الدَهرُTime أَفتَكَthe deadliest فارِسَknight بِطِرادِهِin his jousting
الدَهرُ أَفتَكَ فارِسَ بِطِرادِهِ
أَبَداًforever وَأَكثَرَand the greater part of فَتكَهُhis slaughter بِجِيادِهِamong his noble steeds
أَبَداً وَأَكثَرَ فَتكَهُ بِجِيادِهِ
Time is the deadliest knight in his jousting,
Time destroyed the knight with its flow,
forever; and most of his slaughter strikes his noble steeds.
And increased its destruction with its steeds.
يَخنىdestroys فَإشنso if (reading فإن) قَصَدَtargeted الفَتىthe young man لَمnot يَنتَفِعbenefit
يَخنى فَإشن قَصَدَ الفَتى لَم يَنتَفِع
بِمَضاءِfrom the keenness of صارِمِهِhis cutting sword وَطولُand the length of نِجادِهِhis baldric
بِمَضاءِ صارِمِهِ وَطولُ نِجادِهِ
He destroys; if he targets a young man, that man gains nothing
If the young man had a purpose, he would not benefit
from his sword's keenness and his long baldric.
From the sharpness of his sword and the length of its sheath.
يَسطوassails عَلىupon المَرءِthe man المَنِيِّthe mighty بَعدَafter العَناtoil
يَسطو عَلى المَرءِ المَنِيِّ بَعدَ العَنا
قَسراًforcibly فَماذاso what النَفعُbenefit مِنfrom إيجادِهِhis being created
قَسراً فَماذا النَفعُ مِن إيجادِهِ
He assails the mighty man after toil,
It forcibly attacks the helpless man after weakness,
forcibly—what benefit, then, in his being created?
So what is the benefit of its creation?
يَرِثُinherits الفَناءَextinction وَقَدand may يَرىsee مَنsomeone who لَمnot يَرِثِinherit
يَرِثُ الفَناءَ وَقَد يَرى مَن لَم يَرِثِ
شَيئاًanything سِوىexcept ذاthis المَوتُdeath عَنfrom أَجدادِهِhis forefathers
شَيئاً سِوى ذا المَوتُ عَن أَجدادِهِ
He inherits extinction; one may see someone who has not inherited
It inherits extinction, and one who did not inherit
anything but this death from his forefathers.
Anything but death from his ancestors.
لاnot يَشفَعَنshall intercede بِالمَرءِfor a man غَضُّthe freshness of شَبابِهِhis youth
لا يَشفَعَن بِالمَرءِ غَضُّ شَبابِهِ
عِندَbefore الحَمامِdeath وَلاnor ذَكاءِthe intelligence of فُؤادِهِhis heart
عِندَ الحَمامِ وَلا ذَكاءِ فُؤادِهِ
The freshness of his youth will not intercede for a man
Neither the pride of youth will intercede for a man
before death, nor his heart's keen intelligence.
At the time of death, nor the intelligence of his mind.
البَينُparting يَختَرِمُsnatches away الجَميعَeveryone وَلَيتُماand would that
البَينُ يَختَرِمُ الجَميعَ وَلَيتُما
قَدindeed كانَhad been كُلُّall البَينِparting بِينَparting from سَعادِهِhis Su'ad
قَد كانَ كُلُّ البَينِ بِينَ سَعادِهِ
Parting snatches everyone away; would that
Separation wounds everyone, and I wish
all parting had been only parting from his Su'ad.
That all separation was a separation of happiness.
بَينٌa parting كَفىsufficed الدُنياthe world نَعابُthe croaking of غَرابِهشits raven (reading غرابه)
بَينٌ كَفى الدُنيا نَعابُ غَرابِهش
وَبِهِand by it كَفىit suffices مُتَشائِماًfearing ill omens بِسَوادِهِthrough its blackness
وَبِهِ كَفى مُتَشائِماً بِسَوادِهِ
A parting whose raven's croaking is enough for the world;
A separation that the world’s misfortunes sufficed,
and its blackness is enough to fill one with foreboding.
And with it sufficed the pessimist with its darkness.
يَردىperishes الحَبيبُthe beloved وَخِلُّهُand his friend مُتَقَلِّبٌtossing restlessly
يَردى الحَبيبُ وَخِلُّهُ مُتَقَلِّبٌ
فيin مَضجَعٍa bed أَهناهُits sweetest comfort شَوكُthe thorns of قَتادِهِits qatad thornbush
في مَضجَعٍ أَهناهُ شَوكُ قَتادِهِ
The beloved perishes, while his friend tosses
The loved one deteriorates and his friend changes,
in a bed whose sweetest comfort is its qatad thorns,
In a bed that its thorns have exhausted him.
