لِكُلِّfor everything ماthat طالَhas lasted long بِهِover it الدَهرُTime أَمَدan end
لِكُلِّ ما طالَ بِهِ الدَهرُ أَمَد
لاneither والِداًa father يُبقيspares الرَدىdeath وَلاnor وَلَدa child
لا والِداً يُبقي الرَدى وَلا وَلَد
Everything that Time prolongs has an end.
Death spares neither father nor child.
ياO راقِداًsleeper تَسُرُّهُdelight him أَحلامُهُhis dreams
يا راقِداً تَسُرُّهُ أَحلامُهُ
رَقَدتَyou have slept وَالحِمامُand death عَنكَapart from you رَقَدhas slept
رَقَدتَ وَالحِمامُ عَنكَ رَقَد
O sleeper delighted by his dreams,
you have slept, and death has slumbered apart from you.
لاdo not تُكذِبَنever deny إِنَّindeed الحَياةَlife عارَةٌa loan
لا تُكذِبَن إِنَّ الحَياةَ عارَةٌ
وَأَيُّماand what عارِيَةٍloan لاis not تُستَرَدreclaimed
وَأَيُّما عارِيَةٍ لا تُستَرَد
Do not deny it: life is a loan,
and what loan is not reclaimed?
وَالدَهرُand Time ذوpossessed of غَوائِلٍcalamities لاnot تُتَّقىcan be warded off
وَالدَهرُ ذو غَوائِلٍ لا تُتَّقى
أَحداثُهُits blows وَالمَوتُand death بَعدُstill بِالرَصَدlying in wait
أَحداثُهُ وَالمَوتُ بَعدُ بِالرَصَد
Time harbors calamities; none can ward off
its blows, and death still lies in wait.
أَينَwhere المُلوكُthe kings الصيدُthe proud ماnot أَغناهُمُavailed them
أَينَ المُلوكُ الصيدُ ما أَغناهُمُ
ماجَمَعوهُwhat they amassed مِنof عَديدٍmultitudes وَعَدَدand numbers
ماجَمَعوهُ مِن عَديدٍ وَعَدَد
Where are the proud kings? They were not helped by
the multitudes and numbers they amassed.
أَورَدَهُمbrought them to water ساقيthe cupbearer of الحِمامِdeath مَورِداًa watering place
أَورَدَهُم ساقي الحِمامِ مَورِداً
سَواءٌequal الجِلَّةُthe great camels فيهِin it وَالنَقَدand the small sheep
سَواءٌ الجِلَّةُ فيهِ وَالنَقَد
Death's cupbearer brought them to a watering place
where great camels and small sheep stand equal.
وَيحَwoe to اللَياليthe nights كُلَّevery يَومٍday صاحِباًa companion
وَيحَ اللَيالي كُلَّ يَومٍ صاحِباً
تُنزِحُthey carry away مِنّاfrom us وَحَبيباًand a beloved one تَبتَعِدthey send far away
تُنزِحُ مِنّا وَحَبيباً تَبتَعِد
Woe to the nights! Every day a companion
they carry away from us, and send a loved one far away.
أَينَwhere لَياليناour nights عَلىat كاKa- (part of Kazima) ظِمِةٍ-zima (part of Kazima)
أَينَ لَيالينا عَلى كا ظِمِةٍ
أَيّامَin the days when عودُthe stalk of شَملِناour union لَمnot يَنحَصِدhad been reaped
أَيّامَ عودُ شَملِنا لَم يَنحَصِد
Where are our nights at Kazima,
when the stalk of our union had not been reaped,
وَالدَهرُand Time لَمnot تَفطَنhad noticed لَناof us صُروفُهُits vicissitudes
وَالدَهرُ لَم تَفطَن لَنا صُروفُهُ
بَعدُas yet وَأَشراكُand the snares of المَناياdeadly fates لَمnot تُمَدhad been spread
بَعدُ وَأَشراكُ المَنايا لَم تُمَد
while Time's reversals had not noticed us
as yet, nor had death's snares been spread?
ياO حادِيَdriver of الأَظعانِthe camel-litters فيin آثارِكُمyour wake
يا حادِيَ الأَظعانِ في آثارِكُم
مُهجَةُthe lifeblood of مَسلوبِone robbed of العَزاءِconsolation وَالجَلَدand fortitude
مُهجَةُ مَسلوبِ العَزاءِ وَالجَلَد
O driver of the camel-litters, in your wake
lies the lifeblood of one robbed of solace and fortitude.
