.
وَكَأَنَّماand as though قالَsaid الرَدىdeath نَمsleep وادِعاًpeacefully
وَكَأَنَّما قالَ الرَدى نَم وادِعاً
سَبَقَتyou have gone ahead إِلىto البُشرىthe glad tidings بِحُسنِof a good معادِreturn
سَبَقَت إِلى البُشرى بِحُسنِ معادِ
It is as though death said: Sleep peacefully;
you have gone ahead to glad tidings of a blessed return.
أَمُوَسَّداًO you pillowed تِلكَthat الرخامmarble بِمرقدٍin a resting place
أَمُوَسَّداً تِلكَ الرخام بِمرقدٍ
أَخشِنhow rough بِهِit is مِنas مرقدٍa resting place وَوِسادِand a pillow
أَخشِن بِهِ مِن مرقدٍ وَوِسادِ
O you pillowed on that marble in a resting place,
how harsh it is as resting place and pillow!
خُصَّتwas singled out بِقَدرِكَfor your greatness حُفرَةٌa pit فَكَأَنَّهاso it is as though
خُصَّت بِقَدرِكَ حُفرَةٌ فَكَأَنَّها
مِنfrom جَوفِهاits hollow فيin مِثلِthe likeness of حَرفِthe letter الصادِṣād
مِن جَوفِها في مِثلِ حَرفِ الصادِ
A pit has been singled out to hold your greatness, as though it were,
within its hollow, shaped like the letter ṣād.
وَثِّرcushion لِجَنبِكَfor your side مِنfrom أَثاثِthe furnishings of مُخَيّمٍa camp
وَثِّر لِجَنبِكَ مِن أَثاثِ مُخَيّمٍ
تُربٍearth نَدٍmoist وَصَفائِحٍand slabs أَنضادِstacked in tiers
تُربٍ نَدٍ وَصَفائِحٍ أَنضادِ
Cushion your side with the furnishings of a camp:
moist earth and slabs stacked in tiers.
ياO ظاعِناًtraveler رَكِبَrode السُرىnight travel فيin لَيلَةٍa night
يا ظاعِناً رَكِبَ السُرى في لَيلَةٍ
طارَtook flight الدَليلُthe guide بِهاin it وَحارَand was bewildered الحاديthe camel-driver
طارَ الدَليلُ بِها وَحارَ الحادي
O traveler who rode by night, on a night
when the guide took flight and the camel-driver was bewildered.
أَعززhow grievous عَلَيناfor us أَنthat حَطَطتَyou alighted بِمَنزِلٍat a lodging
أَعزز عَلَينا أَن حَطَطتَ بِمَنزِلٍ
ناءٍdistant عَنِfrom الزُوّارِvisitors وَالعُوّادِand visitors to the sick
ناءٍ عَنِ الزُوّارِ وَالعُوّادِ
How grievous for us that you have alighted at a lodging
far from visitors and those who visit the sick,
جاراًas a neighbor لِأَفرادٍto solitary ones هُنالِكَthere جيرَةٍneighbors
جاراً لِأَفرادٍ هُنالِكَ جيرَةٍ
سُقياًmay rain fall لِتِلكَupon those الجيرَةneighbors الأَفرادِsolitary
سُقياً لِتِلكَ الجيرَة الأَفرادِ
a neighbor there to solitary neighbors—
may rain fall upon those solitary neighbors!
الساكِنينَthose dwelling إِلىuntil المَعادِthe Resurrection قِبابُهُمtheir tents
الساكِنينَ إِلى المَعادِ قِبابُهُم
مَنشورَةُoutspread الأَطنابِthe tent-ropes وَالأَعمادِand the tent-poles
مَنشورَةُ الأَطنابِ وَالأَعمادِ
Those who dwell until the Resurrection, their tents
with ropes and poles outspread,
مِنof كُلِّeach مُلقيةِlaying down الجِرانِthe camel's neck بِمَضربat a campsite
مِن كُلِّ مُلقيةِ الجِرانِ بِمَضرب
نابَtook the place البِلىdecay فيهِin it عَنِof الأَوتادِtent-pegs
نابَ البِلى فيهِ عَنِ الأَوتادِ
each laying its camel-neck down at a campsite
where decay has taken the place of tent-pegs.