مُتَعَرِّضاًexposed بِالنائِباتِto calamities الغُبَرِdark فيin
مُتَعَرِّضاً بِالنائِباتِ الغُبَرِ في
إِصدارِهِhis departures أَبَداًalways وَفيand in إيرادِهِhis arrivals
إِصدارِهِ أَبَداً وَفي إيرادِهِ
exposed to dark calamities in
Exposing himself to misfortunes, the dust is in
his departures, always, and in his arrivals.
His chest forever, and in his narration.
ياO أَيُّهاyou البَينُparting المُفَرَّقُthat divides بَينَناbetween us
يا أَيُّها البَينُ المُفَرَّقُ بَينَنا
إِذfor فيهِin it مَعنىthe meaning of الدَهرِTime فيin اِستِبدادِهِits tyranny
إِذ فيهِ مَعنى الدَهرِ في اِستِبدادِهِ
O parting that divides us,
O separation that separated us,
for in it lies the very meaning of Time's tyranny.
Since in it is the meaning of time’s tyranny.
الدَهرُTime أَنزَقَtoo fickle شيمَةًin disposition مِنthan أَنto يُرىbe seen
الدَهرُ أَنزَقَ شيمَةً مِن أَن يُرى
بِالحَزمِwith prudence ذاpossessing بَقيٍmercy عَلىtoward أَفرادِهِits individuals
بِالحَزمِ ذا بَقيٍ عَلى أَفرادِهِ
Time is too fickle in nature to be seen
Time is too shameful to be seen
with prudent restraint, sparing its people.
With wisdom, of lasting remains over its individuals.
ماnot زالَceased يُفَجِّعُناbereaving us بِهِمof them حَتّىuntil غَداbecame
ما زالَ يُفَجِّعُنا بِهِم حَتّى غَدا
شَرَفُthe honor of الفَتىthe young man بَينَamong الوَرىhumankind بِمَعادِهِthrough his final return
شَرَفُ الفَتى بَينَ الوَرى بِمَعادِهِ
It has kept bereaving us of them, until
It still grieves us with them until the honour of the young man
a young man's honor among mankind has come to lie in his final return.
Among people became with his disappearance.
فَلَبِئسَso wretched is عَيشٌa life باتَhas become مُختَرِماًcut down by death بِهِin it
فَلَبِئسَ عَيشٌ باتَ مُختَرِماً بِهِ
مِثلَone like السَليمِSalim رَزيئَةٌa calamity لِبِلادِهِfor his country
مِثلَ السَليمِ رَزيئَةٌ لِبِلادِهِ
Wretched is a life in which death cuts down
So miserable is a life that is torn apart with
one like Salim—a calamity for his country.
Like the peace of the land, miserable for its countries.
وَلَبِئسَand wretched are أَفضالٍnoble deeds وَمَجدٍand glory بَعدَهُafter him
وَلَبِئسَ أَفضالٍ وَمَجدٍ بَعدَهُ
وَلَبَئِسَتِand wretched are الأَيّامُthe days بَعدَafter بِعادِهِhis departure
وَلَبَئِسَتِ الأَيّامُ بَعدَ بِعادِهِ
And wretched are noble deeds and glory after him,
And miserable are the virtues and glory after him,
and wretched are the days after his departure.
And miserable are the days after his distance.
مَنhe whose هَزَّshook هَذاthis القَطرُland فاجِعُthe tragedy of فَقدِهِhis loss
مَن هَزَّ هَذا القَطرُ فاجِعُ فَقدِهِ
حَتّىuntil تُفطِرَsplits apart فيهِwithin it قَلبَthe heart of جَمادِهِits lifeless matter
حَتّى تُفطِرَ فيهِ قَلبَ جَمادِهِ
He whose grievous loss shook this land,
Who shook this country, grieving for his loss,
until even the heart of its lifeless matter broke;
Until the heart of its inanimate broke?
