ما للقلوب غداةَ السّبتِ مزعجةً

ما للقلوب غداةَ السّبتِ مزعجةً

وللدّموع غداةَ السّبت تنسجمُ

وللدّموع غداةَ السّبت تنسجمُ

What ails the hearts, troubled on Saturday morning,

What ails hearts on Saturday morn, so troubled,

and the tears, streaming on Saturday morning,

And tears on Saturday flow, so freely?

وللرّجالِ يحلّون الحُبا وَلَهاً

وللرّجالِ يحلّون الحُبا وَلَهاً

من أنّهمْ علموا في ذاك ما علموا

من أنّهمْ علموا في ذاك ما علموا

and the men, untying their knee-bands in anguish,

Men don their finest robes and walk about,

because they learned of it what they learned?

Since they have learned what they have learned.

تجري دموعُ عيونٍ ودّ صاحبُها

تجري دموعُ عيونٍ ودّ صاحبُها

لو أنّهنّ على حرّ المصابِ دمُ

لو أنّهنّ على حرّ المصابِ دمُ

Tears flow from eyes whose owner wished

The tears of saddened eyes flow down

that, in the burning heat of loss, they were blood.

As if weeping for grave calamity and harm.

كَأنّنا اليّوم من همٍّ تَقسَّمنا

كَأنّنا اليّوم من همٍّ تَقسَّمنا

نَهْبٌ بأيدي ولاة السّوءِ مُقتَسَمُ

نَهْبٌ بأيدي ولاة السّوءِ مُقتَسَمُ

It is as though today, from grief that has torn us apart,

It seems today we're torn by grief

we were plunder divided in the hands of wicked rulers.

And tyranny's injustice we helplessly bear.

نثني الأكفَّ حياءً عن ملاطمنا

نثني الأكفَّ حياءً عن ملاطمنا

وفي الحشا زفراتُ الحزنِ تلتطمُ

وفي الحشا زفراتُ الحزنِ تلتطمُ

Out of modesty, we hold our palms back from our cheeks,

We fold our palms, ashamed of our blows,

while in our breasts the sighs of sorrow clash.

And anguished sighs from our breasts burst forth.

ونكتم النّاسَ وَجْداً في جوانحنا

ونكتم النّاسَ وَجْداً في جوانحنا

وكيف نكتم شيئاً ليس ينكتمُ

وكيف نكتم شيئاً ليس ينكتمُ

And we hide from people the anguish within our breasts;

We hide our pain and conceal our grief,

yet how can we hide what cannot be hidden?

Yet how can one conceal what can't be hid?

يا موتُ كم لكريمٍ فيك من تِرَةٍ

يا موتُ كم لكريمٍ فيك من تِرَةٍ

أعيا بها الرّمحُ والصُّمصامةُ الخَذِمُ

أعيا بها الرّمحُ والصُّمصامةُ الخَذِمُ

O Death, how many a noble man has a blood-debt against you,

Oh Death, many a noble soul hast thou undone,

before which the spear and the keen-cutting sword are powerless!

Rendering spears and swords as useless things.

وكم وَلَجتَ وما شاورتَ صاحبَه

وكم وَلَجتَ وما شاورتَ صاحبَه

قصْراً على بابه الحرّاسُ والخدمُ

قصْراً على بابه الحرّاسُ والخدمُ

And how often have you entered, without consulting its master,

Full many a home hast thou breached, unbidden,

a palace with guards and servants at its gate!

With guards and servants posted at its gate.

وكم عظيمِ أُناسٍ قد سطوتَ به

وكم عظيمِ أُناسٍ قد سطوتَ به

لم يُغنِ عنه فتيلاً ذلك العِظَمُ

لم يُغنِ عنه فتيلاً ذلك العِظَمُ

And how many a great man among his people have you struck down,

Full many a mighty man hast thou o'erpowered,

with that greatness availing him not even a thread's worth!

For all his pomp and temporal grandeur.