بِمُعَرَّسat the resting place of السَفرَthe travelers الأُلىwho رَكِبواrode السُرىnight journeys
بِمُعَرَّس السَفرَ الأُلى رَكِبوا السُرى
مَجهولَةَunknown الغاياتِthe destinations وَالآمادِand distances
مَجهولَةَ الغاياتِ وَالآمادِ
At the resting place of travelers who journeyed by night,
their destinations and distances unknown.
سِيّانَalike فيهِمamong them لَيلَةٌa night وَنَهارُهاand its day
سِيّانَ فيهِم لَيلَةٌ وَنَهارُها
ماhow أَشبَهَsimilar is التَأويبَdaytime travel بِالإِسآدِto night travel
ما أَشبَهَ التَأويبَ بِالإِسآدِ
Night and its day are alike for them;
how much daytime travel resembles night travel!
لُحقُdrawn-in البُطونِbellies مِنَfrom اللغوبِexhaustion عَلىamid الطَوىhunger
لُحقُ البُطونِ مِنَ اللغوبِ عَلى الطَوى
وَعَلىand upon الرَواحِلِthe mounts عُنفُوانُthe full freshness of الزادِprovisions
وَعَلى الرَواحِلِ عُنفُوانُ الزادِ
Their bellies are drawn in by weariness and hunger,
while on their mounts provisions remain in their fullest freshness.
لِلَّهِto God هُمthey فَلَشَدَّso how thoroughly ماindeed نَفَضواthey shook out مِنَof اِمbelong- (word fragment)
لِلَّهِ هُم فَلَشَدَّ ما نَفَضوا مِنَ اِم
تِعَةِ-ings (word continuation) الحَياةِlife حَقائِبَthe saddlebags of الأَجسادِthe bodies
تِعَةِ الحَياةِ حَقائِبَ الأَجسادِ
God bless them! How thoroughly they emptied
their bodies' saddlebags of life's belongings.
ياO لَيتَif only شعريI knew وَالمنىand hopes لَكَfor you جَنَّةٌParadise
يا لَيتَ شعري وَالمنى لَكَ جَنَّةٌ
وَالحالُand circumstance مُؤذِنَةٌforetelling بِطولِa long بِعادِseparation
وَالحالُ مُؤذِنَةٌ بِطولِ بِعادِ
Would that I knew—with hopes of Paradise for you,
though circumstance foretells a long separation—
هَلis there لِلعُلاfor eminence بِكَthrough you بَعدَهاafter it مِنany نَهضَةٍrevival
هَل لِلعُلا بِكَ بَعدَها مِن نَهضَةٍ
أَمor لِاِنقِضاءِfor the ending of نَواكَyour absence مِنany ميعادِappointed time
أَم لِاِنقِضاءِ نَواكَ مِن ميعادِ
can eminence rise through you again after this,
or is there an appointed time for your absence to end?
بِأَبيmy father as ransom وَقَدand indeed سارواthey traveled بِنَعشِكَwith your bier صارِمٌa keen sword
بِأَبي وَقَد ساروا بِنَعشِكَ صارِمٌ
كَثُرَتmultiplied حَمائِلُهُits baldrics عَلىupon الأَكتادِthe shoulders
كَثُرَت حَمائِلُهُ عَلى الأَكتادِ
My father be ransom for a keen sword—as they bore your bier—
whose baldrics multiplied upon the shoulders.
ذَلَّتbowed low عَواتِقُthe shoulders of حامِليكَyour bearers فَإِنَّهُمfor they
ذَلَّت عَواتِقُ حامِليكَ فَإِنَّهُم
شاموكَthey sheathed you فيin غِمدٍa scabbard بِغَيرِwithout نجادِa baldric
شاموكَ في غِمدٍ بِغَيرِ نجادِ
The shoulders of your bearers bowed low, for they
sheathed you in a scabbard without a baldric.
