ياO عَينُeye مَهماhowever كُنتِyou were ذاتَpossessed of جُمودٍdryness
يا عَينُ مَهما كُنتِ ذاتَ جُمودٍ
فَلَأُبكِينكِthen I shall surely make you weep دَماًblood عَلىover مَحمودِMahmoud
فَلَأُبكِينكِ دَماً عَلى مَحمودِ
O eye, however hard and unyielding you may be,
O eye, however dry you may be,
I shall make you weep blood for Mahmoud.
I shall surely make you weep blood for Mahmoud.
وَلَأُمطِرَنكَand I shall surely rain upon you مِنَof الدُموعِtears سَحائِباًclouds
وَلَأُمطِرَنكَ مِنَ الدُموعِ سَحائِباً
تَروينَهاyou recount them عَنfrom كَفِّهِhis palm فيin الجودِgenerosity
تَروينَها عَن كَفِّهِ في الجودِ
I shall rain down upon you clouds of tears
And I shall surely rain clouds of tears upon you,
that tell of his generous hand.
whose tale you tell from the bounty of his hand.
وَلَأَنتَand you indeed ياO كَبِديmy liver فَمِنthen from نارِthe fire of الأَسىsorrow
وَلَأَنتَ يا كَبِدي فَمِن نارِ الأَسى
ذوبيmelt وَيانارُand O fire الضُلوعِthe ribs فَزيديthen grow fiercer
ذوبي وَيانارُ الضُلوعِ فَزيدي
And you, my heart, from sorrow’s fire—
And you, my liver, in the fire of sorrow,
melt; and you, fire within my breast, burn higher.
melt; and O fire within the ribs, grow fiercer.
ماكُنتُI was not ياO قَلبُheart الحَديدَiron فَإِنbut if تَكُنyou are
ماكُنتُ يا قَلبُ الحَديدَ فَإِن تَكُن
فَالنارُthen fire قَدmay تُلوىbend بِكُلِّwith every kind of حَديدِiron
فَالنارُ قَد تُلوى بِكُلِّ حَديدِ
You were never iron, O heart—but even if you were,
I was not iron, O heart; but if you are,
fire would surely consume every iron thing.
fire can bend any iron.
أَتُعِزُّis it too precious? فيfor مَحمودِMahmoud دَمعَةَa tear of ناظِرِan eye
أَتُعِزُّ في مَحمودِ دَمعَةَ ناظِرِ
لَوeven if كانَthere were فيهِin it قَسوَةَthe hardness of الجَلمودِsolid rock
لَو كانَ فيهِ قَسوَةَ الجَلمودِ
Would you begrudge Mahmoud an onlooker’s tear,
Would an eye begrudge Mahmoud a tear,
even if that eye possessed the hardness of granite?
even if it held the hardness of solid rock,
مِنfrom بَعدِafter ماthat مَلَأَhe filled النَواظِرَthe eyes قُرَّةًdelight
مِن بَعدِ ما مَلَأَ النَواظِرَ قُرَّةً
وَغَداand became مَسَرَّةَthe joy of قَلبِa heart كطُلَّevery (unclear spelling) وَدودِa loving person
وَغَدا مَسَرَّةَ قَلبِ كطُلَّ وَدودِ
After he had filled all eyes with delight
after he had filled all eyes with delight
and become the joy of every loving heart,
and become the joy of every loving heart?
ماnot كُنتُI was أَحسَبُthinking أَنَّthat مِثلَthe like of جَبينِهِhis brow
ما كُنتُ أَحسَبُ أَنَّ مِثلَ جَبينِهِ
شَرخَin the prime of الشَبابِyouth يَعودُbecomes طَعمُfood for الدودِworms
شَرخَ الشَبابِ يَعودُ طَعمُ الدودِ
I never imagined that one with a brow like his,
I never thought a brow such as his,
in youth’s first bloom, would become food for worms.
in youth's prime, would become food for worms.
