كَمhow much لِلمَعارفfor learning مِنof نَوحٍlamentation وَأَحزانِand sorrows
كَم لِلمَعارف مِن نَوحٍ وَأَحزانِ
وَمِنand of نَحيبsobbing وَأَنّاتand groans وَأَشجانِand anguish
وَمِن نَحيب وَأَنّات وَأَشجانِ
How much lamentation and sorrow there is for learning,
How much grief and sorrows acquaintances have,
and sobbing, groans, and anguish!
And how many cries, laments and passions!
وَكَمand how much لَهاfor it مِنof بُكاءweeping بِالدِماءwith blood عَلىover
وَكَم لَها مِن بُكاء بِالدِماء عَلى
وَحيدthe peerless one أَعلامluminaries أَبناءsons لِأَوطانof homelands
وَحيد أَعلام أَبناء لِأَوطان
And how much it weeps tears of blood for
And how many are their weeping in blood
the peerless one among the eminent sons of the homelands:
For the lonely pillar of the sons of homelands!
أَبوAbu (father of) السُعودal-Su‘ud الَّذيwho بَينamong الأَنامhumankind سَماrose
أَبو السُعود الَّذي بَين الأَنام سَما
بِفَضلهthrough his merit فَوقَabove مرّيخMars وَكيوانand Saturn
بِفَضله فَوقَ مرّيخ وَكيوان
Abu al-Su‘ud, who rose among humankind
Abu Al-Su'ud, who among people attained
through his merit above Mars and Saturn.
Through his excellence, height above Mars and Saturn,
وَنالَand attained بِالعلمthrough knowledge وَالآدابand letters مَنزلةًa rank
وَنالَ بِالعلم وَالآداب مَنزلةً
ماnot نالَهاattained it قَبلَهُbefore him فيin عَصرِهِhis age ثانيanother
ما نالَها قَبلَهُ في عَصرِهِ ثاني
Through knowledge and letters he attained a rank
And through knowledge and literature reached a rank
that no other in his age had attained before him.
That no other in his time attained.
وَأَحرَزand won السَبقَfirst place وَالأَمثالُand peers مذعنةٌacknowledging
وَأَحرَز السَبقَ وَالأَمثالُ مذعنةٌ
لَهُto him بِذَلكin that فيin مضمارa racecourse عرفانknowledge
لَهُ بِذَلك في مضمار عرفان
He won first place, his peers conceding
He took the lead, and wise sayings submit
it to him on the racecourse of knowledge.
To him in the race track of wisdom.
سلask التآليفthe writings عَنهُabout him هَلwhether سِواهanyone besides him هُناhere
سل التآليف عَنهُ هَل سِواه هُنا
لِعَينِهاin their eyes كانَwas فيناamong us خَيرthe finest إِنسانperson
لِعَينِها كانَ فينا خَير إِنسان
Ask the writings about him: was anyone else here,
Ask the books about him - did they see
in their eyes, the finest person among us?
Anyone else among us a better human?
وَقُلand say لِنظمto the stringing اللآليthe pearls حينَwhen عرَّبَهhe rendered it into Arabic
وَقُل لِنظم اللآلي حينَ عرَّبَه
وَهوَand he اِبنُaged عشرينtwenty تَعريباًan Arabic rendering بِإِتقانwith mastery
وَهوَ اِبنُ عشرين تَعريباً بِإِتقان
And ask Nazm al-La’ali (The Stringing of Pearls), when he rendered it into Arabic,
And say to the prose of Al-Laili when he translated it
at twenty years of age, in a masterly translation:
And he was only twenty - with perfect translation.
هَلwhether اِستَعانhe sought help بِقاموسfrom a dictionary اللُغاتlanguages عَلىfor
هَل اِستَعان بِقاموس اللُغات عَلى
ماwhat بانَbecame evident مِنof حُسنbeauty تَركيبcomposition وَإِحسانand excellence
ما بانَ مِن حُسن تَركيب وَإِحسان
Did he seek help from a dictionary of languages for
Did he use the dictionary of languages
the fine composition and excellence that shone forth?
