أَلاAh هَلcan لِجَفنٍfor an eyelid ساهِرِwakeful اللَيلِthrough the night ساهِدِsleepless
أَلا هَل لِجَفنٍ ساهِرِ اللَيلِ ساهِدِ
تَأَلُّفُfamiliarity غَمضَsleep مُنذُsince بَينَكَyour separation شارِدِfleeing
تَأَلُّفُ غَمضَ مُنذُ بَينَكَ شارِدِ
Ah, can an eyelid wakeful through the night find sleep?
Sleep has fled since your separation.
وَهَلand can لِشُؤونٍfor tear ducts أَنthat يُؤَمَّلُbe hoped غَيضَهاtheir subsiding
وَهَل لِشُؤونٍ أَن يُؤَمَّلُ غَيضَها
وَمِنand before them دونِهاwhat ماoverflowed فاضَhard صُمُّrocks الجَلامِدِboulders
وَمِن دونِها ما فاضَ صُمُّ الجَلامِدِ
Can one hope that these streams of tears will subside,
When even hard stones would overflow before they did?
وَهَلand can لِفُؤادٍfor a heart أَنthat يَرجىbe hoped for شِفاؤُهُits healing
وَهَل لِفُؤادٍ أَن يَرجى شِفاؤُهُ
بِغَيرِwithout لِغامِthe froth الزَفرَةِof a sigh المُتَصاعِدِrising
بِغَيرِ لِغامِ الزَفرَةِ المُتَصاعِدِ
Can a heart be expected to heal
Without the froth of a rising sigh?
وَهَلand can لِشَجّيfor a grieving one مِنany سُلُوٍّsolace وَقَدwhen ذَكَتblazed
وَهَل لِشَجّي مِن سُلُوٍّ وَقَد ذَكَت
مِنَfrom الوُجودِexistence فيin جَنبَيهِhis sides نارَthe fire المَواقِدِof hearths
مِنَ الوُجودِ في جَنبَيهِ نارَ المَواقِدِ
Can a sorrowing man find solace when
The fires of existence blaze within his sides?
تَبيتُhe spends the night إِذاwhen دَبَّتcrept أَساوِدَthe dark serpents لَيلِهِof his night
تَبيتُ إِذا دَبَّت أَساوِدَ لَيلِهِ
حَشاياهُhis innards مِنfrom أَنيابِthe fangs رَقشِof mottled الأَساوِدِserpents
حَشاياهُ مِن أَنيابِ رَقشِ الأَساوِدِ
He passes the night as its dark serpents creep,
Their mottled fangs striking at his innermost being.
وَهَلand can لِرُعاةِfor watchers النَجمِof the stars فيin مَهمَهِthe vast expanse الدُجىof darkness
وَهَل لِرُعاةِ النَجمِ في مَهمَهِ الدُجى
مِنَof الوُدِّaffection إِلّاexcept صُحبَةٍcompanionship لِلفَراقِدِwith the two Pole Stars
مِنَ الوُدِّ إِلّا صُحبَةٍ لِلفَراقِدِ
And for those who watch the stars in the vast darkness,
What companions remain dear but the two Pole Stars?
تَحَدَّرَpoured down سَيلَthe flood الدَمعِof tears طَلقاًunrestrained عَنانُهُits reins
تَحَدَّرَ سَيلَ الدَمعِ طَلقاً عَنانُهُ
وَأَلقَتand surrendered قُلوبٌhearts لِلأَسىto sorrow بِالمَقاوِدِtheir reins
وَأَلقَت قُلوبٌ لِلأَسى بِالمَقاوِدِ
The flood of tears ran down with its reins let loose,
And hearts surrendered their reins to grief.
وَكَيفَand how يُقاويcan resist الدَهرَtime قَلبٌa heart مُهَلهِلٌfrayed
وَكَيفَ يُقاوي الدَهرَ قَلبٌ مُهَلهِلٌ
يِشِفُّshows through وَذيand these آثارُهُits traces فيin الجَوامِدِsolid things
يِشِفُّ وَذي آثارُهُ في الجَوامِدِ
How can a frayed heart withstand time,
When its effects show even in solid stone?
أَبادَit destroyed الخَواليthose past وَالبَواقيand those remaining رِهائِنٌhostages
أَبادَ الخَوالي وَالبَواقي رِهائِنٌ
لَدَيهِin its grasp فَماso nothing باقٍremaining بِهِin it غَيرَexcept بائِدِperishing
لَدَيهِ فَما باقٍ بِهِ غَيرَ بائِدِ
Time has destroyed those who passed; those who remain are its captives.
In its grasp, nothing living stays except to perish.
