بانتdeparted لياليناour nights الوسيمهlovely
بانت ليالينا الوسيمه
ودنتand drew near لياليناour nights الذميمهugly
ودنت ليالينا الذميمه
Our lovely nights have departed,
Our beautiful nights have passed
and our ugly nights have drawn near.
And our gloomy nights have lingered
وهوتand fell بدورfull moons المجدof glory وانand crumbled (word beginning)
وهوت بدور المجد وان
دكّتcrumbled (word ending) معالمهاtheir landmarks القويمهupright
دكّت معالمها القويمه
The full moons of glory have fallen, and
The mansions of glory have fallen
their upright landmarks have crumbled.
Though their foundations were strong
ورياضناand our gardens منfrom بعدafter إبIb- (Ibrahim begins)
ورياضنا من بعد إب
راهيم-rahim (Ibrahim ends) قدindeed صارتbecame هشيمهdry stubble
راهيم قد صارت هشيمه
And our gardens, after Ib-
And after the passing of Ibrahim
rahim, have turned to dry stubble,
Our meadows have turned to rubble
حزناًin sorrow علىfor ذاكthat man المهذthe well-bred (word beginning)
حزناً على ذاك المهذ
ذبwell-bred (word ending) صاحبpossessor of الشيمvirtues الكريمهnoble
ذب صاحب الشيم الكريمه
in sorrow for that well-
Grieving for that slaughtered one
bred man, possessor of noble virtues,
Of noble traits and virtues
معطيone who gives الفتوةchivalry حقهاits due
معطي الفتوة حقها
ومفرقand distributor of البُدَرpurses of money العظيمهgreat
ومفرق البُدَر العظيمه
who gave chivalry its due
Bestower of chivalry its due
and distributed great purses of money,
Distributor of great full moons
والكاسبand one who earns الحمدَpraise الجسيgreat (word beginning)
والكاسب الحمدَ الجسي
مَgreat (word ending) بكلthrough every مكرمةٍact of generosity جسيمهgreat
مَ بكل مكرمةٍ جسيمه
and earned great praise
Earner of praise, most generous
through every great act of generosity.
With every glorious, bountiful deed
ذاكthat man الذيwho كانتwas لجوfor tyranny (word beginning)
ذاك الذي كانت لجو
رtyranny (word ending) الدهرof time همتهhis resolve شكيمهa restraining bridle
ر الدهر همته شكيمه
He for whom the tyranny
He whose aspirations throughout life
of time found a bridle in his resolve.
Were most prudent and wise
وإذاand when السماءthe sky بديمةٍwith a gentle, steady rain
وإذا السماء بديمةٍ
ضنتwas stingy يجودhe gives freely بألفwith a thousand ديمهgentle, steady rain
ضنت يجود بألف ديمه
And when the sky withheld a gentle, steady rain,
And when the sky was clouded over
he lavished a thousand such rains.
He would rain down thousands of gifts
ياO يومday of إبراهيمIbrahim ماnot
يا يوم إبراهيم ما
أبقيتyou left للأيامfor the days قيمهworth
أبقيت للأيام قيمه
O day of Ibrahim, you have not
Oh day of Ibrahim, you left no
left the days any worth—
Worth for the days that came after
لاneither وجهthe face of نيرهاtheir sun البشوcheerful (word beginning)
لا وجه نيرها البشو
شcheerful (word ending) ولاnor أصائلهاtheir late afternoons الوسيمهlovely
ش ولا أصائلها الوسيمه
neither their sun's cheerful face,
Neither does the morning light shine
nor their lovely late afternoons.
Nor the handsome youths smile
أسفيmy sorrow علىfor البرthe righteous man الكريgenerous (word beginning)
أسفي على البر الكري
مgenerous (word ending) الفاضلthe virtuous man الماضيunwavering in العزيمهresolve
م الفاضل الماضي العزيمه
My grief for the righteous, generous man,
I grieve for the magnanimous past that is gone
the virtuous man of unwavering resolve!
When my eyes were safe from afflictions
ذاكthat man الذيwho كانتwas بهthrough him
ذاك الذي كانت به
عينيmy eye منfrom البلوىaffliction سليمهunharmed
عيني من البلوى سليمه
He through whom
And the beautiful horses were around my homeland
my eye was safe from affliction,
While people crowded around me when war spoils were divided
ومناهلand watering places of الخيلhorses الجميbeautiful (word beginning)
ومناهل الخيل الجمي
لةbeautiful (word ending) حولaround أوطانيmy lands جميمهbrimming with water
لة حول أوطاني جميمه
and the lovely horses' watering places
Today there is no neighbor to visit, no boon companion
around my lands brimmed with water,
No loved one comes to mourn with me
والناسand the people حوليaround me كالفواlike horsemen (word beginning)
والناس حولي كالفوا
رسhorsemen (word ending) يومon the day of تقسيمdividing الغنيمهthe spoils
رس يوم تقسيم الغنيمه
and the people around me were like horsemen
Or lament the cries of the orphan
on the day the spoils are divided.
I have naught left but burning sorrows
فاليومso today لاno جارneighbor يزوvisits (word beginning)
فاليوم لا جار يزو
رvisits (word ending) ولاnor نديمmale boon companion ولاnor نديمَهfemale boon companion
ر ولا نديم ولا نديمَه
But today no neighbor visits,
And tight-shut lips
nor any companion, man or woman.