For what appeared of good syntax and benevolence?
أَمor هَلwhether تقدّمهpreceded him فيin حلsolving مُشكلةa difficulty
أَم هَل تقدّمه في حل مُشكلة
مِنof العُلومthe sciences أَخوa man of فَضلٍmerit وَتبيانand clear exposition
مِن العُلوم أَخو فَضلٍ وَتبيان
Or was he preceded, in solving a difficulty
Or did a brother of excellence and clarity
of the sciences, by a man of merit and clear exposition?
Precede him in solving the problems of sciences?
وَقُلand say لِطُلابto students تاريخhistory العُمومgenerality مَضىhas passed away
وَقُل لِطُلاب تاريخ العُموم مَضى
مَنthe one who كانَwas يُلقيexpounding مَعانيهits meanings بِإِمعانwith deep attention
مَن كانَ يُلقي مَعانيه بِإِمعان
And tell the students of General History: gone is
And say to the students of history of nations
the man who expounded its meanings with deep attention.
He who conveyed his meanings with dedication is gone.
مَضىhas passed away الَّذيthe one who جاءَكمbrought you مِنهُfrom it بِمُتَّفقٍwith an agreed work
مَضى الَّذي جاءَكم مِنهُ بِمُتَّفقٍ
عَلَيهِupon it لَمnot يَختَلفdisagreed فيabout نَفعهits benefit اِثنانtwo people
عَلَيهِ لَم يَختَلف في نَفعه اِثنان
Gone is he who brought you from it a work agreed
Gone is he who came to you with agreed upon
upon—no two people disputed its usefulness.
Benefits that two did not differ about.
مُهذبُrefined الطَبعِin form صَعبُdifficult الجَمعcompilation أَكسبهgave it
مُهذبُ الطَبعِ صَعبُ الجَمع أَكسبه
أَسلوبُهhis style محضَpure تَسهيلease لأذهانfor minds
أَسلوبُه محضَ تَسهيل لأذهان
Refined in form and hard to compile, it gained
Of gentle nature, hard to gather, his
from his style perfect ease for the mind.
Style gave his talks ease for minds.
مِنهُfrom it اِستفدتمyou benefited وَمِنهُand from it غيركمothers besides you كشفتwere revealed
مِنهُ اِستفدتم وَمِنهُ غيركم كشفت
لهto them حَقائقrealities أَقوامpeoples وبلدانand lands
له حَقائق أَقوام وبلدان
From it you benefited; through it, for others, were unveiled
From him you gained, and so did others; he unveiled
the realities of peoples and lands.
To you facts of peoples and countries.
مَضىhas passed away الَّذيthe one who شادَbuilt فيin تَلخيصabridging معظمهmost of it
مَضى الَّذي شادَ في تَلخيص معظمه
مِنهُfrom it الأُصولthe foundations بإحكامwith precision لبنيانfor a structure
مِنهُ الأُصول بإحكام لبنيان
Gone is he who, in abridging most of it, built
Gone is he who built in summarizing most of
its foundations with sound construction.
Its origins firmly for the structure.
ياoh لَيتَهُwould that he عاشَlived حَتّىuntil تمَّwas complete وَاِرتَفَعَتand rose
يا لَيتَهُ عاشَ حَتّى تمَّ وَاِرتَفَعَت
لَهُfor it رَصيناتُsolid جُدرانٍwalls وَأَركانand pillars
لَهُ رَصيناتُ جُدرانٍ وَأَركان
Would that he had lived until it was complete and there rose
I wish he lived until it was complete and erected
for it solid walls and pillars!
For him were the solid walls and pillars!
وَكانَand would have أَظهرshown فيin باقيهits remainder لِلنُبَلاto the noble
وَكانَ أَظهر في باقيه لِلنُبَلا
بَلاغةَeloquence اِبنson of أَبيfather of سُلمىSulma وَسحبانand Sahban
بَلاغةَ اِبن أَبي سُلمى وَسحبان
And in the remainder he would have shown the noble
And he showed more clearly in the rest for the noble
the eloquence of Ibn Abi Sulma and Sahban.
