Sol 6.1

  1. إلى اللَه أشكو مُصاب الورى

    فَزَند النوائب فيهم وَرى

    To God I lament the calamity of humankind.

    For the fire-stick of calamities has sparked among them.

  2. وقد حلَّ خطبٌ جسيمٌ عظيمٌ

    يزعزع رَضوى ويوهي حِرا

    A grave, immense calamity has befallen them,

    Shaking Radwa and weakening Hira.

  3. فيا دهرُ قد نِلتَ ما ترتجي

    ظفرتَ لَعَمري بكنز الورى

    O Time, you have attained what you hoped for;

    By my life, you have seized humankind's treasure.

  4. فعهدي وقد كنتَ من حشدِه

    فَمِمَّ العقوقُ وماذا جرى

    For I remember you once among his host—

    So why this disloyalty, and what has happened?

  5. وكيف لك الويل جَحدَرته

    وقد كان يَبهَرُ من جَحدَرا

    And how—woe to you—did you bring him low,

    When he used to overpower whoever brought others low?

  6. وقد كان بالأمس ذا قوّةٍ

    تقاوم ثهلان بل تعكرا

    Only yesterday he possessed such strength,

    Rivaling Thahlan—indeed, Ta'kar.

  7. ومن أين يا ذا عليه دخلت

    وقد حرسته ليوث الشرى

    And from where, you there, did you come upon him,

    Though the lions of al-Shara had guarded him?

  8. ومن أين أبصرته نائماً

    وبالمشرفيات قد سُتّرا

    And where did you see him sleeping,

    Though he had been shielded by Mashrafi swords?

  9. ومن أين قوّة هدّ الطباق

    دخلتَ عليه ولن تُذعَرا

    And whence had you strength to shatter the layered heavens,

    To come upon him and never be terrified?

  10. فشُلَّت يمينك من غادر

    بأكرم مولىً ومَن أُمِّرا

    May your right hand be paralyzed, treacherous one,

    To the noblest patron and ruler ever appointed!

  11. وهلاّ سواه فداءً أخذت

    من الصِّيد ألفاً ولن تفجرا

    Why did you not take someone else as ransom,

    A thousand noble chiefs, without committing wrong?

  12. فمَن للأرامل من بعده

    ومَن للضيوف ومَن للقِرى

    Who, then, will care for the widows after him?

    And who for the guests, and who for hospitality?

  13. ومن للوُفود وبذل النقود

    ومَن للغنّي إذا أعسرا

    And who for delegations and the giving of coins,

    And who for the wealthy man when he falls on hard times?

  14. ومَن للسيوف ورغم الأنوف

    ومَن يورد الأمر إن أصدرا

    And who for swords and the humbling of proud noses,

    And who will bring a matter in if he has sent it forth?

  15. ومَن لصروف تُحِلَّ العناءَ

    ومَن لمخوف يحلّ العُرا

    And who for reversals that bring suffering,

    And who for a terror that loosens every bond?

  16. ومَن لانتظام أمور العراق

    ورفع الشقاق ونفع الورى

    And who to set Iraq's affairs in order,

    To end discord and benefit humankind?

  17. ومَن ذا يقيم لسدّ الثغور

    وحفظ البلاد وحصن القرى

    And who will rise to fortify the frontiers,

    To guard the lands and fortify the villages?

  18. ومَن يبسط العدل بين الأنام

    ومَن يقبض الجور والمُنكرا

    And who will spread justice among the people,

    And who will restrain oppression and wrongdoing?

  19. فهيهات أن يُحتذى حذوه

    وقد فاق هارون بل قيصرا

    It is far beyond reach to follow his example,

    For he surpassed Harun—indeed, Caesar.

  20. كريم الشمائل زاكي النجار

    جميل الخصائل سامي الذُرى

    Noble in character, pure in lineage,

    Beautiful in virtues, with lofty summits.

  21. هو البَحر يجري على الوافدين

    من التبر فوق الثرى أشهُرا

    He is the sea, flowing upon those who come,

    With raw gold above the earth for months.

  22. فيا قبره كيف واريتَه

    متى ساغ للبَحر أن يُستَرا

    O grave of his, how did you conceal him?

    When was it fitting for the sea to be concealed?

  23. وكيف كسَفتَ دراريَّه

    وغَيَّبتَ من شكلهِ النَّيّرا

    And how did you eclipse his brilliant stars,

    And hide the radiant one among his kind?

