أَكَذاis it thus? تَهدِمُdemolishes المنَونُdeath الجِبَالاَthe mountains
أَكَذا تَهدِمُ المنَونُ الجِبَالاَ
أَكَذاis it thus? يَنزعُwrenches out الحِمامُdeath النِّصَالاthe arrowheads
أَكَذا يَنزعُ الحِمامُ النِّصَالا
Does death thus demolish mountains?
Thus does death destroy the mountains
Does death thus wrench out the arrowheads?
Thus does the dove pluck out the spears
أَكَذاis it thus? تَحطِمُshatters الرَّزَايَاcalamities العَواليthe lofty spears
أَكَذا تَحطِمُ الرَّزَايَا العَوالي
أَكَذَاis it thus? تَثلِمُnotches السُّيوفَthe swords الصقِّالاpolished
أَكَذَا تَثلِمُ السُّيوفَ الصقِّالا
Do calamities thus shatter the lofty spears?
Thus does fate shatter the towering heights
Do they thus notch the polished swords?
Thus do swords blunt their sharpened edges
أَكَذاis it thus? تَرجِعُreturns البِحَارُthe seas وَقَدthough already فَاoverflowed (first part)
أَكَذا تَرجِعُ البِحَارُ وَقَد فَا
ضَتoverflowed (completion) عُبَاباًin surging billows وَقائعاًbattles أَوشَالاtrickles
ضَت عُبَاباً وَقائعاً أَوشَالا
Do seas thus return—though they have
Thus do the seas recede, their murky depths
overflowed in billows and battles—to mere trickles?
Churning, roiling, heaving in tumultuous swells
أَكَذاis it thus? تَغربُsets الكَواكبُthe stars فيin التُّرthe dust (first part)
أَكَذا تَغربُ الكَواكبُ في التُّر
بdust (completion) وكانَتthough they were فيin جَوِّهاtheir sky تَتَلالاglittering
ب وكانَت في جَوِّها تَتَلالا
Do stars thus set in the dust,
Thus do the stars sink into the darkness
though they once glittered in their skies?
Though once they shone bright in the firmament
سَلَبَtook away الحادِثُthe calamity الجَليلُgreat مَلِيكاًa king
سَلَبَ الحادِثُ الجَليلُ مَلِيكاً
لَمdid not يُخَيِّبdisappoint لِقَاصدٍfor a petitioner آمَالاhopes
لَم يُخَيِّب لِقَاصدٍ آمَالا
The great calamity has snatched away a king
Dire misfortune has taken a noble king
who never disappointed a petitioner's hopes.
Who disappointed no earnest hope
سَلَبَtook away الأَروَعَthe awe-inspiring one الرَّحيمَthe merciful الكَميَّthe armored warrior الthe
سَلَبَ الأَروَعَ الرَّحيمَ الكَميَّ ال
أَريحِيَّopenhanded الُمؤَمَّلَlooked to in hope المِفضالاlavishly generous
أَريحِيَّ الُمؤَمَّلَ المِفضالا
It has taken the awe-inspiring, merciful, mail-clad warrior,
It has seized the most benevolent and generous
the openhanded one in whom men hoped, lavish in giving.
The most clement, the most anticipated and distinguished
سَلَبَtook away الغَازيَthe raider الُمجَاهِدَthe striving warrior فيin the cause of اللَّGod (first part)
سَلَبَ الغَازيَ الُمجَاهِدَ في اللَّ
هِGod (completion) تَعَالىexalted is He والعَالِمَand the learned one العَمَّالاthe tireless doer
هِ تَعَالى والعَالِمَ العَمَّالا
It has taken the raider who strove for God,
It has taken the warrior, the fighter for God
Most High, the learned man who put knowledge into practice.
The Lord Most High, the tireless worker
سَلَبَtook away العاطِفَthe compassionate one الشَّفِيقَthe tenderhearted علىtoward كُلِّall
سَلَبَ العاطِفَ الشَّفِيقَ على كُلِّ
البَراياcreation والقائِلَand the speaker الفَعَّالاthe man of deeds
البَرايا والقائِلَ الفَعَّالا
It has taken the compassionate, tenderhearted toward all
It has taken the sympathetic, the kind to all of mankind
creation, the man whose words were matched by deeds.
The speaker of effective, purposeful words
إِنَّindeed قَبراًa grave شاهَShah أَرمنَArmen حَلَّsettled فيهِin it
إِنَّ قَبراً شاهَ أَرمنَ حَلَّ فيهِ
قَدindeed حَوَىَcontained الفَخرglory والعُلىand high honor والجَلالاand majesty
قَد حَوَىَ الفَخر والعُلى والجَلالا
Indeed, a grave where Shah Armen came to rest
In a grave lies the King of Armenia
has gathered glory, high honor, and majesty.