The eloquence of Ibn Abi Sulma and Sahbaan.
مَضىhas passed away الَّذيthe one who كانَwas فيin اِستئنافappeals مَصرEgypt لَهُhe had
مَضى الَّذي كانَ في اِستئناف مَصر لَهُ
رَأيjudgment سَديدsound وَلاand not يُغضيturns a blind eye عَنto الجانيthe offender
رَأي سَديد وَلا يُغضي عَن الجاني
Gone is he who, in Egypt’s court of appeal, had
Gone is he who in restarting Egypt had
sound judgment and never turned a blind eye to the offender.
Sound opinion and did not ignore the sinner.
وَيُعمِلُand applies الفكرَthought فيto رَدِّredressing المَظالمwrongs مِنfrom
وَيُعمِلُ الفكرَ في رَدِّ المَظالم مِن
بَعدafter اِستِماعٍhearing لِماto what يُبديهِhe presents خصمانtwo litigants
بَعد اِستِماعٍ لِما يُبديهِ خصمان
He applied his mind to redressing wrongs,
And made reason work in correcting injustices
after hearing what two litigants put forward.
After listening to what two opponents say.
وَكانَand he was يُحسنُskilled at تَحريرdrafting المَضابطthe records فيin
وَكانَ يُحسنُ تَحرير المَضابط في
كُلall القَضاياthe cases بِتَمكينwith mastery وَإِمكانand ability
كُل القَضايا بِتَمكين وَإِمكان
And he skillfully drafted the records in
And he was good at recording the minutes in
every case, with mastery and ability.
Every case with ability and competence.
مَضىhas passed away الهمامthe valiant one الذَكيthe intelligent الحبرthe scholar منthe one whom شهدتattested
مَضى الهمام الذَكي الحبر من شهدت
لَهُfor him الأَفاضلthe distinguished منfrom قاصafar وَمِنand from دانيnear
لَهُ الأَفاضل من قاص وَمِن داني
Gone is the valiant, keen-minded scholar, to whose worth testified
Gone is the zealous, intelligent, eloquent one - many
the distinguished, from far and near.
Of the virtuous testified for him, both near and far.
ياalas ضَيعةthe loss of النظمverse وَالمَنثورand prose فيin زَمَنan age
يا ضَيعة النظم وَالمَنثور في زَمَن
رَماهstruck it سَهمthe arrow of الرَدىdeath فيهِin it بِنُقصانwith diminution
رَماه سَهم الرَدى فيهِ بِنُقصان
Alas for the loss of verse and prose in an age
Oh what a loss of prose and poetry in a time
struck and diminished by the arrow of death!
That the arrow of evil struck with diminishing!
لاmay not كانَhave existed يَومa day فُجِعناwe were bereaved مِنهُthrough it فيin صفرSafar
لا كانَ يَوم فُجِعنا مِنهُ في صفر
بِعالمof a scholar سابقforemost فيin كُلevery ميدانfield
بِعالم سابق في كُل ميدان
Would that the day had never been when, in Safar, we were bereaved
If only the day we lost him in Safar
of a scholar foremost in every field!
Was not with a predecessor in every field.
بِعالمof a scholar كاملconsummate جاءَتcame تَراجمُهhis translations
بِعالم كامل جاءَت تَراجمُه
فيin كُلevery شَيءthing لَناto us مِنهُfrom him بِبُرهانwith proof
في كُل شَيء لَنا مِنهُ بِبُرهان
Of a consummate scholar, whose translations brought
With a perfect scholar whose biographies
us proof of his excellence in every subject.
Came to us in everything with proof.