ماnot كُنتُI was آمُلُexpecting أَنَّthat شُعلَةَthe flame of ذِهنِهِhis mind
ما كُنتُ آمُلُ أَنَّ شُعلَةَ ذِهنِهِ
تَعدوrushes عَلَيهاupon it اليَومَtoday كَفَّthe hand of خَمودِextinction
تَعدو عَلَيها اليَومَ كَفَّ خَمودِ
I never thought the flame of his intellect
I never expected the flame of his mind
would today be overtaken by the hand of extinction.
to be assailed today by the hand of extinction.
ماnot كُنتُI was آمُلُexpecting أَنthat نَكباءَthe crosswind of الرَدىdeath
ما كُنتُ آمُلُ أَن نَكباءَ الرَدى
توديdestroys بِغُصنِthe bough of شَبابِهِhis youth الأَملودِsupple
تودي بِغُصنِ شَبابِهِ الأَملودِ
I never expected death’s devastating gale
I never expected the crosswind of death
to fell the tender bough of his youth.
to destroy his supple bough of youth.
وَبِكُلِّand in every نَفسٍsoul مِنamong أَمائِرِthe signs of نَبلِهِhis nobility
وَبِكُلِّ نَفسٍ مِن أَمائِرِ نَبلِهِ
إيماضَthe flashing of بارِقَةٍlightning وَلَمحَand a glimpse of شُهودِwitness
إيماضَ بارِقَةٍ وَلَمحَ شُهودِ
And in every breath, among the signs of his nobility,
And in every soul are signs of his nobility:
was a flash of brilliance and the gleam of witness:
a lightning flash and a glimpse of witness.
سَهِرَhe kept vigil الَياليthe nights فيin وِصالِcommunion with حَقائِقٍtruths
سَهِرَ الَيالي في وِصالِ حَقائِقٍ
وَالغَيرُand others يَسهَرُkeep vigil فيin وِصالِunion with الغَيدِgraceful maidens
وَالغَيرُ يَسهَرُ في وِصالِ الغَيدِ
his sleepless nights spent communing with truths,
He kept vigil through the nights in communion with truths,
while others kept vigil in the company of maidens.
while others kept vigil in union with graceful maidens.
ماnot غَرَّهُbeguiled him زَهوٌvainglory وَلاnor حَسَبُhe reckoned العُلاgreatness
ما غَرَّهُ زَهوٌ وَلا حَسَبُ العُلا
إِلّاexcept بِمَجمَعِin a gathering of طارِفِnewly acquired merit وَتَليدِand inherited merit
إِلّا بِمَجمَعِ طارِفِ وَتَليدِ
Neither vanity deceived him nor noble lineage;
No vainglory beguiled him, nor did he reckon greatness
he saw glory only in merit both earned and inherited.
save where newly won and inherited merit met.
نَظُمَتwere strung بِهِin him زَهرَthe flowers of الخِلالِvirtues كَأَنَّهاas though they
نَظُمَت بِهِ زَهرَ الخِلالِ كَأَنَّها
فيupon الخودِa maiden عَقدَa necklace of اللُؤلُؤِpearls المَنضودِneatly ordered
في الخودِ عَقدَ اللُؤلُؤِ المَنضودِ
In him the blossoms of virtue were strung together as though
In him the flowers of virtue were strung, as though they were
they were a maiden’s necklace of ordered pearls.
a necklace of ordered pearls upon a maiden.
ماnot كانَcould be مَنone who يَمضيdeparts وَهَذاand this شَأوُهُhis attainment
ما كانَ مَن يَمضي وَهَذا شَأوُهُ
فيat السِتِّsix وَالعِشرينَand twenty غَيرَother than شَهيدِa martyr
في السِتِّ وَالعِشرينَ غَيرَ شَهيدِ
One who dies while such is his distinction,
One who departs with such attainment
at twenty-six, can only be a martyr.
at six-and-twenty could be nothing but a martyr.