Therein lies glory, nobility and majesty
وضَرِيحاًand a tomb ثَوَىhe rested بِهِin it غيرُnot بِدعٍa marvel
وضَرِيحاً ثَوَى بِهِ غيرُ بِدعٍ
إِنif تَسَامَىrose high علىabove النُّجومِthe stars وَطَالاand towered
إِن تَسَامَى على النُّجومِ وَطَالا
And a tomb in which he rests—it is no wonder
In a tomb rests one who was peerless
if it rises above the stars and towers high.
Though he towered over the stars, sublime and remote
أَيُّwhat مَجدٍglory للناسِamong people بالمَلِكِwith the king الأَشal-Ashraf (first part)
أَيُّ مَجدٍ للناسِ بالمَلِكِ الأَش
رفِal-Ashraf (completion) فيهِconcerning it لَمdid not يَضرِبواcite الأَمثَالاexamples
رفِ فيهِ لَم يَضرِبوا الأَمثَالا
What glory among men has King al-Ashraf
What glory remains to people from the most noble king
not been cited to exemplify?
In whom they never found fault or criticism?
أَيُّwhat مَلكٍking مِنَamong المُلوكِthe kings عَظيمٍmighty
أَيُّ مَلكٍ مِنَ المُلوكِ عَظيمٍ
ماnot مَشىَwalked فيin رِكابِهhis retinue إِجلالاin reverence
ما مَشىَ في رِكابِه إِجلالا
What mighty king among the kings
What mighty monarch was ever shown such reverence
has not walked in his retinue out of reverence?
That people walked humbly in his train?
فَلَقدfor indeed أَودَتِcarried off الخُطُوبُcalamities بِمَلكٍa king (object of 'carried off')
فَلَقد أَودَتِ الخُطُوبُ بِمَلكٍ
طَالَماso often فيin الوَغَىbattle علىagainst الخَطبِadversity صَالاcharged
طَالَما في الوَغَى على الخَطبِ صَالا
For calamities have indeed carried off a king
Misfortune has taken a king who often plunged
who so often charged against adversity in battle.
Fearlessly into the thick of battle
مَلِكٌa king لَمdid not يَزلcease إِلىuntil أَنthat غداbecame للَّto God (first part)
مَلِكٌ لَم يَزل إِلى أَن غدا للَّ
هِGod (completion) جاراًa neighbor لَهُto him الأنَامُmankind عِيَالاdependents
هِ جاراً لَهُ الأنَامُ عِيَالا
A king who, until he became God's neighbor,
A king who was always, until he passed into the grace of God
always had mankind as his dependents.
The provider upon whom all people depended
مَلِكa king بَاهرُdazzling الَمنَاقبِin virtues للإِسِfor Islam (first part)
مَلِك بَاهرُ الَمنَاقبِ للإِسِ
لامIslam (completion) والمُسلمينَand the Muslims كانَwas مألاa refuge
لام والمُسلمينَ كانَ مألا
A king of dazzling virtues, who for Islam
A king whose brilliant virtues made him a shining light
and the Muslims was a refuge.
For Islam and Muslims - he was their bastion
مَلِكٌa king كانضwas (apparent typo) أَمنَsecurity for الديِّنَthe faith إنif خاfeared (first part)
مَلِكٌ كانض أَمنَ الديِّنَ إن خا
فَfeared (completion) مِنَfrom الُمشرِكينَthe polytheists داءَan affliction عُضَالاincurable
فَ مِنَ الُمشرِكينَ داءَ عُضَالا
A king who was the faith's security when it
A king who secured the faith when it was threatened
feared an incurable affliction from the polytheists.
By invading polytheists, a terrible affliction
كَسَفَeclipsed الَموتُdeath شَمسَthe sun of أُفقthe horizon of الَمعَاليnoble heights
كَسَفَ الَموتُ شَمسَ أُفق الَمعَالي
وَأصَابَتُand struck يَدُthe hand of الَمنَاياthe fates of death الهلاِلاthe crescent moon
وَأصَابَتُ يَدُ الَمنَايا الهلاِلا
Death has eclipsed the sun on the horizon of noble heights,
Death has eclipsed the sun shining on the horizon of glory
and the hand of the fates has struck the crescent moon.
The hand of mortality has struck down the crescent moon
وَهوَىand fell بَعدَafter فَقدِthe loss of مُوَسىMusa أبيAbu الفَتal-Fath (first part)
وَهوَى بَعدَ فَقدِ مُوَسى أبي الفَت
حِal-Fath (completion) مِنَof المَجدِglory ماwhatever سَمَاrose وتَعَالَىand soared
حِ مِنَ المَجدِ ما سَمَا وتَعَالَى
And after the loss of Musa Abu al-Fath, down fell
After the loss of Moses my father, the Opener,
whatever glory had risen and soared.