وَسَطاand assailed عَلىupon الصَبرِpatience التَفَجُّعِgrief بالِغاًreaching
وَسَطا عَلى الصَبرِ التَفَجُّعِ بالِغاً
سَيلُthe flood of الأَسىsorrow الطاميthe surging ذَرىthe summits of أَطوادِهِits lofty mountains
سَيلُ الأَسى الطامي ذَرى أَطوادِهِ
and grief assailed patience, as
And the middle of patience and lamentation was passed,
the surging flood of sorrow reached its mountain peaks.
The floods of sorrows overflowed its dams.
وَتُوُفِّيَتand died آمالُناour hopes منfrom بَعدِهِafter him
وَتُوُفِّيَت آمالُنا من بَعدِهِ
ماnot الدَهرُTime يُحييهاrevives them إِلىthrough آبادِهِits endless ages
ما الدَهرُ يُحييها إِلى آبادِهِ
And our hopes died after him;
And our hopes were ended after him,
Time will not revive them through all its ages.
Time does not revive them to his settlement.
الأَروَعُthe splendid one الشَهمَthe noble-hearted الَّذيwho بِعُلومِهِin his learning
الأَروَعُ الشَهمَ الَّذي بِعُلومِهِ
وَجَدائِهِand his bounty كَالبَحرِlike the sea فيin إِزبادِهِits foaming
وَجَدائِهِ كَالبَحرِ في إِزبادِهِ
That splendid, noble-hearted man, who in his learning
The most courageous, noble one, who with his knowledge,
and his bounty was like the sea in full foam;
And his generosity was like the sea in its abundance.
الطائِرُfar-flying الصيتُrenown الرَفيعُlofty مَقامُهُhis standing
الطائِرُ الصيتُ الرَفيعُ مَقامُهُ
وَالباهِرُand dazzling الحَسَناتُgood deeds فيin إِسعادِهِhis bringing happiness
وَالباهِرُ الحَسَناتُ في إِسعادِهِ
his renown flew far, his standing was lofty,
The high-flying fame, his high position,
and his good deeds dazzled in the happiness he brought.
And the brilliant good deeds in making him happy.
مَنhe who كانَwas باباًa doorway لِلرَجاءَfor hope مَبلَغاًbringing to the goal
مَن كانَ باباً لِلرَجاءَ مَبلَغاً
فيin الخَطبِadversity مَنwhoever يَرجوhopes for شَأوَthe furthest reach of مُرادِهِhis desire
في الخَطبِ مَن يَرجو شَأوَ مُرادِهِ
He who was a doorway to hope, bringing
He who was a door to hope, reaching
in adversity, the hopeful to the furthest reach of their desire.
In calamities, the one who hopes for the fulfillment of his purpose.
وَقَفَdedicated الحَياةَlife لِخِدمَةِto the service of العِلمِlearning الَّذيwhich
وَقَفَ الحَياةَ لِخِدمَةِ العِلمِ الَّذي
قَدindeed كانَhad been حَقّاًtruly باسِطاًlaying out لِمِهادِهِfor its groundwork
قَد كانَ حَقّاً باسِطاً لِمِهادِهِ
He dedicated his life to serving learning, whose
He stopped life to serve knowledge, which
groundwork he had truly laid.
Was truly a right, laying down its cradle.
فَقَضىso he died بُعَيدَshortly after أَبيهِhis father فيat أَجَلِan appointed term أَبيrefused (reading أبى)
فَقَضى بُعَيدَ أَبيهِ في أَجَلِ أَبي
إِلّاexcept اِتِّصالَthe joining of حَدادِهِmourning for him بِحِدادِهِwith mourning for him
إِلّا اِتِّصالَ حَدادِهِ بِحِدادِهِ
So he died soon after his father, at an appointed hour that allowed
So he passed away after his father, in the lifetime of his father,
only mourning for him to join mourning for his father.
Except the succession of his mourning to his mourning.
أَسَفاًalas عَلَيهِfor him وَكانَand he was رُكناًa pillar لِلعُلىof greatness
أَسَفاً عَلَيهِ وَكانَ رُكناً لِلعُلى
وَقوامُهاand its mainstay بِطَريفِهِthrough his new acquisitions وَتِلادِهِand his inheritance
وَقوامُها بِطَريفِهِ وَتِلادِهِ
Alas for him! He was a pillar of greatness,
I grieve for him, he was a pillar of sublimity,
and its mainstay, with all he had acquired and inherited.
Its pillar was his gentleness and birth.