وَلَمand it did not يُبقِspare قَلباًa heart لَمwithout يُصِبهُstriking it وَلَمand it did not يَكُنhave
وَلَم يُبقِ قَلباً لَم يُصِبهُ وَلَم يَكُن
يُصابُget struck وَماwhile it does not يَرميstrike بِكَفٍّwith a hand وَساعِدِand an arm
يُصابُ وَما يَرمي بِكَفٍّ وَساعِدِ
It has spared no heart from its blows, though it cannot itself
Be struck, and though it casts its blows without hand or arm.
تضأَمَّلreflect فَماfor nothing فيin العُمرِlife غَيرَbut مَصائِبٍcalamities
تضأَمَّل فَما في العُمرِ غَيرَ مَصائِبٍ
وَماand people الناسُare only إِلّاbetween بَينَone weeping باكٍand one grieving وَواجِدِgrieving
وَما الناسُ إِلّا بَينَ باكٍ وَواجِدِ
Reflect: life holds calamities,
And people are either weeping or grieving.
وَلَوand if سَبَرَexamined deeply الناسَpeople الأُمورَaffairs لِأَصبَحواthey would become
وَلَو سَبَرَ الناسَ الأُمورَ لِأَصبَحوا
بِأَسرِهِمall of them مِنamong فَيلَسوفَphilosophers وَزاهِدِand ascetics
بِأَسرِهِم مِن فَيلَسوفَ وَزاهِدِ
If people examined matters deeply, they would all become
Philosophers and ascetics, every one of them.
وَلَيسَand are not الجَديدانِthe two ever-renewed ones اللَذانِwhich two تَعاقَباalternate
وَلَيسَ الجَديدانِ اللَذانِ تَعاقَبا
سِوىexcept جَلَميthe two shears أَعمارَناof our lives عِندَto ناقِدِone who examines
سِوى جَلَمي أَعمارَنا عِندَ ناقِدِ
The two ever-renewed things that follow one another
Are, to one who looks closely, the shears of our lives.
وَماand is not اليَومَthe day إِلّاexcept ماwhat يَنُمُّbetrays عَلىthe people الوَرىpeople
وَما اليَومَ إِلّا ما يَنُمُّ عَلى الوَرى
وَلاnor اللَيلُthe night إِلّاexcept لِلفَناءِtoward extinction بِقائِدِa driver
وَلا اللَيلُ إِلّا لِلفَناءِ بِقائِدِ
Day only gives away the people upon it,
And night only leads them toward extinction.
اَهِلَّتهُits crescents الأَسيافَthe swords فيat كُلِّevery مَفرِقٍparted head
اَهِلَّتهُ الأَسيافَ في كُلِّ مَفرِقٍ
وَماand are not تِلكُمُthose الأَسيافُswords غَيرَexcept حَدائِدِpieces of iron
وَما تِلكُمُ الأَسيافُ غَيرَ حَدائِدِ
Its crescents are swords poised over every head,
Though those swords are only pieces of iron.
وَخَطبٍand a calamity لَعَمريby my life لَوif أَناخَsettled بَيَذبُلٍupon Yadhbul
وَخَطبٍ لَعَمري لَو أَناخَ بَيَذبُلٍ
لِزَحزَحٍit would shake مِنهُfrom it كُلَّevery راسيfirmly rooted القواعِدِfoundation
لِزَحزَحٍ مِنهُ كُلَّ راسي القواعِدِ
A calamity, by my life, that if it settled upon Yadhbul
Would shake every one of its firmly rooted foundations.
أَناخَit settled بِأَكنافِaround الوَزيرِthe minister فَصَدَّهُand he repelled it
أَناخَ بِأَكنافِ الوَزيرِ فَصَدَّهُ
مِنَwith الصَبرِpatience جَيشَan army مَرصَدٍheld ready لِلشَدائِدِfor hardships
مِنَ الصَبرِ جَيشَ مَرصَدٍ لِلشَدائِدِ
It settled around the minister, but he repelled it
With an army of patience held ready for hardship.
وَماand he was not كانَafflicted مَرزوءاًby that بِذَلِكَalone وَحدَهُalone
وَما كانَ مَرزوءاً بِذَلِكَ وَحدَهُ
وَقَدand indeed فَتذَwas struck فيin عَضُدِthe arm التُقىof piety وَالمَحامِدِand praiseworthy deeds
وَقَد فَتذَ في عَضُدِ التُقى وَالمَحامِدِ
And that was not the only loss he suffered;
The arm of piety and worthy deeds had been struck.
أُصيبَhe was afflicted بِأُمٍّwith a mother بَرَّةٍdutiful فَمُصابِهاso her loss
أُصيبَ بِأُمٍّ بَرَّةٍ فَمُصابِها
مُصابٌa loss يَتيمٌbereft قَدindeed خَلاdevoid مِنof مَساعِدِhelpers
مُصابٌ يَتيمٌ قَد خَلا مِن مَساعِدِ
He lost a dutiful mother; her loss
Is a bereavement without anyone to help bear it.