Glory itself has fallen from its lofty pinnacle
لَيِسَis not; likely 'put on' is intended الُملكُkingship والهُدَىand guidance وثُغُورُand the frontiers of الthe
لَيِسَ الُملكُ والهُدَى وثُغُورُ ال
أَرضٍearth والدَّهرُand time بَعدَهُafter him أَسمَالاtatters
أَرضٍ والدَّهرُ بَعدَهُ أَسمَالا
Kingship, guidance, and the earth's frontiers
Neither kingdom nor guidance nor earthly frontiers
and time itself have donned tatters after him.
Nor time itself will be as they were without him.
عَبرةُthe tear of المُلكِkingship بَعدهُafter him لَيسَdoes not تَرقاstop flowing
عَبرةُ المُلكِ بَعدهُ لَيسَ تَرقا
وكَذاand likewise عَثرَةُthe stumble of الهُدَىguidance لَنwill never تُقَالاbe remedied
وكَذا عَثرَةُ الهُدَى لَن تُقَالا
The tears of kingship after him will not cease,
The kingdom after him is no exalted thing
and guidance's stumble will never be set right.
Just as the faltering of guidance cannot be ignored
قَسَماًan oath بالإِلَهِby God لَمdid not يَرَsee تاجٌa crown
قَسَماً بالإِلَهِ لَم يَرَ تاجٌ
أَبداًever تَحتَهُbeneath it لِموُسَىto Musa مِثَالاan equal
أَبداً تَحتَهُ لِموُسَى مِثَالا
I swear by God, no crown has seen
By God! No crown will ever grace
beneath it anyone like Musa, ever.
A head comparable to that of Moses
لَمdid not يَزلcease وَاتِرَone who inflicted loss on الحَوادِثِcalamities حَتَّىuntil
لَم يَزل وَاتِرَ الحَوادِثِ حَتَّى
أَخَذَتthey took مِنهُfrom him ثَأرَهُنَّtheir vengeance تَبالاin blood retribution
أَخَذَت مِنهُ ثَأرَهُنَّ تَبالا
He kept inflicting loss on calamities, until
Misfortune oppressed him until at last
they exacted their blood vengeance from him.
Fate had its vengeance and was sated
إِنif غداbecame دَستُthe throne of مُلكِهِhis kingship خَالِياًempty مِنof
إِن غدا دَستُ مُلكِهِ خَالِياً مِن
هُhim فَمَاthen did not زَالَcease قَبلُbefore للبدرِfor the full moon هالاa halo
هُ فَمَا زَالَ قَبلُ للبدرِ هالا
If the throne of his kingdom now stands empty
Whether his royal robe was now empty of him
of him, it was always the full moon's halo before.
He was still the full moon's peer before
أَوor غَدَتbecame خَيلُهhis horses صفُوفاًranks فَكَمthen how often الclothed (first part)
أَو غَدَت خَيلُه صفُوفاً فَكَم ال
بسهاclothed them (completion) النَّقعَdust فيin الهيِاجِbattle's tumult جِلاَلاcaparisons
بسها النَّقعَ في الهيِاجِ جِلاَلا
Or if his horses now stand in ranks, how often
Or his steeds were riderless ranks
he clothed them in dust as caparisons amid battle!
He had richly caparisoned them for battle's fury
أَوor غداbecame دِرعُهُhis armor مَضُوناkept safe (probable correction) فَكَمthen how often غَاleft (first part)
أَو غدا دِرعُهُ مَضُونا فَكَم غَا
دَرَهُleft it (completion) ماwhat أفاضَhe poured forth مِنهُfrom it مُذالاtrailing
دَرَهُ ما أفاضَ مِنهُ مُذالا
Or if his armor now lies preserved, how often
Or his coat of mail was unused
what he poured forth from it left it trailing!
He had freely dispensed gifts from its bounty
أَوor ثَوتrested فيin الغُمودِthe sheaths أَسيافُهُhis swords البِيthe white (first part)
أَو ثَوت في الغُمودِ أَسيافُهُ البِي
ضُwhite (completion) فَكَمthen how often قَدindeed غَزَتraided بِهنَّwith them صِيَالاin fierce assault
ضُ فَكَم قَد غَزَت بِهنَّ صِيَالا
Or if his white swords rest in their sheaths, how often
Or his bright swords rested in their scabbards
fierce raids were waged with them!
With them he had raided many a land
أَوor دكَتwas crushed جَمرةُthe ember of القِراعِcombat فَكِمthen how often أَخextinguished (first part)
أَو دكَت جَمرةُ القِراعِ فَكِم أَخ
مَدَextinguished (completion) منِهاof it ماwhat كانَhad زادَincreased اشتِعالاin blazing
مَدَ منِها ما كانَ زادَ اشتِعالا
Or if combat's ember is crushed, how often he
Or the clash of his arms fell silent
quenched the part of it that blazed still fiercer!