وَناظمٍand a poet ناثرa prose writer تَقضيdecrees فَصاحتُهhis eloquence
وَناظمٍ ناثر تَقضي فَصاحتُه
لَهُfor him عَلىover كُلevery يَعروفlearned man برجحانwith superiority
لَهُ عَلى كُل يَعروف برجحان
And a poet and prose writer, whose eloquence decreed
And a composer whose eloquence
his superiority over every learned man.
Judges over all known for prominence.
وَناطقٍand a speaker بِبَديعwith exquisite اللَفظdiction فيin لُغةٍa tongue
وَناطقٍ بِبَديع اللَفظ في لُغةٍ
مَأثورةٍhanded down عَنfrom فرنسيسٍthe French وَطليانand Italians
مَأثورةٍ عَن فرنسيسٍ وَطليان
And a speaker of exquisite words in a tongue
And a speaker in excellent phrasing in a
handed down by the French and Italians.
Renowned language of French and Italian.
وَقائمٍand one undertaking بخداماتservices لِموطنهfor his homeland
وَقائمٍ بخدامات لِموطنه
مَعwith الأَمانةintegrity فيin سرّsecrecy وَإِعلانand openness
مَع الأَمانة في سرّ وَإِعلان
And one who undertook services for his homeland
And one who performed services to his homeland
with integrity, privately and openly.
With honesty openly and in secret.
وَصارفand one spending لِنَفيسof the precious العُمرlifetime فيon كُتبbooks
وَصارف لِنَفيس العُمر في كُتب
أَحياrevived بِهاwith them كُلevery رَسمtrace دارسeffaced فانيvanishing
أَحيا بِها كُل رَسم دارس فاني
And one who spent his precious lifetime on books
And who spent the finest of his life in books
with which he revived every faded, vanishing trace.
That revived every lesson for one who passes away.
وَفائزand one winning بِالثَناpraise فيfor حُسنgood تَربيةupbringing
وَفائز بِالثَنا في حُسن تَربية
لِلشَهمof the noble one أُنسيUnsi وَغُصنand the branch of الدَوحةthe spreading tree الثانيthe second
لِلشَهم أُنسي وَغُصن الدَوحة الثاني
And one who won praise for the excellent upbringing
And winner of praise in good upbringing
of the noble Unsi and the spreading tree’s second branch.
Of the valiant Unasi and branch of Dewha the second.
وَحائزand one attaining لفَخارٍglory لاnot يُشاركهshares with him
وَحائز لفَخارٍ لا يُشاركه
فيهِin it مِنfrom الوَطَنthe homeland المَألوفfamiliar ذُوa person of شانstanding
فيهِ مِن الوَطَن المَألوف ذُو شان
And one who gained a glory not shared with him
And earner of pride that none
by any man of standing in his familiar homeland.
Of status in the beloved homeland rivals him in.
حَيثfor اِنتَضىdrew سَيفَthe sword of عَزمٍresolve مِنfrom قَريحتهhis genius
حَيث اِنتَضى سَيفَ عَزمٍ مِن قَريحته
بِحَزمwith the firmness of ذيa man of همةٍhigh purpose لِلقَولto words يَقظانalert
بِحَزم ذي همةٍ لِلقَول يَقظان
For he drew a sword of resolve from his genius,
Where he raised a sword of resolve from his talent
with the firmness of a man of high purpose, alert to words.
With the determination of an alert saying.
وَكانَand he was أَوّلthe first مَنwho أَبدىpresented لِمالكهto his sovereign
وَكانَ أَوّل مَن أَبدى لِمالكه
فيin حُبlove of مَصرEgypt وَفيand in شَهمa noble man وسُكانand inhabitants
في حُب مَصر وَفي شَهم وسُكان
And he was the first to present to his sovereign,
And he was the first to show his ruler
out of love for Egypt, its noble ruler, and its people,
In love of Egypt, valor and people.