My dwellings have become instead of dovecotes
أيزورنيwill he visit me? يبكيweeping معيwith me
أيزورني يبكي معي
أوor يشتكيlaments شكوىthe lament of اليتيمهthe orphan girl
أو يشتكي شكوى اليتيمه
Will anyone visit me and weep with me,
With their valuable inhabitants gone
or utter an orphan girl's lament?
Oh you who after him made the world
لمdid not يبقremain ليfor me إلّاexcept حشىa heart
لم يبق لي إلّا حشى
حرّىburning وأجفانٌand eyelids كليمهwounded
حرّى وأجفانٌ كليمه
Nothing remains to me but a heart
Barren and devoid of fruits
burning, and wounded eyelids,
You weep for one who engendered
ومنازلand dwellings بدلreplaced الحِمامDeath
ومنازل بدل الحِمام
حَمامهاtheir doves الغاليcherished ببومهwith an owl
حَمامها الغالي ببومه
and dwellings where Death has replaced
Nothing but noble, lofty qualities
their cherished doves with an owl.
Oh horseman of the spirited steeds
ياO منyou who غدتbecame منfrom بعدهafter him الthe
يا من غدت من بعده ال
دنياworld (word ending) مولَّهةًdistraught with grief عقيمهbarren
دنيا مولَّهةً عقيمه
O you, after whom the
Oh you of great and mighty determination
world became distraught and barren,
Why did you not sacrifice yourself
تبكيshe mourns الذيhim who ماnot أولدتmade fruitful
تبكي الذي ما أولدت
إلاexcept مزاياهhis virtues الفخيمهmagnificent
إلا مزاياه الفخيمه
weeping for him whose
And make death your ransom?
magnificent virtues alone made her fruitful.
I knew you as one who sacrificed
ياO فارسrider of الخيلhorses الهماgallant (word beginning)
يا فارس الخيل الهما
مgallant (word ending) وصاحبand possessor of الهممaspirations العظيمهmighty
م وصاحب الهمم العظيمه
O gallant horseman,
Bodies of heroes for the feast
and possessor of mighty aspirations,
After the night attack, I thought you
لمَwhy لاnot نحرتyou slaughtered فدىًas ransom لنعfor your sandals (word beginning)
لمَ لا نحرت فدىً لنع
ليكyour sandals (word ending) المنيةDeath كالبهيمهlike a beast
ليك المنية كالبهيمه
why did you not slaughter, as ransom for your sandals,
Were one asking for nothing
Death like a beast?
The soul of high ambition, glory, kindness
ولقدand indeed عهدتكI knew you تنحرyou slaughter الthe
ولقد عهدتك تنحر ال
بدنsacrificial camels (word ending) البوازلfull-grown للوليمهfor the feast
بدن البوازل للوليمه
And indeed, I knew you to slaughter the
and piety
full-grown sacrificial camels for the feast.
Not one of treacherous youth
أحسبتهاdid you think her بعدafter انتصاmidpoint (word beginning)
أحسبتها بعد انتصا
فmidpoint (word ending) الليلof the night سائلةًa female beggar عديمهdestitute
ف الليل سائلةً عديمه
Did you think her, after mid-
And wicked, vile nature
night, a destitute beggar?
Had you hesitated and not left
نفسsoul of العلىnobility والمجدand glory والand the
نفس العلى والمجد وال
معروفkindness (word ending) والتقوىand piety الشئيمهinnate disposition
معروف والتقوى الشئيمه
O soul of nobility, glory, and
Your family in dire straits
kindness, with piety your nature,
I shall grieve for you evermore
ماwhat ضرَّharm befell خائنةthe female betrayer of الشباyouth (word beginning)
ما ضرَّ خائنة الشبا
بyouth (word ending) خبيثةwicked in الطبعnature اللئيمهvile
ب خبيثة الطبع اللئيمه
what harm would it have done the betrayer of youth,
Oh most generous of mortals
wicked in nature and vile,
Oh star of beauty who now
لوif يتمتكshe orphaned you ولمand did not تدعleave
لو يتمتك ولم تدع
أهليكyour family فيin حالa state مليمهdeplorable
أهليك في حال مليمه
had she orphaned you and not left
Lies in the earth, blameless
your family in a deplorable state?
May God grant you reward
لهفيmy grief عليكfor you مؤبداًforever
لهفي عليك مؤبداً
ياO أكرمnoblest of الثقلينhumankind and jinn شيمهin character
يا أكرم الثقلين شيمه
My grief for you is everlasting,
And admit you to Paradise
O noblest in character among humankind and jinn!
And perpetuate for your tomb a garden
ياO كوكبstar of الحسنbeauty الذيwho
يا كوكب الحسن الذي
سكنdwelt in الترابthe dust بلاwithout جريمهa crime
سكن التراب بلا جريمه
O star of beauty, who
Watered by His abundant mercy
has dwelt in the dust without a crime,
اللَهGod يوليكgrants you الثواreward (word beginning)
اللَه يوليك الثوا
بreward (word ending) مؤهلاًmade worthy فادخلso enter نعيمهHis bliss
ب مؤهلاً فادخل نعيمه
may God grant you reward,
as one worthy of it; so enter His bliss,
ويديمand perpetuates لحدكyour grave جنةًa garden
ويديم لحدك جنةً
تسقيis watered برحمتهwith His mercy العميمهall-embracing
تسقي برحمته العميمه
and keep your grave a garden forever,
watered by His all-embracing mercy.
Partial English translation: 57 of 62 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1