وما نجا منك لا صُغْرٌ ولا كِبَرٌ

وما نجا منك لا صُغْرٌ ولا كِبَرٌ

ولا شبابٌ ولا شيبٌ ولا هرمُ

ولا شبابٌ ولا شيبٌ ولا هرمُ

And neither small nor great has escaped you,

None thwart thy will, lofty or lowly,

nor youth, nor gray hair, nor decrepit age.

Neither youth nor age can make escape.

هيهات مُكِّن من أرواحنا حَنِقٌ

هيهات مُكِّن من أرواحنا حَنِقٌ

فظٌّ وحُكِّمَ في أجسامنا قَرِمُ

فظٌّ وحُكِّمَ في أجسامنا قَرِمُ

Alas! A wrathful one has been given power over our souls,

Alas, our lives now burn with rage and spite,

harsh; and a flesh-hungry one has been made ruler of our bodies.

And our bodies by decrepitude are seized.

أَين الّذين على هذي الثّرى وطأوا

أَين الّذين على هذي الثّرى وطأوا

وحُكِّموا في لذيذ العيش فاِحتكموا

وحُكِّموا في لذيذ العيش فاِحتكموا

Where are those who trod upon this earth,

Where are they who trod upon this earth,

and were given mastery over life's delights, and ruled at will,

Who enjoyed life's bounty and vied in fortune;

ومُلِّكوا الأرضَ من سهلٍ ومن جبلٍ

ومُلِّكوا الأرضَ من سهلٍ ومن جبلٍ

وخُوِّلوا نعماً ما مثلها نِعَمُ

وخُوِّلوا نعماً ما مثلها نِعَمُ

and were given the earth, both plain and mountain,

Who ruled o'er plains and mountains far and wide,

and were granted blessings no other blessings could equal?

Bestowed with blessings unmatched before or since,

حتّى إذا بلغ الميقاتُ غايَتَه

حتّى إذا بلغ الميقاتُ غايَتَه

لَم يسلموا ولشيءٍ طالما سلموا

لَم يسلموا ولشيءٍ طالما سلموا

Until, when the appointed time reached its end,

Until they reached their predestined time,

they were not spared, though for some reason they had long been spared.

Safely passing days that others feared,

لم يبق منهمْ على ضنّ القلوب بهمْ

لم يبق منهمْ على ضنّ القلوب بهمْ

إلّا رسومُ قبورٍ حشوُها رِمَمُ

إلّا رسومُ قبورٍ حشوُها رِمَمُ

Nothing remained of them, though hearts were loath to lose them,

Leaving in grieving hearts no memory,

except the outlines of graves filled with crumbling bones.

Save the remnants of their crumbling tombs,

مسنّدين إلى زَوْراءَ موحشة

مسنّدين إلى زَوْراءَ موحشة

ظلماءَ لا إِرَمٌ فيها ولا عَلَمُ

ظلماءَ لا إِرَمٌ فيها ولا عَلَمُ

Propped against a desolate, slanting recess,

Reclining on a bare and cheerless side,

dark, with neither cairn nor landmark within.

Darkened, with no flags or signs to mark the spot,

كأنّما طبّقتْ أجفانَهمْ سِنَةٌ

كأنّما طبّقتْ أجفانَهمْ سِنَةٌ

أو شَفّهمْ لبِلى أجسادهمْ سَقَمُ

أو شَفّهمْ لبِلى أجسادهمْ سَقَمُ

As though drowsiness had closed their eyelids,

As if thick clouds had sealed their eyes,

or illness had wasted them, judging by their bodies' decay.

Or dire sickness had consumed their bodies.

يُغضون من غير فكرٍ يرتأون له

يُغضون من غير فكرٍ يرتأون له

ويأْزِمون على الأَيدي وما نَدِموا

ويأْزِمون على الأَيدي وما نَدِموا

They lower their eyes with no thought to ponder,

Unthinking now, no thoughts occur to them,

and bite their hands, though they feel no regret.

Hands folded, knowing neither fear nor hope.

فلا يغرّنْك في المَوْتى وجودُهمُ

فلا يغرّنْك في المَوْتى وجودُهمُ

فإنّ ذاك وجودٌ كلُّه عدمُ

فإنّ ذاك وجودٌ كلُّه عدمُ

So let their existence among the dead not deceive you,

Let not their present state deceive you,

for that existence is wholly nonexistence.