نِعمَhow excellent الذماءُthe last spark of life البَرُّrighteous ماthat which قَدindeed غَوَّرواthey buried deep
نِعمَ الذماءُ البَرُّ ما قَد غَوَّروا
جُثمانَهُhis body بِالأَبرَقِin al-Abraq المُنقادِsloping
جُثمانَهُ بِالأَبرَقِ المُنقادِ
Noble was that righteous spark of life, whose
body they have buried deep in sloping al-Abraq.
عَلياeminence بِهاwith it خُصَّwas singled out الضَريحُthe tomb وَإِنَّماand only
عَليا بِها خُصَّ الضَريحُ وَإِنَّما
نَعِمَprospered الغُوَيرُal-Ghuwayr بِأَبؤسthrough the miseries of الإِنجادِthe highlands
نَعِمَ الغُوَيرُ بِأَبؤس الإِنجادِ
An eminence bestowed upon the tomb; and only
through the highlands' sorrows did al-Ghuwayr prosper.
أَبَنيO sons of أَبيAbu العَبّاسِal-Abbas أَيَّwhat a حُلاحِلٍmighty chief
أَبَني أَبي العَبّاسِ أَيَّ حُلاحِلٍ
سَلَبَتكُمhas stolen from you الدُنياthe world وَأَيَّand what a نَضادِtowering mountain
سَلَبَتكُم الدُنيا وَأَيَّ نَضادِ
O sons of Abu al-Abbas, what a mighty chief
the world has stolen from you, and what a towering mountain!
هَلwhether كانَit was إِلّاanything but العَينَthe evil eye وافَقَcoincided with سَهمُهاits arrow
هَل كانَ إِلّا العَينَ وافَقَ سَهمُها
قَدَراًfate فَأُقصِدَso he was struck dead أَيَّماwhat a إِقصادِdeadly strike
قَدَراً فَأُقصِدَ أَيَّما إِقصادِ
Was it not the evil eye, whose arrow coincided with
fate, so he was struck down by a most deadly blow?
أَخلِلhow bereft بِمَجدٍa glory لاnot يُسَدُّcan be filled مَكانُهُits place
أَخلِل بِمَجدٍ لا يُسَدُّ مَكانُهُ
بِالإِخوَةِby brothers النُجباءِnoble وَالأَولادِand children
بِالإِخوَةِ النُجباءِ وَالأَولادِ
How bereft is glory, whose place cannot be filled
by noble brothers and children!
وَلَكَمand how many يُرىare seen بِكَthrough you مِنof هِضابٍheights لَمnot تَكُنwere
وَلَكَم يُرى بِكَ مِن هِضابٍ لَم تَكُن
لَولاكَbut for you غَيرَother than دَكادِكٍflatlands وَوِهادِand hollows
لَولاكَ غَيرَ دَكادِكٍ وَوِهادِ
And how many heights appear through you that would have been,
but for you, mere flatlands and hollows!
ماnot زِلتَyou ceased تُنعِشَهاreviving them بِسَيبِكَwith your bounty قابِضاًgrasping
ما زِلتَ تُنعِشَها بِسَيبِكَ قابِضاً
مِنهاof them عَلىupon الأَضباعِthe armpits وَالأَعضادِand upper arms
مِنها عَلى الأَضباعِ وَالأَعضادِ
You kept raising them with your bounty, taking hold
of their armpits and upper arms,
حَتّىuntil أَراكَshowed you أَباAbu مُحَمَّدٍMuhammad الرَدىdeath
حَتّى أَراكَ أَبا مُحَمَّدٍ الرَدى
كَيفَhow اِنهِدادُthe collapse of بَواذِخِthe towering heights of الأَطوادِmountains
كَيفَ اِنهِدادُ بَواذِخِ الأَطوادِ
until death showed you, Abu Muhammad,
how the towering heights of mountains collapse.