فاجَأَهُtook him unawares يَومُthe day of الفِراقِparting بَغتَةًsuddenly
فاجَأَهُ يَومُ الفِراقِ بَغتَةً
لَمnot يَتَأَهَّبhad prepared لِلنَوىfor separation وَلاnor اِستَعَدmade himself ready
لَم يَتَأَهَّب لِلنَوى وَلا اِستَعَد
The day of parting took him suddenly unawares;
he had not prepared for separation or made himself ready.
قَدindeed أَنَّسَتhas grown accustomed عَينِيَmy eye مُذsince تَوَحَّشَتbecame desolate
قَد أَنَّسَت عَينِيَ مُذ تَوَحَّشَت
دِيارُكُمyour dwellings إِلىto الدُموعِtears وَالسُهَدand sleeplessness
دِيارُكُم إِلى الدُموعِ وَالسُهَد
My eye has grown accustomed, ever since desolation overtook
your dwellings, to tears and sleeplessness.
يَعرِفُهاrecognizes them القَلبُthe heart عَلىdespite خَرابِهاtheir ruin
يَعرِفُها القَلبُ عَلى خَرابِها
وَالطَرفُand the eye قَدhas أَنكَرَfailed to recognize مِنهاof them ماعَهَدwhat it once knew
وَالطَرفُ قَد أَنكَرَ مِنها ماعَهَد
The heart recognizes them despite their ruin,
while the eye no longer recognizes what it once knew of them.
لاmay not أَلِفَتgrow familiar with بَعدَكُمُafter you العَينُthe eye الكَرىsleep
لا أَلِفَت بَعدَكُمُ العَينُ الكَرى
وَلاnor may حَلاgrow sweet بَعدَكُمُafter you العَيشُlife النَكِدwretched
وَلا حَلا بَعدَكُمُ العَيشُ النَكِد
May my eye never welcome sleep after you,
nor wretched life grow sweet after you.
ياO بِأَبيmy father as ransom النائيthe absent one البَعيدِfar away شَخصُهُhis person
يا بِأَبي النائي البَعيدِ شَخصُهُ
وَلاand not نَأىis remote مَزارُهُhis resting place وَلاnor بَعِدis far
وَلا نَأى مَزارُهُ وَلا بَعِد
O distant one, far away in person—my father be your ransom!
Yet your resting place is neither remote nor far.
ضَلَّتwas lost طَريقُthe path of الصَبرِpatience بَعدَafter فَقدِهِlosing him
ضَلَّت طَريقُ الصَبرِ بَعدَ فَقدِهِ
لاmay not وُجِدَbe found الصَبرُpatience وَأَنتَwhile you are المُفتَقَدthe one lost
لا وُجِدَ الصَبرُ وَأَنتَ المُفتَقَد
The path of patience was lost after losing him;
may patience never be found when you are the one lost.
مَدَّstretched إِلَيكَtoward you حادِثُa calamity of الدَهرِTime يَداًa hand
مَدَّ إِلَيكَ حادِثُ الدَهرِ يَداً
لَيسَthere is no عَليهاagainst it قَوَدٌblood-retribution وَلاnor أَوَدcrookedness
لَيسَ عَليها قَوَدٌ وَلا أَوَد
A calamity of Time stretched a hand toward you,
against which no blood-retribution lies, and which never swerves.
ياO ساكِنَdweller in اللَحدِthe grave الَّذيwho أَفرَدَنيleft me alone
يا ساكِنَ اللَحدِ الَّذي أَفرَدَني
مِنthrough لاعِجِthe searing pain of الشَوقِlonging بِمِثلِwith the like of ماwhat اِنفَرَدhe experienced alone
مِن لاعِجِ الشَوقِ بِمِثلِ ما اِنفَرَد
O dweller in the grave, who left me solitary,
through searing longing, in a solitude like your own.
إِنif كُنتَyou are فيin ثَوبِthe robe of العُلىglory فَإِنَّنيthen indeed I
إِن كُنتَ في ثَوبِ العُلى فَإِنَّني
بَعدَكَafter you فيin ثَوبِthe robe of نُحولٍwasting وَكَمَدand grief
بَعدَكَ في ثَوبِ نُحولٍ وَكَمَد
If you wear the robe of glory, then I
wear, after you, the robe of wasting and grief.
ياO موحِشَmaking desolate الأَرضِthe earth عَلَيَّfor me فَقدُهُhis loss
يا موحِشَ الأَرضِ عَلَيَّ فَقدُهُ
حَتّىuntil كَأَنas though لَيسَthere were not عَلىupon الأَرضِthe earth أَحَدanyone
حَتّى كَأَن لَيسَ عَلى الأَرضِ أَحَد
O you whose loss has made the earth desolate for me,
until it seems there is no one upon the earth.