أَيّامَin the days when باهِرَthe brilliance of مَجدِهِhis glory يَذَرِleaves السُهىSuha
أَيّامَ باهِرَ مَجدِهِ يَذَرِ السُهى
وَكَواكِبَand the stars of الأَفلاكِthe celestial spheres مِنamong حُسّادِهِhis enviers
وَكَواكِبَ الأَفلاكِ مِن حُسّادِهِ
In the days when his dazzling glory left Suha
The days of his brilliant glory make the luminaries
and the stars of the celestial spheres among those who envied him;
And the planets jealous of his enemies.
أَيّامَin the days when لاnot تَلقاهُyou meet him إِلّاexcept جاهِداًstriving
أَيّامَ لا تَلقاهُ إِلّا جاهِداً
وَمُجاهِداًand struggling فيin العِلمِknowledge حَقَّthe full measure of جِهادِهِhis striving
وَمُجاهِداً في العِلمِ حَقَّ جِهادِهِ
in days when you met him only striving,
Days when you would not find him but struggling
and struggling for knowledge with the effort it deserved;
And striving in knowledge, truly striving.
أَيّامَin the days أَنwhen صَعَدَhe ascended المَنابِرَthe pulpits خاطِباًspeaking
أَيّامَ أَن صَعَدَ المَنابِرَ خاطِباً
تَهتَزُّtremble مشنfrom (reading من) عَجَبٍwonder ذَرىthe heights of أَروادِهِhis Arwad
تَهتَزُّ مشن عَجَبٍ ذَرى أَروادِهِ
in days when he mounted the pulpits to speak,
Days when he ascended the pulpits preaching,
the heights of his Arwad trembling in wonder.
The snakes would shake in awe of his words.
مَهلاًwait a moment لِتُبصِرَso you may see حالَthe state of مَنthose whom غادَرَتهُمyou left behind
مَهلاً لِتُبصِرَ حالَ مَن غادَرَتهُم
وَتَرىand see قَضاءُthe decree of اللَهِGod بَينَamong عِبادِهِHis servants
وَتَرى قَضاءُ اللَهِ بَينَ عِبادِهِ
Wait a moment, to behold the state of those you left,
Wait to see the state of those who left them,
and see God's decree among His servants:
And see the judgment of God among His servants.
مِنof كُلِّeach مَنwho تَخِذَtook السُهّادَsleeplessness سَميرُهُhis night companion
مِن كُلِّ مَن تَخِذَ السُهّادَ سَميرُهُ
وَأَقامَand raised نَواحاًa lament عَلىover تَعدادِهِrecounting his virtues
وَأَقامَ نَواحاً عَلى تَعدادِهِ
each one who took sleeplessness as his night companion,
Of everyone who took the pillows as their friend,
and raised a lament recounting his virtues;
And lamented according to their number.
مِنof كُلِّeach مَنwho نَظَمَcomposed المَراثيelegies جاعِلاًmaking
مِن كُلِّ مَن نَظَمَ المَراثي جاعِلاً
مِنfrom ذَوبِthe melting of عَينِهِhis eye سَوادَthe blackness of مِدادِهِhis ink
مِن ذَوبِ عَينِهِ سَوادَ مِدادِهِ
each one who composed elegies, making
Of everyone who composed the elegies, making
the blackness of his ink from his eye's melting tears.
The blackness of his ink from the melting of his eyes.
غادَرتُI left ذِكرَكَyour memory فيamong الوَرىhumankind لاnot نافِذاًexhausted (reading نافداً)
غادَرتُ ذِكرَكَ في الوَرى لا نافِذاً
بَلrather تَنتَهيend الأَيّامُthe days قَبلَbefore نَفادِهِits exhaustion
بَل تَنتَهي الأَيّامُ قَبلَ نَفادِهِ
I have left your memory among mankind unexhausted;
I left mention of you in the world, not fleeting,
rather, the days will end before it runs out.
But the days end before its depletion.
فَاِذهَبgo, then إِلىto مَولاكَyour Lord ياO مَنyou who قَدalready قَضىpassed away
فَاِذهَب إِلى مَولاكَ يا مَن قَد قَضى
وَالشُكرُand gratitude لِلرَحمَنِto the Merciful أَكثَرَthe greater part of زادِهِhis provision
وَالشُكرُ لِلرَحمَنِ أَكثَرَ زادِهِ
Go, then, to your Lord, O you who have passed away,
So go to your Master, O you who has fulfilled,
and whose chief provision is gratitude to the Merciful.
Thankfulness to the Merciful is the most provision.
Sol 6.1