وَقَدand indeed كانَused to seek rain يَستَسقيthe returning rains العِهادُby mentioning her بِذِكرِهاher
وَقَد كانَ يَستَسقي العِهادُ بِذِكرِها
إِذاwhen أَظمَأَleft thirsty الوَسمِيُّthe season's first rain أَرضَthe ground المَعاهِدِof familiar places
إِذا أَظمَأَ الوَسمِيُّ أَرضَ المَعاهِدِ
Even the returning rains once sought water through mention of her
When the season's first rain left the familiar grounds thirsty.
مَضَتshe passed away لَمwithout يُرَنِّقَclouding مِنof صِفاهاher purity كَدَورَةٍany murkiness
مَضَت لَم يُرَنِّقَ مِن صِفاها كَدَورَةٍ
وَلاnor اِحتَمَلَتdid she bear إِصراًa burden يَجوزُbefitting لِعابِدِa worshipper
وَلا اِحتَمَلَت إِصراً يَجوزُ لِعابِدِ
She passed away with no stain to cloud her purity,
And bore no burden that an earnest worshipper could reproach.
وَلَوand if لَمthere were not يَكُنby God وَاللَهُamong مِنher good deeds حَسَناتِهاher good deeds
وَلَو لَم يَكُن وَاللَهُ مِن حَسَناتِها
سِواكَbesides you كَفاهاyou would suffice her ذاكَthat دونَwithout زَوائِدِadditions
سِواكَ كَفاها ذاكَ دونَ زَوائِدِ
Even if, by God, she had no virtue
But you, you alone would suffice, with nothing more required.
وَلَمand there was not يَكُa virtue فَضلٌindeed قَدshe contained it حَوَتهُin one بِواحِدٍone
وَلَم يَكُ فَضلٌ قَد حَوَتهُ بِواحِدٍ
وَإِنeven if تَكُshe had ضَمَّتgathered كُلَّevery فَضلٍvirtue لِواحِدِin one person
وَإِن تَكُ ضَمَّت كُلَّ فَضلٍ لِواحِدِ
No single virtue encompassed what she possessed,
Though she gathered every virtue into one person.
لِمُستَوزِرٍfor a minister مِنfrom رَهطِthe kin عُثمانَof Uthman بالِغٍattaining
لِمُستَوزِرٍ مِن رَهطِ عُثمانَ بالِغٍ
لَعَمرُكَby your life مِنthrough مَولاهُhis sovereign أَسنىthe loftiest المَقاصِدِaims
لَعَمرُكَ مِن مَولاهُ أَسنى المَقاصِدِ
For a minister from the kin of Uthman, who has attained,
By your life, the loftiest aims through his sovereign.
تَوَلَّيتُyou assumed مِنin لُبنانَLebanon خُطَّةَthe station شامِخٍof a lofty one
تَوَلَّيتُ مِن لُبنانَ خُطَّةَ شامِخٍ
لَهُfor it شَعَفاتٌpeaks لاdo not تَذَلُّbow لِماهِدِto one who levels
لَهُ شَعَفاتٌ لا تَذَلُّ لِماهِدِ
You took charge of a lofty station in Lebanon,
Whose peaks bow to no one who would level them.
فَأَنهَجَتهُand you set it on a course مِنthrough عَدلِthe justice حُكمِكَof your rule شَرعَةًa path
فَأَنهَجَتهُ مِن عَدلِ حُكمِكَ شَرعَةً
أَعادَتهُthat returned it أَعنىI mean مِنfrom وَليدٍan infant لِوالِدِto a parent
أَعادَتهُ أَعنى مِن وَليدٍ لِوالِدِ
Through the justice of your rule, you set it on a course
That returned it, I mean, from infancy to maturity.
وَأَورَدَتهُand you led it مِنthrough عِفَّةٍintegrity وَنَزاهَةٍand uprightness
وَأَورَدَتهُ مِن عِفَّةٍ وَنَزاهَةٍ
بِإِقرارٍby the admission مَنof one who يَشنوكَdislikes you أَصفىthe clearest المَوارِدِsprings
بِإِقرارٍ مَن يَشنوكَ أَصفى المَوارِدِ
Through your integrity and uprightness, you led it
To the clearest springs, as even those who dislike you acknowledge.
فَلَوand if كَلَّفوهُthey charged it أَنto يَبُثَّكَconvey to you شُكرُهُits thanks
فَلَو كَلَّفوهُ أَن يَبُثَّكَ شُكرُهُ
لِحياكَit would greet you مِنwith أَغصانِهِits branches كُلَّevery مائِدِswaying one
لِحياكَ مِن أَغصانِهِ كُلَّ مائِدِ
If it were charged with telling you its thanks,
Every one of its swaying branches would greet you.
