هُوَit الدَهرُTime مُغرىًintent on بِالكَريمِthe noble man وَسَلبِهِand robbing him
هُوَ الدَهرُ مُغرىً بِالكَريمِ وَسَلبِهِ
فَإِنso if كُنتَyou are فيin شَكٍّdoubt بِذاكَabout that فَسَلthen ask بِهِabout him
فَإِن كُنتَ في شَكٍّ بِذاكَ فَسَل بِهِ
It is Time, bent on the noble man and robbing him.
Time seduces the generous then robs them
If you doubt that, then ask about him.
If you doubt that, just ask those who've lived it
أَراناit showed us المَعاليlofty glories كَيفَhow يَنهَدُّcollapses رُكنُهاtheir pillar
أَرانا المَعالي كَيفَ يَنهَدُّ رُكنُها
وَكَيفَand how يَغورُsinks out of sight البَدرُthe full moon مِنfrom بَينِamong شُهبِهِits shooting stars
وَكَيفَ يَغورُ البَدرُ مِن بَينِ شُهبِهِ
It showed us how the pillar of glory collapses,
See how glory's pillars crumble
and how the full moon vanishes from among its shooting stars.
As the full moon fades amidst its halo
أَبَعدَis it after غِياثِGhiyath الدينِal-Din يَطمَعُhopes صَرفُهُits vicissitudes
أَبَعدَ غِياثِ الدينِ يَطمَعُ صَرفُهُ
بِصَرفِin diverting خِطابِthe speech of الناسِpeople عَنaway from ذَمِّcondemning خَطبِهِits calamity
بِصَرفِ خِطابِ الناسِ عَن ذَمِّ خَطبِهِ
After Ghiyath al-Din, do Time's vicissitudes hope
After saving the faith will fate let him rest
to turn people's talk away from condemning its calamity?
When people's talk won't spare his dignity?
وَتَخطوand stride إِلىtoward عَبدِAbd الكَريمِal-Karim خُطوبُهُits calamities
وَتَخطو إِلى عَبدِ الكَريمِ خُطوبُهُ
وَيُطلَبُand is sought مِنّاfrom us اليَومَtoday غُفرانُforgiveness for ذَنبِهِits sin
وَيُطلَبُ مِنّا اليَومَ غُفرانُ ذَنبِهِ
And its calamities stride toward Abd al-Karim,
Misfortunes seek this generous man
yet today we are asked to forgive its sin.
While we're asked to pardon his missteps
سَليلُa descendant of النَبِيِّthe Prophet المُصطَفىthe chosen one وَاِبنُand the son of عَمِّهِhis paternal uncle
سَليلُ النَبِيِّ المُصطَفى وَاِبنُ عَمِّهِ
وَنَجلُand offspring of الوَصِيِّthe legatee الهاشِمِيِّthe Hashimite لِصُلبِهِfrom his own loins
وَنَجلُ الوَصِيِّ الهاشِمِيِّ لِصُلبِهِ
A scion of the chosen Prophet and of his cousin,
A prophet's heir, his cousin's noble son
and flesh-and-blood offspring of the Hashimite legatee.
The Hashimite successor's line lives on
فَتىًa young man كانَwas مِثلَlike الغَيثِrain يُخشىis feared وَبالُهُits havoc
فَتىً كانَ مِثلَ الغَيثِ يُخشى وَبالُهُ
وَيُرجىand is hoped for لِطُلّابِfor seekers of النَدىgenerosity وَبلُthe downpour of سُحبِهِhis clouds
وَيُرجى لِطُلّابِ النَدى وَبلُ سُحبِهِ
A young man who was like rain, whose havoc was feared,
That boy was rain, feared for the flood he'd bring
and whose clouds' downpour was hoped for by seekers of bounty.
Yet hoped for by the meadows for what wetness he would bring
رَقيقُsoft حَواشيthe fringes of العَيشِlife فيon يَومِthe day of سِلمِهِhis peace
رَقيقُ حَواشي العَيشِ في يَومِ سِلمِهِ
كَثيفُdense حَواشيthe flanks of الجَيشِthe army فيon يَومِthe day of حَربِهِhis war
كَثيفُ حَواشي الجَيشِ في يَومِ حَربِهِ
Soft were life's fringes on his day of peace,
Gentle in peace, in war a barrier dense
dense were the army's flanks on his day of war.