ماhow ارعَdreadful (text unclear) مِثلُthe like of القَصفٍsnapping فيin شَرخِthe prime of الصِباyouth
ما ارعَ مِثلُ القَصفٍ في شَرخِ الصِبا
وَالقَطفُand plucking قَبلَbefore حَلاوَةِthe sweetness of العُنقودِthe grape-cluster
وَالقَطفُ قَبلَ حَلاوَةِ العُنقودِ
How dreadful is such a snapping in youth’s first bloom—
How dreadful is such snapping in youth's prime,
the cluster plucked before its sweetness ripened!
and plucking before the grape-cluster sweetens!
يَومَa day غَداbecame فيin كُلِّevery دارٍhome مَأتَماًa wake
يَومَ غَدا في كُلِّ دارٍ مَأتَماً
فيناamong us وَفيand in الفِردَوسِParadise يَومَa day of العيدِthe feast
فينا وَفي الفِردَوسِ يَومَ العيدِ
A day that became a funeral in every home:
A day that became a wake in every home
among us a day of mourning, but in Paradise a feast day.
among us, but in Paradise a feast day.
لَبِسَput on النَهارَdaylight بِهِbecause of him دُجُنَّةَthe darkness of غاسِقٍnight
لَبِسَ النَهارَ بِهِ دُجُنَّةَ غاسِقٍ
وَلَقَدand indeed يَكونَhe would be ضِياthe light of اللَياليthe nights السودِblack
وَلَقَد يَكونَ ضِيا اللَيالي السودِ
Daylight clothed itself, for him, in night’s darkest gloom,
Through him, daylight put on the darkness of night,
yet he may be the radiance of the blackest nights.
though he had been the light of the black nights.
وَلّىhe departed وَخَلَّفَand left فيin ذَويهِhis kin مِنَof الأَسىsorrow
وَلّى وَخَلَّفَ في ذَويهِ مِنَ الأَسى
حالاًa state أَشَقَّmore grievous مِنَthan الحِمامِdeath الموديdestructive
حالاً أَشَقَّ مِنَ الحِمامِ المودي
He departed, leaving among his family a grief
He departed, leaving his kin in sorrow,
more grievous than death itself, the destroyer.
in a state more grievous than destroying death.
لَوif كانَwere يَنظُرُlooking لِلحَقيقَةِat the truth ناظِرٌan observer
لَو كانَ يَنظُرُ لِلحَقيقَةِ ناظِرٌ
فَالمَوتُthen death لِلمَوجودِfor the living لاnot المَفقودِthe lost one
فَالمَوتُ لِلمَوجودِ لا المَفقودِ
If anyone could behold the truth,
If any observer were to look upon the truth,
he would see that death belongs to those left behind, not the departed.
death is for the living, not the departed.
هَذاthis one يَموتُdies بِكُلِّevery يَومٍday حَسرَةًof grief
هَذا يَموتُ بِكُلِّ يَومٍ حَسرَةً
إِذاwhen ذاكَthat one راحَdeparted بِيَومِهِon his day المَوعودِappointed
إِذا ذاكَ راحَ بِيَومِهِ المَوعودِ
The survivor dies each day of anguish,
This one dies of grief each day,
while the other departed on his appointed day.
while that one left on his appointed day.
ياO أَيُّهاyou المَحمودُMahmoud رِفقاًgently بِالأُلىwith those who
يا أَيُّها المَحمودُ رِفقاً بِالأُلى
دَفَنوكَburied you بَينَbetween جَوانِحٍribs وَكَبودِand livers
دَفَنوكَ بَينَ جَوانِحٍ وَكَبودِ
O Mahmoud—O praised one—deal gently with those
O Mahmoud, be gentle with those
who buried you within their ribs and hearts.
who buried you between their ribs and livers.
قَدindeed كُنتَyou were سَبّاقاًforemost إِلىtoward حَوضِthe pool of العُلاgreatness
قَد كُنتَ سَبّاقاً إِلى حَوضِ العُلا
فَسَبَقتَso you raced ahead نَحوَtoward المَورِدِthe watering-place المَورودِthat is reached
فَسَبَقتَ نَحوَ المَورِدِ المَورودِ
You always raced ahead toward glory’s pool,
You were foremost in reaching the pool of greatness,
and so you sped first to the destined watering-place.
so you raced ahead to the watering-place all must reach.