  24. ومركزه كان فوق السحاب

    يجاري النجوم على ما ترى

    And his station was above the clouds,

    Keeping pace with the stars, as you see.

  25. فلو دفنوه إلى قَدرهِ

    لحَقَّ لدى النجم أن يقبرا

    Had they buried him according to his worth,

    He would rightly be buried beside the stars.

  26. نَقيٌّ غدا غسله سُنَّةً

    محبَّبَةً لا لأن يَطهُرَا

    Pure was he; washing him became a rite,

    A cherished one, not to make him pure.

  27. وإلاّ فمن دَمَّثَ الغاديات

    بشيءٍ ومن نَجَّسَ الأبحرا

    Otherwise, who has softened the morning rainclouds

    With anything, and who has defiled the seas?

  28. عليه تشَحَّبَ وجهُ العُلى

    وعين المراتب لن تُبصِرا

    For him, the face of glory has grown pale,

    And the eye of high station will never see.

  29. فَحَقٌّ علينا نشقُّ القلوب

    مكان الجيوب وأن نضجرا

    So it is our duty to rend our hearts,

    Instead of our collars, and give way to grief.

  30. فقد قبح الصبر والإتّساء

    ومن ذا يطيق لأن يصبرا

    For patience and consolation have become ugly,

    And who can bear to remain patient?

  31. ويا عين أن غاض بحر الدموع

    فسحّي عليه دماً أحمرا

    O eye, if the sea of tears has run dry,

    Then pour red blood over him.

  32. ويا مهجة القلب ذوبي أسىً

    ويا قلب قد آن أن تُفطَرا

    O lifeblood of the heart, melt with sorrow,

    O heart, the time has come for you to break.

  33. ويا ظلمة الليل لا تبرحي

    فقد غُيّبَ الفجر تحت الثرى

    O darkness of night, do not depart,

    For dawn has been hidden beneath the earth.

  34. فمن ذا يخّبِرُ عني جريراً

    ويُنبي الفرزدق والشنفرى

    Who will tell Jarir on my behalf,

    And inform al-Farazdaq and al-Shanfara,

  35. بأنَّ القريض وهي سوقه

    فليس يُباع ولا يشترى

    That the market for verse has collapsed,

    So it is neither sold nor bought,

  36. وأن المديح غدا كاسداً

    فلن يُنظَمَ اليوم أو يُنثَرا

    And that praise-poetry has become unsalable,

    And will not be composed today in verse or prose,

  37. وأن البيان عَفَت داره

    وبابَ البلاغة قد سُكِّرا

    And that eloquence's dwelling has fallen into ruin,

    And rhetoric's gate has been sealed.

  38. فقد مات من كان يولي النظام

    ويهوى المديحَ ولن يضجرا

    For the man who used to reward poets has died,

    Who loved praise and would never grow weary.

  39. وغُيَبَ من كان يولي البليغ

    مكان مدائحه الجوهرا

    And he is hidden away who used to give the eloquent poet,

    Jewels in exchange for his praises.

  40. فقُوما للنعاه في طيئ

    وعَبسٍ ونبكيه في حِميرا

    So rise, you two, to join the death-heralds in Tayyi',

    And 'Abs; let us weep for him in Himyar:

  41. بأنَّ الكريم أخا حاتمٍ

    وعنترة الحرب والأجسَرا

    That the generous one, the brother of Hatim,

    The 'Antarah of war, the most intrepid,

  42. وتاج الملوك أبا عادلٍ

    دعته المنون فلن يُدبرا

    The crown of kings, Abu 'Adil,

    Was called by Death, and would not turn away.

  43. ونادَته طوبى إلى وصلها

    فلبّى النِّدا وإليها سرى

    And Tuba called him to union with her,

    He answered the call and journeyed to her by night.

  44. وعانَقَ في الخلد حُورَ الجنان

    وبالمكرمات لقد بُشّرا

    And in eternity embraced the houris of the heavenly gardens,

    And was surely given glad tidings of honors.

  45. ونال من اللَه إحسانه

    وخير الجزاء وحُسنَ القِرى

    And received from God His beneficence,

    The finest reward and gracious hospitality.

  46. فما صار حقاً إلى حضرة

    ولا حل فيها ولا أقبرا

    He did not, in truth, pass into a court,

    Nor dwell there, nor was he buried there;

  47. ولكنه منذ تاريخه

    إلى رحمة اللَه قد صُيِّرا

    But from the date of his passing,

    He has been conveyed into the mercy of God.