أَوحَدتَنيyou left me alone وَفيthough among الرِجالِmen كَثرَةٌthere is abundance
أَوحَدتَني وَفي الرِجالِ كَثرَةٌ
ياalas for قِلَّةَthe scarcity of الجارِprotectors وَقِلَّةَand the scarcity of العِدَدresources
يا قِلَّةَ الجارِ وَقِلَّةَ العِدَد
You left me alone, though men are many;
alas, how few the protectors, how scant the resources!
كُنتَyou were إِذاwhen جارَwas unjust الزَمانُTime عَضُديmy supporting arm
كُنتَ إِذا جارَ الزَمانُ عَضُدي
فَاليَومَso today لاno جارِحَةٌlimb وَلاnor عَضُدsupporting arm
فَاليَومَ لا جارِحَةٌ وَلا عَضُد
When Time was unjust, you were my supporting arm;
but today, neither limb nor supporting arm remains.
أَسلَمتَنيyou surrendered me إِلىto الخُطوبِcalamities وَاِنبَرَتand they assailed
أَسلَمتَني إِلى الخُطوبِ وَاِنبَرَت
بَعدَكَafter you فيupon أَديميmy skin وَبَعِدand went far
بَعدَكَ في أَديمي وَبَعِد
You surrendered me to calamities, and they assailed
my skin after you, reaching far.
مالَكَwhat is with you لاnot تَرِقُّyou feel tenderness ليfor me مِنat زَفرَةٍa sigh
مالَكَ لا تَرِقُّ لي مِن زَفرَةٍ
تُلفِتُthat twists أَثناءَthe folds of الفُؤادِthe heart وَالكَبِدand the liver
تُلفِتُ أَثناءَ الفُؤادِ وَالكَبِد
Why do you not pity me for a sigh
that twists the folds of heart and liver?
ماwhat لَكَis with you لاnot تَرأَبُyou mend أَحواليmy circumstances وَلاnor
ما لَكَ لا تَرأَبُ أَحوالي وَلا
تُصلِحُrepair آراؤُكَyour counsels مِنهاof them ماwhat فَسَدhas gone wrong
تُصلِحُ آراؤُكَ مِنها ما فَسَد
Why do you not mend my plight, nor do
your counsels repair what has gone wrong with it?
ماwhat لَكَis with you لاnot تَرحَمُyou pity ذُلَّthe abjection of مَوقِفيmy state
ما لَكَ لا تَرحَمُ ذُلَّ مَوقِفي
وَكُنتَand you were أَحناthe tenderest والِدٍfather عَلىtoward وَلَدa child
وَكُنتَ أَحنا والِدٍ عَلى وَلَد
Why do you not pity my abject state,
when you were the tenderest father toward a child?
غادَرتَنيyou left me مُضَلَّلاًbewildered لاnot أَهتَديable to find my way
غادَرتَني مُضَلَّلاً لا أَهتَدي
نَهجَthe clear course of السَبيلِthe path واجِداًgrieving for ماwhat لاnot أَجِدI can find
نَهجَ السَبيلِ واجِداً ما لا أَجِد
You left me bewildered, unable to find
the course of the path, grieving for what I cannot find.
قَعَدتَyou held back عَنfrom نَصريaiding me وَعَهديand my experience بِكَof you لاnever
قَعَدتَ عَن نَصري وَعَهدي بِكَ لا
أَدعوكَI call you إِلّاexcept that قُمتَyou rose مَشبوحَoutstretched in العُضُدthe upper arm
أَدعوكَ إِلّا قُمتَ مَشبوحَ العُضُد
You hold back from helping me; yet I knew you thus: never
did I call you but you rose, arms outstretched.
ياO مَورِديmy watering place العَذبَthe sweet النَميرَpure ماؤُهُits water
يا مَورِدي العَذبَ النَميرَ ماؤُهُ
أَورَدتَنيyou brought me to drink بَعدَكَafter you أَوشالَthe trickles of الثَمَدshallow pools
أَورَدتَني بَعدَكَ أَوشالَ الثَمَد
O my sweet watering place, so pure its water,
you have led me, after you, to trickles in shallow pools.
تِلكَthose الدُموعُtears الحائِراتُbewildered ماnot رَقَتhave ceased
تِلكَ الدُموعُ الحائِراتُ ما رَقَت
عَلىover البِعادِseparation وَالغَليلُand the burning thirst ماnot بَرَدhas cooled
عَلى البِعادِ وَالغَليلُ ما بَرَد
Those bewildered tears have not ceased
over our separation, nor has the burning thirst cooled.