Meeting guests with his heart, swords with his face
فَلاso not يَتَّقيhe guards against الأَسيافَswords إِلّاexcept بِوَجهِهِwith his face
فَلا يَتَّقي الأَسيافَ إِلّا بِوَجهِهِ
وَلاand not يَلتَقيhe meets الأَضيافَguests إِلّاexcept بِقَلبِهِwith his heart
وَلا يَلتَقي الأَضيافَ إِلّا بِقَلبِهِ
So he warded off swords with his face alone,
Looking with wisdom, hearing with his mind
and received guests with his heart alone.
On days of giving, the man to aid
وَلاand not يَنظُرُhe considers الأَشياءَthings إِلّاexcept بِعَقلِهِwith his reason
وَلا يَنظُرُ الأَشياءَ إِلّا بِعَقلِهِ
وَلاand not يَسمَعُhe hears الأَنباءَnews إِلّاexcept بِلُبِّهِwith his discerning mind
وَلا يَسمَعُ الأَنباءَ إِلّا بِلُبِّهِ
He considered things with his reason alone,
On days of battle, the army's pole
and heard news with his discerning mind alone.
Do rivals boast of him in frivolous chatter?
إِذاwhen جالَhe charged فيon يومِthe day of الرَدىdeath قيلَit was said مَنwho لَهُfor him
إِذا جالَ في يومِ الرَدى قيلَ مَن لَهُ
وَإِنand if جادَhe gave generously فيon يَومِthe day of النَدىbounty قيلَit was said مَنwho بِهِwith him
وَإِن جادَ في يَومِ النَدى قيلَ مَن بِهِ
When he charged on a day of death, they said, 'Who can face him?'
Why not face him on the day of war?
and when he gave on a day of bounty, they said, 'Who can match him?'
Never before has a fierce lion been felled
أَمِنwas it from بَعدِafter ماthat تَمَّتwere completed مَحاسِنُthe beauties of بَدرِهِhis full moon
أَمِن بَعدِ ما تَمَّت مَحاسِنُ بَدرِهِ
وَدارَتand passed around عَلىamong كُلِّall الوَرىmankind كاسُthe cup of حُزنِهِgrief for him
وَدارَت عَلى كُلِّ الوَرى كاسُ حُزنِهِ
Was it after his full moon's beauties had reached perfection,
By the bite of dogs, his death their taste
and the cup of grief for him had passed round all mankind,
Had they met amidst the swords and spears
دَهَتهُstruck him المَناياdeath's visitations وَهيَwhile it فيin حَدِّthe edge of سَيفِهِhis sword
دَهَتهُ المَنايا وَهيَ في حَدِّ سَيفِهِ
وَصَرفُand the vicissitudes of اللَياليthe nights وَهوَwhile it مِنfrom بَعضِsome of حُبِّهِhis love
وَصَرفُ اللَيالي وَهوَ مِن بَعضِ حُبِّهِ
that death struck him, though it dwelt in his sword's edge,
With his valor the saddle-girths between
and the nights' vicissitudes, though they were among his loves?
His noble deeds had eased his burdened soul
كَأَنas though لَمhad not يَقُدهاhe led them كَالأَجادِلِlike falcons سُرَّباًin flocks
كَأَن لَم يَقُدها كَالأَجادِلِ سُرَّباً
وَيَرفَعُand raises قُبَّthe dome of اللَيلِnight مِنfrom نَقعِthe dust of قُبِّهِhis lean steeds
وَيَرفَعُ قُبَّ اللَيلِ مِن نَقعِ قُبِّهِ
As though he had never led them in flocks like falcons,
My father, soul guide, chose the straight path
and raised night's dome from the dust of his lean steeds;
Never yielding, softening his stance before a foe
وَلَمand had not يَقرَعِstruck الأَسماعَears وَقعُthe impact of خِطابِهِhis speech
وَلَم يَقرَعِ الأَسماعَ وَقعُ خِطابِهِ
وَلَمand had not يَطرُقِvisited الهَيجاءَthe battlefield مَوقِعُthe impact of خَطبِهِhis onslaught
وَلَم يَطرُقِ الهَيجاءَ مَوقِعُ خَطبِهِ
and the sound of his speech had never struck ears,
Without him, the clan of Abdul-Hamid
and the impact of his onslaught had never struck the battlefield;
Is like a mountain whose rocks have crumbled
وَلاand not كانَhe had been يَومَon the day of الدَستِcouncil صاحِبَmaster of صَدرِهِits foremost seat
وَلا كانَ يَومَ الدَستِ صاحِبَ صَدرِهِ
وَلِلجَيشِand for the army يَومَon the day of الحَربِwar مَركَزُthe center of قُطبِهِits pivot
وَلِلجَيشِ يَومَ الحَربِ مَركَزُ قُطبِهِ
nor held the foremost seat on a day of council,
Snatched from his tribe by his enemies
or been the army's central pivot on a day of war.