وَالكُلُّand all رَكبٌa caravan سائِرونَjourneying وَإِنَّماand only
وَالكُلُّ رَكبٌ سائِرونَ وَإِنَّما
أَهلُpeople of النَباهَةِdistinction فَوقَupon خَيلٍhorses بَريدِof the post
أَهلُ النَباهَةِ فَوقَ خَيلٍ بَريدِ
All are riders journeying onward, but only
And all are a caravan journeying on; only
people of distinction ride swift courier steeds.
those of distinction ride the courier horses.
رِفقاًgently بِوالِدِكَwith your father الكَريمِnoble فَقَدfor indeed وَفىhas matched
رِفقاً بِوالِدِكَ الكَريمِ فَقَد وَفى
شَجوَgrief for الفَقيدِthe departed بِفَرحَةِwith joy at المَولودِthe newborn
شَجوَ الفَقيدِ بِفَرحَةِ المَولودِ
Deal gently with your noble father, for he has balanced
Be gentle with your noble father, for he has matched
his grief for the lost son with joy in the newborn.
his grief for the departed with his joy at the newborn.
غادَرَتit left بُعدَكَyour absence كُلَّevery باكٍweeper جَفنَهُhis eyelid
غادَرَت بُعدَكَ كُلَّ باكٍ جَفنَهُ
يَمتاحُdraws water مِنfrom بَحرِthe sea of البُكاweeping بِمَديدِwith a long rope
يَمتاحُ مِن بَحرِ البُكا بِمَديدِ
You left behind you every weeping mourner, whose eyelid
Your absence left every mourner's eyelid
draws unceasingly from the sea of tears.
drawing from the sea of weeping with a long rope.
وَمَضَيتُand I departed قاصِداًbound for جَنَّةًa garden وَتَرَكتَناand you left us
وَمَضَيتُ قاصِداً جَنَّةً وَتَرَكتَنا
مِنfrom حُزنِناour sorrow فيin النارِthe fire ذاتَpossessed of وَقودِfuel
مِن حُزنِنا في النارِ ذاتَ وَقودِ
You went on toward Paradise and left us
And I departed, bound for Paradise, and you left us
in the fire of our grief, a fire rich in fuel.
in our sorrow, in a fire full of fuel.
قَدindeed عَزَّhas become difficult فيكَover you الصَبرَpatience لَولاwere it not أَنَّهُthat it
قَد عَزَّ فيكَ الصَبرَ لَولا أَنَّهُ
فَرضٌa duty وَإِنَّand indeed الحُزنَsorrow غَيرَnot مُفيدِuseful
فَرضٌ وَإِنَّ الحُزنَ غَيرَ مُفيدِ
Patience at losing you would be impossible, were it not
Patience over your loss would be unattainable, were it not
a duty; and grief, indeed, is unavailing.
a duty, and sorrow of no avail.
قَدindeed كُنتَyou would تَفديbe ransomed (contextual reading) فيin مَقامٍa scene of كَريهَةٍbattle
قَد كُنتَ تَفدي في مَقامٍ كَريهَةٍ
لَوif أَنَّthat ثُمَّةَthere مَوقِفاًa stand لِجُنودِfor armies
لَو أَنَّ ثُمَّةَ مَوقِفاً لِجُنودِ
You would have been redeemed in the hour of peril,
You could have been ransomed in the ordeal of battle,
had troops of soldiers been able to make a stand.
if there had been a stand for armies to make.
المَوتَdeath حَتَمَinevitable وَالمَسافَةِand the distance بَينَناbetween us
المَوتَ حَتَمَ وَالمَسافَةِ بَينَنا
نَزرٍslight وَماand not مَنwhoever قامَremains بِبَعيدِat all distant
نَزرٍ وَما مَن قامَ بِبَعيدِ
Death is decreed, and the distance between us
Death is inevitable, and the distance between us
is slight: one who has gone ahead is not far away.
is slight; whoever remains is not far away.