صَحيفةa newspaper بِكَin you وَاديvalley of النيلthe Nile أَودعهاhe placed in it
صَحيفة بِكَ وَادي النيل أَودعها
مِنfrom المَواردthe wellsprings ماwhat يَصفوruns clear لِظَمآنfor a thirsty person
مِن المَوارد ما يَصفو لِظَمآن
a newspaper in you, O Nile Valley, in which he placed
The newspaper "Bik wa Wadi al-Nile" he made as a deposit
from the wellsprings what runs clear for the thirsty.
From resources that quench a thirsty one's thirst.
وَبَعدَهاand after it رَوضةthe garden of الأَخبارthe news قَدalready ظَهرتappeared
وَبَعدَها رَوضة الأَخبار قَد ظَهرت
وَأَشرَقتand shone شَمسُهاits sun ماemphatic particle بَينamong أَخدانcompanions
وَأَشرَقت شَمسُها ما بَين أَخدان
And afterward Rawdat al-Akhbar (The Garden of News) appeared,
After it "Rawdat al-Akhbar" appeared
and its sun shone among companions.
And its sun shone between two cheeks.
وَلَوand if أَرادwished مَجيدan accomplished man حَصرto enumerate ماwhat كَتبتwrote
وَلَو أَراد مَجيد حَصر ما كَتبت
يُمناهhis right hand مماof what يُحلِّيadorns جيدthe neck of أَزمانages
يُمناه مما يُحلِّي جيد أَزمان
And if an accomplished man wished to enumerate what was written
Had Majid tried to count what his right hand wrote
by his right hand—works adorning the neck of the ages—
Adorning times of beauty and grace,
لاnot سِيَماthe like of فيin تَواريخhistories وَفيand in أَدَبliterature
لا سِيَما في تَواريخ وَفي أَدَب
وَفيand in قَوانينcodes أَحكامٍrulings لِسُلطانfor a sovereign
وَفي قَوانين أَحكامٍ لِسُلطان
especially in histories and literature,
Especially in histories, literature
and in codes of law for a sovereign,
And laws of ruling a sultan,
لقصرتwould surely fall short مِنهُfrom him عَنof إِحصاءcounting أَيسَرهits least part
لقصرت مِنهُ عَن إِحصاء أَيسَره
رماحُthe spears of أَقلامهhis pens فيin أَلفa thousand دِيوانvolumes
رماحُ أَقلامه في أَلف دِيوان
even counting the least of it would defeat
The spears of his pens in a thousand diaries
the spears of his pens, in a thousand volumes.
Would have fallen short of recording the easiest of it.
فَاللَهso may God يَحفَظpreserve نجليهِhis two sons وَيَغمرهand shower him
فَاللَه يَحفَظ نجليهِ وَيَغمره
فيin قَبرهhis grave بِنَدىwith the dew of عَفوpardon وَغُفرانand forgiveness
في قَبره بِنَدى عَفو وَغُفران
May God, then, preserve his two sons and shower him
So may God protect his two sons and immerse him
in his grave with the dew of pardon and forgiveness,
In his grave with the dew of pardon and forgiveness.
وَعَنهُand with him يَرضىbe pleased وَيُرضيهand please him وَيُسكنهand house him
وَعَنهُ يَرضى وَيُرضيه وَيُسكنه
جَناتgardens حورhouris بهياتradiant وَولدانand youths
جَنات حور بهيات وَولدان
and be pleased with him, please him, and house him
And be pleased with him and please him and lodge him
in gardens of radiant houris and youths,
In gardens of lovely maidens and boys.
ماas long as قالَsaid مَجديMajdi لَدىat نعيٍa death notice يُؤرخهrecording its date
ما قالَ مَجدي لَدى نعيٍ يُؤرخه
أَبوAbu (father of) السُعودal-Su‘ud لَهُfor him طَيبbliss برضوانthrough divine favor
أَبو السُعود لَهُ طَيب برضوان
as long as Majdi says in a death notice, recording its date:
This is what Majdi said at the obituary he dated -
‘Abu al-Su‘ud has bliss through divine favor.’
May Abu Al-Su'ud have good pleasure and acceptance.
Sol 6.1