بكتك عيون العلا

بكتك عيون العلا

وناح عليك الشرف

وناح عليك الشرف

Glory's eyes wept for you,

The eyes of glory wept for you,

and honor wailed over you.

And honour wailed over you.

لحى الله هذا الردى

لحى الله هذا الردى

فاي الشموس كسف

فاي الشموس كسف

May God curse this death—

May God curse this death:

O calamity, how you eclipsed everything!

For what a sun among suns it has eclipsed!

أيعلم ماذا جنى

أيعلم ماذا جنى

أيعرف ماذا اقترف

أيعرف ماذا اقترف

Does it know what it has wrought?

Does it know what harm it has done?

Does it realize what crime it committed?

Does it know what it has perpetrated?

ألا تلفت مهجة

ألا تلفت مهجة

حمت مهجاً من تلف

حمت مهجاً من تلف

Did not a precious soul perish—

Alas, a heart has perished

one that shielded souls from perishing?

That protected hearts from ruin.

ألا جل فيها الأسى

ألا جل فيها الأسى

الا عم فيها الاسف

الا عم فيها الاسف

How immense is the grief for her!

Alas, grief for her grew immense;

How widespread is the sorrow for her!

Alas, sorrow for her spread everywhere.

بكى الناس جواداً مضى

بكى الناس جواداً مضى

وكان يحاكي السرف

وكان يحاكي السرف

The people wept for a generous soul departed,

The people wept for a generous soul now gone,

whose generosity rivaled prodigality.

Whose giving rivalled extravagance.

تكتمه جهدها

تكتمه جهدها

ويعرفه من عرف

ويعرفه من عرف

She concealed it with all her might,

She concealed it as best she could,

yet whoever knew her recognized it.

Yet those who knew recognized it.

به كلفت دهرها

به كلفت دهرها

فزاد ونعم الكلف

فزاد ونعم الكلف

To it she devoted all her life,

She cherished it throughout her life,

and it only grew—blessed indeed was such devotion.

So it grew—how fine that devotion!

وما حل لطف

وما حل لطف

الإله ذا القلب الألطف

الإله ذا القلب الألطف

Never did the grace

And no kindness dwelt—

of God alight on a gentler heart.

God's—in this most tender heart.

فكم لبكي رثى

فكم لبكي رثى

وكم لأسي عطف

وكم لأسي عطف

How many a weeper she pitied,

For how often it pitied one who wept,

and how many a mourner she treated with compassion.

And how often it comforted one in sorrow!

لقد شرفت بالسلف

لقد شرفت بالسلف

وقد شرفت بالخلف

وقد شرفت بالخلف

You were ennobled by your forebears,

Indeed, she was honoured through her forebears,

and ennobled by your descendants.

And honoured through her descendants.

وما ترفت نعمة

وما ترفت نعمة

وإن نشأت في الترف

وإن نشأت في الترف

Ni‘ma never grew pampered,

Yet she was not spoiled by prosperity,

though she grew up amid luxury.

Though she was raised in luxury.

أفيض عليها الثنا

أفيض عليها الثنا

ففاض إلى أن وكف

ففاض إلى أن وكف

Praise was lavished upon her,

Praise was poured upon her,

overflowing until it poured down like rain.

So it overflowed until it streamed down.

ولو أنها كفكفت

ولو أنها كفكفت

ثناء الورى ما استكف

ثناء الورى ما استكف

Even had she tried to stem

And had she tried to stem

the praise of humankind, it would not have ceased.

The people's praise, it would not cease.

تخالف في غيرها

تخالف في غيرها

ولكن عليها أئتلف

ولكن عليها أئتلف

People differed concerning others,

It differed concerning others,

but concerning her, they agreed.

But concerning her it was unanimous.

فصار لها كالحلى

فصار لها كالحلى

وبات لها كالتحف

وبات لها كالتحف

Thus praise became like jewelry for her,

So it became like jewels for her,

and remained for her like precious treasures.

And became like treasures for her.

وما الوصف مدحاً إذا

وما الوصف مدحاً إذا

جرى الصدق فيما وصف

جرى الصدق فيما وصف

Description is no mere praise when

And description is not praise when

truth runs through what is described.

Truth flows through what is described.

أيا درة المجد قد

أيا درة المجد قد

رجعت لجوف الصدف

رجعت لجوف الصدف

O pearl of glory, you have

O pearl of glory, you have

returned into the depths of the shell.

Returned to the hollow of the shell.

فلهفاً لفقدك لو

فلهفاً لفقدك لو

يفيد عليك اللهف

يفيد عليك اللهف

Alas for losing you—if only

Alas for losing you—if only

anguished grief for you could avail!

Grief for you could be of use!