Ambushed by fate without his friends
أَتَعتَزُّهُdo they overpower him? الأَعداءُenemies فيon يَومِthe day of لَهوِهِhis leisure
أَتَعتَزُّهُ الأَعداءُ في يَومِ لَهوِهِ
فَهَلّاthen why not أَتوهُthey came against him جَحفَلاًas a mighty army يَومَon the day of حَربِهِhis war
فَهَلّا أَتوهُ جَحفَلاً يَومَ حَربِهِ
Do enemies overpower him on his day of leisure?
In a state where the wolf roams unfettered amidst his flock
Why, then, did they not confront him as a mighty army on his day of war?
Under a king who robs the lion of his catch
وَلَمand did not أَرَI see قَبلَbefore اليَومِtoday لَيثَa lion of عَريكَةٍmettle
وَلَم أَرَ قَبلَ اليَومِ لَيثَ عَريكَةٍ
أَذاقَتهُmade him taste طَعمَthe taste of المَوتِdeath عَضَّةُthe bite of كَلبِهِhis dog
أَذاقَتهُ طَعمَ المَوتِ عَضَّةُ كَلبِهِ
Never before today had I seen a lion of fierce mettle
And kills those terrorized by his fearful reign
whom his own dog's bite had made taste death.
Had the sun of truth and faith witnessed
وَلَوand if كانَit were مابَينَamid الصَوارِمِkeen swords وَالقَناand spears
وَلَو كانَ مابَينَ الصَوارِمِ وَالقَنا
وَفَوقَand atop مُتونِthe backs of الخَيلِhorses إِدراكُthe arrival of نَحبِهِhis appointed death
وَفَوقَ مُتونِ الخَيلِ إِدراكُ نَحبِهِ
Had it been amid keen swords and spears,
The death of the mourned, when mourners mourned
and atop horses' backs that his death overtook him,
It would have wept with the tongues of swords and spears
لَكانَthen he would be جَميلَfair in الذِكرِremembrance عَنon account of حُسنِthe excellence of فِعلِهِhis deed
لَكانَ جَميلَ الذِكرِ عَن حُسنِ فِعلِهِ
يُنَفِّسُit relieves عَنfrom قَلبِthe heart of الفَتىthe young man بَعضَsome of كَربِهِhis anguish
يُنَفِّسُ عَن قَلبِ الفَتى بَعضَ كَربِهِ
he would have been nobly remembered for his worthy deed,
With tears spilling from the hilts over its cheeks
easing some of the anguish in a young man's heart.
أَبِيُّresistant to قِيادِthe leading of النَفسِthe spirit آثَرَhe preferred حَنفَهُhis bent (likely a typo for 'his death')
أَبِيُّ قِيادِ النَفسِ آثَرَ حَنفَهُ
وَلَمand did not يُبدِshow يَوماًever لِلعِدىto his enemies لَينَthe softness of جَنبِهِhis side
وَلَم يُبدِ يَوماً لِلعِدى لَينَ جَنبِهِ
Unyielding in spirit, he chose his death,
Launching a raid on the caves of 'Udhra
and never showed his enemies a yielding side.
So narrow with him their vast breadth
كَأَنَّas though بَنيBanu عَبدِAbd الحَميدِal-Hamid لِفَقدِهِbecause of losing him
كَأَنَّ بَني عَبدِ الحَميدِ لِفَقدِهِ
ذُرىthe peaks of جَبَلٍa mountain هُدَّتwere shattered جَلامِدُthe boulders of هَضبِهِits plateau
ذُرى جَبَلٍ هُدَّت جَلامِدُ هَضبِهِ
As though the Banu Abd al-Hamid, through losing him,
Making the lions' cheeks wonder at his stabs
were mountain peaks whose plateau's boulders had been shattered.