With them he had kindled the flames of many wars
أَيwhat أرضٍland ماnot شَنَّlaunched غَاراتِهhis raids فيin
أَي أرضٍ ما شَنَّ غَاراتِه في
هاit وَبرَand open country ماnot سَنَّestablished فيهِin it النِّزالاcombat
ها وَبرَ ما سَنَّ فيهِ النِّزالا
What land has he not launched his raids
What land did he not raid with his attacks
upon, and what wilderness has he not made a field of combat?
With his swift, unfailing spears
بِجيادِwith noble steeds رماحُهhis spears كَفَلتguaranteed أَنthat
بِجيادِ رماحُه كَفَلت أَن
لاnot يُرىsee ضِدةُّhis adversary (intended reading) لَهاof them أَكفالاhindquarters
لا يُرى ضِدةُّ لَها أَكفالا
With noble steeds—his spears ensured
No rival dared approach, or met defeat
his foe would never see their hindquarters.
O king who curtailed the shade cast on the people
ياO مليكَking of الدُّنياthe world الذيwhose قَلَّصَwithdrew اليَوtoday (first part)
يا مليكَ الدُّنيا الذي قَلَّصَ اليَو
مَtoday (completion) رَداهُhis death عَنِfrom الأنامِmankind الظِّلالاthe shade
مَ رَداهُ عَنِ الأنامِ الظِّلالا
O king of the world, whose death today
Eyes now brim with tears for you, cascading down cheeks
has withdrawn the shade from mankind!
Hearts throb and ache, never leaving the nightingales in peace
إنَّindeed عَيناًan eye تَلَدُّtakes delight (probable correction) بالدَّمعِin tears مِنfrom بَعafter (first part)
إنَّ عَيناً تَلَدُّ بالدَّمعِ مِن بَع
دِكَafter you (completion) إنسانُهاits pupil علىupon الخَدِّthe cheek مالاmay it fall
دِكَ إنسانُها على الخَدِّ مالا
Indeed, an eye that takes comfort in tears after
After you hopes were dashed and aims denied
you—may its pupil fall upon the cheek!
The sea of kindness seethed, churned into ruin
وفُؤاداًand a heart يَقِرُّrests مِنfrom خَفَقانٍthrobbing
وفُؤاداً يَقِرُّ مِن خَفَقانٍ
وَحَنينٍand yearning لاmay not فَارَقَpart from البَلبالاanguish
وَحَنينٍ لا فَارَقَ البَلبالا
And a heart that rests from throbbing
What glory remains but the train that drags
and longing—may it never part from anguish!
Across the stars, trailing in your wake?
كَذَبَتproved false بَعدكَafter you الظُّنونُexpectations وخابَand failed الthe
كَذَبَت بَعدكَ الظُّنونُ وخابَ ال
قَصدُseeking والبَرُّand the benefactor بَحرُهُhis sea صارَbecame آلاa mirage
قَصدُ والبَرُّ بَحرُهُ صارَ آلا
After you, expectations proved false, and all seeking
The grave that holds your body forms clouds
failed; the benefactor's sea became a mirage.
That gather at dusk and break at dawn, ever burdensome
أَيُّwhat مَجدٍglory سِوىَother than الذيthat which سُؤدُداًin lordly honor يَسtrails (first part)
أَيُّ مَجدٍ سِوىَ الذي سُؤدُداً يَس
حَبُtrails (completion) فَوقَabove الكواكبِthe stars الأذيالاthe hems
حَبُ فَوقَ الكواكبِ الأذيالا
What glory is there save that which, in lordly honor,
And over you massed rainclouds linger
trails its hems above the stars?
Ceaselessly, in constant mourning
جادَتِmay generously water الحُفرَةَthe grave التيwhich ضُمنَتwas entrusted with جِسbody (first part)
جادَتِ الحُفرَةَ التي ضُمنَت جِس
مَكَyour body (completion) سُحبٌclouds تُمسيare at evening وتُضحِيand are at morning ثِقالاheavy
مَكَ سُحبٌ تُمسي وتُضحِي ثِقالا
May the grave entrusted with your body be watered
by clouds heavy with rain at evening and morning.
وأَقامَتand may abide عَليكَover you سُحبُclouds of الحيَاrain لاnot
وأَقامَت عَليكَ سُحبُ الحيَا لا
تَتولَّىdepart وإِنَّماbut only تَتَواليfollow one another
تَتولَّى وإِنَّما تَتَوالي
And may rain-clouds abide above you, never
departing, but following one another.
Partial English translation: 68 of 72 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1