يَتَخَيَّلُimagines الإِنسانُthe human being أَبعَدَthe farthest مَطمَعِhope
يَتَخَيَّلُ الإِنسانُ أَبعَدَ مَطمَعِ
وَالَوتُand death (apparent typo) مِنهُfrom him مِثلَlike حَبلٍthe cord of وَريدِa jugular vein
وَالَوتُ مِنهُ مِثلَ حَبلٍ وَريدِ
A person imagines death the remotest prospect,
Man imagines the farthest hope,
though death is nearer to him than the jugular vein.
while death is as close to him as his jugular vein.
لاnot تَستَحِقُّdeserves مِنَof الهُمومِworries حَياتَناour life
لا تَستَحِقُّ مِنَ الهُمومِ حَياتَنا
لَوif أَنصَفَjudged fairly الأَقوامُpeople غَيرَanything but زَهيدِa little
لَو أَنصَفَ الأَقوامُ غَيرَ زَهيدِ
Our life deserves no more than a trifling share of cares,
Our life deserves no share of worry,
if people would only judge it fairly.
if people were fair, save a trifling one.
لَكِنَّbut حَقَّthe claim of الطَبعُnature مَحكومٌis decreed بِهِby it
لَكِنَّ حَقَّ الطَبعُ مَحكومٌ بِهِ
وَالعَقلُand reason مُرتَبِطٌis bound بِبَعضِby some قُيودِfetters
وَالعَقلُ مُرتَبِطٌ بِبَعضِ قُيودِ
Yet nature’s claim holds sway over us,
Yet nature's claim is binding,
and reason is bound by certain chains.
and reason is held by certain fetters.
ياO ثاكِلَone bereaved of المَحمودِMahmoud صَبِراًpatience بَعدَهُafter him
يا ثاكِلَ المَحمودِ صَبِراً بَعدَهُ
فَبَقاءُfor the survival of أَحمَدَAhmad سَلوَةَsolace for المَفئودِthe heart-stricken
فَبَقاءُ أَحمَدَ سَلوَةَ المَفئودِ
O you bereaved of Mahmoud, be patient after him:
O you bereft of Mahmoud, have patience after his loss;
in Ahmad’s survival lies consolation for the one lost.
for Ahmad's survival consoles the heart-stricken.
إِنif جَلَّis great خَطبُكَyour calamity بِالَّذيthrough the one whom أَثكَلتَهُyou were bereaved of (contextual reading)
إِن جَلَّ خَطبُكَ بِالَّذي أَثكَلتَهُ
فَالرُكنُthen the pillar باقٍremains لَيسَis not بِالمَهدودِat all demolished
فَالرُكنُ باقٍ لَيسَ بِالمَهدودِ
Though immense is your calamity in the one taken from you,
If your calamity is great through the one you lost,
the supporting pillar remains, not overthrown.
the pillar still stands, not shattered.
وَمِنَand from الإِلَهِGod عَلىupon الفَقيدِthe departed تَحِيَّةًa greeting
وَمِنَ الإِلَهِ عَلى الفَقيدِ تَحِيَّةً
وَفِراقُand departure from عاجِلَةٍthe fleeting life لِدارِfor an abode of خُلودِeternity
وَفِراقُ عاجِلَةٍ لِدارِ خُلودِ
From God be a greeting upon the departed,
And from God, a greeting upon the departed,
and passage from this fleeting world to an eternal abode.
and passage from this fleeting life to an abode of eternity.
مَهماhowever تَعاظَمَتِgrew mighty الخُطوبُcalamities عَلىupon الفَتىthe youth
مَهما تَعاظَمَتِ الخُطوبُ عَلى الفَتى
فَعَزاؤُهُthen his consolation فيin العَدلِjustice وَالتَوحيدِand belief in God's oneness
فَعَزاؤُهُ في العَدلِ وَالتَوحيدِ
However greatly calamities tower over a man,
However greatly calamities beset a youth,
his consolation lies in divine justice and God’s oneness.
his consolation is in justice and God's oneness.
Sol 6.1