Arabizing the zebras with his blows
أَتَسلُبُهُdo they snatch him? الأَعداءُenemies مِنfrom بَينَamong رَهطِهِhis kinsmen
أَتَسلُبُهُ الأَعداءُ مِن بَينَ رَهطِهِ
وَتَغتالُهُand treacherously slay him الأَيّامُthe days مِنfrom دونِapart from صَحبِهِhis companions
وَتَغتالُهُ الأَيّامُ مِن دونِ صَحبِهِ
Do enemies snatch him from among his kinsmen,
Not a drop but from his spears' tips
and the days treacherously slay him, passing over his companions,
No shape but by the blows of his wrath
وَتَفقُدُهُand you lose him فيunder دَولَةٍa rule ظاهِرِيَّةٍZahirite
وَتَفقُدُهُ في دَولَةٍ ظاهِرِيَّةٍ
بِهاin it الذِئبُthe wolf يَعدوruns رائِعاًfrightened بَينَamong سِربِهِits pack
بِها الذِئبُ يَعدو رائِعاً بَينَ سِربِهِ
and you lose him under a Zahirite rule,
where the wolf runs frightened among its pack?
Father of war, take it as your craft
بِدَولَةِunder the rule of مَلكٍa king يَغصِبُwrests away اللَيثَthe lion قُوتَهُits food
بِدَولَةِ مَلكٍ يَغصِبُ اللَيثَ قُوتَهُ
وَيَقتُلُand kills مَنwhoever يَلقاهُmeets him شِدَّةُthe intensity of رُعبِهِhis terror
وَيَقتُلُ مَن يَلقاهُ شِدَّةُ رُعبِهِ
Under the rule of a king who wrests away the lion's food,
Changing the bitter words about you to sweet
and whose sheer terror kills whoever meets him.
Ghiyath al-Din's deeds have earned gratitude
فَلَوthen if كانَwere شَمسُShams الحَقِّal-Haqq وَالدينِand al-Din شاهِداًa witness
فَلَو كانَ شَمسُ الحَقِّ وَالدينِ شاهِداً
لِمَصرَعِto the death of ذاكَthat النَدبِgallant man ساعَةَat the hour of نَدبِهِmourning him
لِمَصرَعِ ذاكَ النَدبِ ساعَةَ نَدبِهِ
Had Shams al-Haqq wa-l-Din been witness
Crowning his comrades with favors
to that gallant man's death at the hour he was mourned,
His passing is mourned but he lives on in memory
بَكاهُhe would weep for him بِأَطرافِwith the tips of الأَسِنَّةِspearheads وَالظُبىand sword-edges
بَكاهُ بِأَطرافِ الأَسِنَّةِ وَالظُبى
بِدَمعٍwith tears مِنَfrom اللَبّاتِthroat hollows مَسقِطُthe falling-place of سَكبِهِtheir pouring
بِدَمعٍ مِنَ اللَبّاتِ مَسقِطُ سَكبِهِ
he would have wept for him with spearpoints and sword-edges,
Our mouths won't stop grieving though his grief is done
with tears shed from the hollows of throats,
Since his loved ones bid farewell at his grave
وَشَنَّand would launch عَلىagainst عُربِthe Arabs of العَذارينَal-'Adharin غارَةًa raid
وَشَنَّ عَلى عُربِ العَذارينَ غارَةً
يَضيقُgrows narrow بِهاbecause of it فيin البَرِّthe land واسِعُthe breadth of رَحبِهِits expanse
يَضيقُ بِها في البَرِّ واسِعُ رَحبِهِ
and launched a raid upon the Arabs of al-'Adharin,
God's pardon welcomes him in his shroud
that would make the land's broad expanse grow narrow.