ياO حَرَّهاits heat! مِنas جَمرَةٍan ember مَشبوبَةٍkindled
يا حَرَّها مِن جَمرَةٍ مَشبوبَةٍ
تُلقىare laid لَهاfor it الأَيديhands عَلىupon الأَكبادِthe livers
تُلقى لَها الأَيدي عَلى الأَكبادِ
Oh, how hot that kindled ember is,
for which hands are laid upon the livers!
كَيفَhow العَزاءُconsolation وَإِنَّهاand it is indeed لَرَزِيَّةtruly a calamity
كَيفَ العَزاءُ وَإِنَّها لَرَزِيَّة
خَرَجَwent out الأَسىgrief فيهاin it عَنِbeyond المُعتادِthe customary
خَرَجَ الأَسى فيها عَنِ المُعتادِ
How can there be consolation, when this is truly a calamity
in which grief has gone beyond the accustomed bounds?
صَدَعَspoke openly النُعاةُthe death-announcers بِهاof it فَقُلتُso I said لِمَدمَعيto my weeping eye
صَدَعَ النُعاةُ بِها فَقُلتُ لِمَدمَعي
كَيفَhow اِنسِكابُكَyour pouring forth ياO أَباAbu الجَوادِal-Jawad
كَيفَ اِنسِكابُكَ يا أَبا الجَوادِ
The death-announcers proclaimed it, and I said to my weeping eye:
How will you pour forth, O Abu al-Jawad?
لَكَfor you مِنof دَميmy blood ماwhatever شيتَyou wish غَيرَnot مُنَهنَهٍrestrained
لَكَ مِن دَمي ما شيتَ غَيرَ مُنَهنَهٍ
صُبpour كَيفَhowever شيتَyou wish مُعَصفِرَsafflower-dyed الأَبرادِrobes
صُب كَيفَ شيتَ مُعَصفِرَ الأَبرادِ
You may have as much of my blood as you wish, unrestrained;
pour as you wish, with safflower-dyed robes,
تَقصيرَthe shortfall of مُجتَهِدٍone striving وَحَسبُكَand enough for you غايَةًas a goal
تَقصيرَ مُجتَهِدٍ وَحَسبُكَ غايَةً
لَوif قَدindeed بَلَغتَyou attained بِهاthrough it كَبيرَa great مُرادِdesire
لَو قَد بَلَغتَ بِها كَبيرَ مُرادِ
even striving, you fall short; enough for you would be a goal
through which you could attain a great desire.
أَماas for الدُموعُtears فَهُنَّthen they أَضعَفُthe weakest ناصِرٍhelper
أَما الدُموعُ فَهُنَّ أَضعَفُ ناصِرٍ
لكِنَّهُنَّyet they كَثيرَةُare plentiful التَعدادِin number
لكِنَّهُنَّ كَثيرَةُ التَعدادِ
As for tears, they are the weakest helper,
yet they are numerous.
ثُمَّthen السَلامُpeace وَلاand may not أَغَبَّskip a day قَرارَةًa hollow
ثُمَّ السَلامُ وَلا أَغَبَّ قَرارَةً
وارَتكَthat conceals you صَوبُthe downpour of رَوائِحٍevening clouds وَغَوادِand morning clouds
وارَتكَ صَوبُ رَوائِحٍ وَغَوادِ
Then peace; may rain never miss a day at the hollow
that enfolds you: the downpour of evening and morning clouds.
تَسقيكَmay they water you ماas long as سَفَحَتhas shed عَلَيكَover you يَراعَةٌa reed pen
تَسقيكَ ما سَفَحَت عَلَيكَ يَراعَةٌ
فيon خَدِّthe cheek of قِرطاسٍa sheet of paper دُموعَtears of مِدادِink
في خَدِّ قِرطاسٍ دُموعَ مِدادِ
May they water you as long as a reed pen sheds upon you,
on the cheek of a sheet of paper, tears of ink.
Sol 6.1