For theirs is an existence utter void.

قُل للوَزيرِ وإن جلّتْ مصيبتُه

قُل للوَزيرِ وإن جلّتْ مصيبتُه

هيهات فاتَكَ ما يجري به القلمُ

هيهات فاتَكَ ما يجري به القلمُ

Tell the minister, however great his loss,

Say to the minister, though great his loss,

Alas! What the pen decrees has passed beyond your reach.

Vain his laments for what the pen has writ.

إنّ الّتي أنت ملآنٌ بِلَوعتها

إنّ الّتي أنت ملآنٌ بِلَوعتها

مضتْ كما مضتِ الأحياءُ والأُمَمُ

مضتْ كما مضتِ الأحياءُ والأُمَمُ

Indeed, she whose loss fills you with burning anguish

That which has caused your torment and your grief

has passed away, as tribes and nations have passed.

Is gone, as people and nations before.

مُلِّيتَ دَهراً بها من غير مَحْسَبَةٍ

مُلِّيتَ دَهراً بها من غير مَحْسَبَةٍ

وغيرُ مَن رَجَعَ الموهوبَ مُتّهَمُ

وغيرُ مَن رَجَعَ الموهوبَ مُتّهَمُ

You were granted a long span with her, without reckoning,

Long you rejoiced without the least misgiving,

and blame is not for the one who reclaims the gift.

While those bereaved found yourselves blamed.

وَحزنُك اليوم عُقبى ما سُررتَ به

وَحزنُك اليوم عُقبى ما سُررتَ به

حيناً وعقبى الّذي تلتذّه الألمُ

حيناً وعقبى الّذي تلتذّه الألمُ

And your grief today is the outcome of what delighted you

The grief you feel today is consequence

for a time; and pain is the outcome of what you enjoy.

Of what once brought you joy and pleasure.

وما خُصِصتَ بمكروهٍ تجلّلنا

وما خُصِصتَ بمكروهٍ تجلّلنا

ونحن قبلك بالبَأْساءِ نَسْتَهِمُ

ونحن قبلك بالبَأْساءِ نَسْتَهِمُ

And you were not singled out for a calamity that has engulfed us,

You've been afflicted with no special doom;

while before you we too drew our lots of affliction.

We too calamity and trial have known.

فَاِصبِرْ فَصبرُك موصولٌ بموهبةٍ

فَاِصبِرْ فَصبرُك موصولٌ بموهبةٍ

تَبقى وكلُّ الّذي أعطيتَ مُنصرمُ

تَبقى وكلُّ الّذي أعطيتَ مُنصرمُ

So be patient, for your patience is bound to a gift

Endure, your patience brings a gift divine

that endures, while all you were given comes to an end.

That will remain when all you've given is gone.

وَكُنْ كَمَن أنت مشغوفٌ بسيرتهِ

وَكُنْ كَمَن أنت مشغوفٌ بسيرتهِ

ممّن أصابهمُ المكروه فاِحتزموا

ممّن أصابهمُ المكروه فاِحتزموا

And be like one whose conduct you ardently admire,

Be as the exemplars you revere,

one of those whom misfortune struck and who girded themselves.

Who met misfortune with forbearance.

لا يَألَمون بشيءٍ مِن مَصائبهمْ

لا يَألَمون بشيءٍ مِن مَصائبهمْ

حتّى إذا أُولِمُوا في دينهمْ أَلِموا

حتّى إذا أُولِمُوا في دينهمْ أَلِموا

They feel no pain at any of their misfortunes;

Never complaining of what befell them,

only when hurt in their faith do they feel pain.

Until their faith became the cause of their complaint.

وَقَد مَضى ما اِقتَضاه الرّزءُ من جزعٍ

وَقَد مَضى ما اِقتَضاه الرّزءُ من جزعٍ

فَأينَ ما يَقتضيه العلم والكرمُ

فَأينَ ما يَقتضيه العلم والكرمُ

And the anguish that bereavement demanded has already passed;

The destiny you mourn has run its course,

so where is what knowledge and nobility demand?

Now what behooves is knowledge and nobility.