His tomb is watered by the rain of sadness
فَتَعجَبُso would marvel لَبّاتُthe throat hollows of الكُماةِarmored warriors بِطَعنِهِat his thrusts
فَتَعجَبُ لَبّاتُ الكُماةِ بِطَعنِهِ
وَيُعرِبُand he would inflect هاماتِthe heads of الحُماةِdefenders بِضَربِهِwith his blows
وَيُعرِبُ هاماتِ الحُماةِ بِضَربِهِ
Then the throats of armored warriors would marvel at his thrusts,
Its edges soaked by its copious train
and he would inflect the defenders' heads with his blows:
Strangely, though above his grave
فَلاso no نَقطَdots إِلّاexcept مِنfrom سِنانِthe point of قَناتِهِhis lance
فَلا نَقطَ إِلّا مِن سِنانِ قَناتِهِ
وَلاand no شَكلَvowel-marks إِلّاexcept مِنfrom مَضارِبِthe striking edges of عَضبِهِhis keen sword
وَلا شَكلَ إِلّا مِن مَضارِبِ عَضبِهِ
no dots except from his lance's point,
The clouds and from the living I ask his Lord's rain
and no vowel-marks except from the striking edges of his keen sword.
أَباO Abu الحَربِal-Harb بادِرhasten وَاِتَّخِذهاand make it صَنيعَةًa benefaction
أَبا الحَربِ بادِر وَاِتَّخِذها صَنيعَةً
تُبَدِّلُreplaces مُرَّthe bitterness of القَولِspeech فيكُمabout you all بِعَذبِهِwith its sweetness
تُبَدِّلُ مُرَّ القَولِ فيكُم بِعَذبِهِ
Abu al-Harb, hasten and make this a benefaction,
replacing bitter words about you with sweet ones.
فَكَمfor how many لِغِياثِbelong to Ghiyath الدينِal-Din مِنof حَقِّa due claim for مِنَّةٍa favor
فَكَم لِغِياثِ الدينِ مِن حَقِّ مِنَّةٍ
تُطَوِّقُencircle بِالأَنعامِwith beneficence أَعناقَthe necks of صَحبِهِhis companions
تُطَوِّقُ بِالأَنعامِ أَعناقَ صَحبِهِ
For how many claims to gratitude belong to Ghiyath al-Din,
encircling his companions' necks through his favors.
قَضىhe fulfilled نَحبَهُhis appointed term وَالذِكرُyet remembrance مِنهُof him مُخَلَّدٌis immortalized
قَضى نَحبَهُ وَالذِكرُ مِنهُ مُخَلَّدٌ
بِأَفواهِناon our lips لَمhas not يَقضِcome to an end يَوماًever لِنَحبِهِbecause of his death
بِأَفواهِنا لَم يَقضِ يَوماً لِنَحبِهِ
He met his death, yet his remembrance is immortal
on our lips; it has never ended with his death.
وَمُذand when رَجَعَتreturned أَترابُهُhis peers مِنfrom وَداعِهِbidding him farewell
وَمُذ رَجَعَت أَترابُهُ مِن وَداعِهِ
تَلَقّاهُreceived him فيin أَكفانِهِhis shrouds عَفوُthe pardon of رَبِّهِhis Lord
تَلَقّاهُ في أَكفانِهِ عَفوُ رَبِّهِ
And when his peers returned from bidding him farewell,
his Lord's pardon received him in his shrouds.
سَقىmay water قَبرَهُhis grave مِنfrom صَيِّبِthe rainfall of المُزنِthe rainclouds وابِلٌa downpour
سَقى قَبرَهُ مِن صَيِّبِ المُزنِ وابِلٌ
يَجُرُّdragging عَلىover أَرجائِهِits edges ذَيلَthe train of خَصبِهِits fertility
يَجُرُّ عَلى أَرجائِهِ ذَيلَ خَصبِهِ
May a heavy shower of cloud-borne rain water his grave,
trailing the hem of its fertility over the grave's edges.
وَمِنand it is among عَجَبٍwonders أَنَّthat السَحابَthe clouds بِقَبرِهِin his grave
وَمِن عَجَبٍ أَنَّ السَحابَ بِقَبرِهِ
وَأَسأَلُand I ask مِنfrom صَوبِthe downpour of الحَياrain رَيَّthe watering of رَبِّهِits lord
وَأَسأَلُ مِن صَوبِ الحَيا رَيَّ رَبِّهِ
And it is strange that the clouds lie in his grave,
while I ask the falling rain to slake its lord's thirst.
Partial English translation: 55 of 70 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1