لَكَyours اليَقظَةَthe vigilance العُظمىgreat الَّتيwhich بِاِتِّباعِهاby following it
لَكَ اليَقظَةَ العُظمى الَّتي بِاِتِّباعِها
حَلَلتَyou occupied مَحَلَّthe place النَومِof sleep جَفنَthe eyelid راقِدِof a sleeper
حَلَلتَ مَحَلَّ النَومِ جَفنَ راقِدِ
Yours is a vigilance so great that, by following it,
You have taken sleep's place in the eyelid of a sleeper.
فَإِنand if كانَLebanon لُبنانَshares with you يُشاطِرُكَthe sorrow الأَسىthe sorrow
فَإِن كانَ لُبنانَ يُشاطِرُكَ الأَسى
فَكَمthen how much مِنof سُرورٍjoy نَحوَهُtoward it بِكَthrough you وافِدِhas arrived
فَكَم مِن سُرورٍ نَحوَهُ بِكَ وافِدِ
And if Lebanon shares your sorrow,
How much joy has come to it through you.
تَعَزَّtake comfort فَكَمfor how many مِنof مَوقِفٍdeeds لَكَof yours صالِحُworthy
تَعَزَّ فَكَم مِن مَوقِفٍ لَكَ صالِحُ
وَكَمand how much مِنof جَميلٍgood عَنfrom سَليلِكَyour descendant ذائِدِwarding off
وَكَم مِن جَميلٍ عَن سَليلِكَ ذائِدِ
Take comfort: how many worthy deeds stand to your credit,
And how much good protects your descendant.
رَأَيناكَwe have seen you تَأتيundertake فيin أُمورِكَyour affairs كُلِّهاall of them
رَأَيناكَ تَأتي في أُمورِكَ كُلِّها
مِنَof القَصدِmoderation ماwhat يُعييbaffles عَلىfor كُلِّevery قاصِدِseeker
مِنَ القَصدِ ما يُعيي عَلى كُلِّ قاصِدِ
We have seen you act in all your affairs
With a moderation that baffles everyone who seeks it.
فِعالَthe deeds اِمرِئٍof a man يَخشىwho fears الإِلَهَGod بِخَلقِهِin His creatures
فِعالَ اِمرِئٍ يَخشى الإِلَهَ بِخَلقِهِ
وَيَعلَمُand knows أَنَّthat المَرءَa person لَيسَis not بِخالِدِimmortal
وَيَعلَمُ أَنَّ المَرءَ لَيسَ بِخالِدِ
These are the deeds of a man who fears God in his dealings with His creatures
And knows that no human being lives forever.
فَلاso may you زِلتَremain مَحروساًguarded مِنَfrom السوءِharm راقِياascending
فَلا زِلتَ مَحروساً مِنَ السوءِ راقِيا
مَراقيheights تُلقيthat place الشَمسَthe sun بَينَamong الحَواسِدِthe envious
مَراقي تُلقي الشَمسَ بَينَ الحَواسِدِ
May you remain guarded from harm, ascending
Heights that place the sun among those who envy you.
وَلاand may I زِلتُremain فيin كُلِّall الشُؤونِmatters مُسَدَّداًrightly guided
وَلا زِلتُ في كُلِّ الشُؤونِ مُسَدَّداً
لِخِدمةِin service of سُلطانِthe sovereign البِلادِof the land المُجاهِدِwho strives
لِخِدمةِ سُلطانِ البِلادِ المُجاهِدِ
And may I remain rightly guided in every matter
In serving the striving sovereign of the land.
مَقامَكَyour standing مِنهُwith him ماwhat أَرَدتُI wished وَلاand may you تَزَلremain
مَقامَكَ مِنهُ ما أَرَدتُ وَلا تَزَل
رَجاa hope لِصَديقٍfor a friend أَوor شَجاًa thorn لِمُعانِدِto an opponent
رَجا لِصَديقٍ أَو شَجاً لِمُعانِدِ
May your standing with him be all I have wished, and may you remain
A hope to a friend or a thorn to an opponent.
وَذِكرُكَand your renown فيthrough الغَبراءِthe earth أَسرىtravels faster مِنَthan الضِياlight
وَذِكرُكَ في الغَبراءِ أَسرى مِنَ الضِيا
وَأَسيرٌand travels فيthrough آفاقِهاits horizons مِنone of قَصائِديmy poems
وَأَسيرٌ في آفاقِها مِن قَصائِدي
Your renown travels through the earth faster than light,
And one of my poems travels across its horizons.
Sol 6