ياO لَكَfor you مِنof رَزِيَّةٍa calamity أَسرَفَwent to excess رَيبُthe vicissitudes
يا لَكَ مِن رَزِيَّةٍ أَسرَفَ رَيبُ
الدَهرِof Time فيin الرُزءِbereavement بِهاthrough it وَماand did not اِقتَصَدshow restraint
الدَهرِ في الرُزءِ بِها وَما اِقتَصَد
What a calamity! Excessive were the blows
of Time in inflicting this loss; they showed no restraint.
رَزِيَّةٌa calamity لَوif يَعرِفُcould know الصَخرُrock الأَسىsorrow
رَزِيَّةٌ لَو يَعرِفُ الصَخرُ الأَسى
ذابَit would melt بِهاbecause of it أَوِor القُطارُthe falling rain لَجَمَدwould surely freeze
ذابَ بِها أَوِ القُطارُ لَجَمَد
A calamity that, if rock could know sorrow,
would melt it, or freeze the falling rain.
واoh عَجَباًwhat wonder كَيفَhow أَباحَhe left exposed غَيلَهُhis lair
وا عَجَباً كَيفَ أَباحَ غَيلَهُ
وَقامَand departed عَنfrom شُبولِهِhis cubs ذاكَthat الأَسَدlion
وَقامَ عَن شُبولِهِ ذاكَ الأَسَد
Ah, wonder! How did he leave his lair exposed,
and that lion depart from his cubs?
كَيفَhow خَباdimmed النَجمُthe star فَغارَand then sank away ضَوؤُهُits light
كَيفَ خَبا النَجمُ فَغارَ ضَوؤُهُ
كَيفَhow هَوَتcollapsed هِضابُthe heights of قُدسٍQuds وَأُحُدand Uhud
كَيفَ هَوَت هِضابُ قُدسٍ وَأُحُد
How did the star dim, its light sinking away?
How did the heights of Quds and Uhud collapse?
ماnot غابَhe vanished فيinto التُربِthe dust وَلَكِنbut rather كَوكَبٌa star
ما غابَ في التُربِ وَلَكِن كَوكَبٌ
رَقىrose إِلىto جَوِّthe expanse of السَماءِheaven وَصَعِدand ascended
رَقى إِلى جَوِّ السَماءِ وَصَعِد
He did not vanish into dust; rather, a star
rose into the expanse of heaven and ascended.
بَكَتwept مَصابيحُthe lamps of الدُجىdarkness لِعائِدٍfor a returning visitor
بَكَت مَصابيحُ الدُجى لِعائِدٍ
تَهِبُّthey stir فيin طِلابِهِsearch of him إِذاwhen رَكَدhe lay still
تَهِبُّ في طِلابِهِ إِذا رَكَد
The lamps of darkness wept for a returning visitor,
stirring in search of him whenever he lay still.
أَوحَشَbecame desolate مِنهُwithout him مُرتَقىthe place of ascent of دُعاتِهِhis petitioners
أَوحَشَ مِنهُ مُرتَقى دُعاتِهِ
وَمُلتَقىand the meeting-place of الأَملاكِthe angels كُلَّماwhenever سَجَدhe prostrated
وَمُلتَقى الأَملاكِ كُلَّما سَجَد
Desolate without him is his petitioners' place of ascent,
and the angels' meeting-place whenever he prostrated.
أُبرِزَتِwere brought forth الحورُthe houris إِلىto لِقائِهِmeet him
أُبرِزَتِ الحورُ إِلى لِقائِهِ
وَأُزلِفَتand were brought near لَدَيهِto him جَنّاتُthe gardens of الخُلُدeternity
وَأُزلِفَت لَدَيهِ جَنّاتُ الخُلُد
The houris were brought forth to meet him,
and the gardens of eternity were drawn near to him.
سَقىmay water الغَمامُthe clouds تُربَةًsoil جاوَرَهاdwelt beside it
سَقى الغَمامُ تُربَةً جاوَرَها
مِنهُfrom him وَقارٌdignity كَأَهاضيبِlike the massive heights of أُحُدUhud
مِنهُ وَقارٌ كَأَهاضيبِ أُحُد
May clouds water the soil beside which rests
his dignity, like the massive heights of Uhud.
فَطالَماfor how often كُنّاwe used to عَلىamid المَحلِdrought بِهِthrough him
فَطالَما كُنّا عَلى المَحلِ بِهِ
نَستَنزِلُcall down الغَيثَthe rain إِذاwhen القَطرُrainfall جَمَدfroze
نَستَنزِلُ الغَيثَ إِذا القَطرُ جَمَد
For often, through him, in times of drought we
called down rain when its drops were held fast.
Sol 6.1