أياO ظاعناًdeparting one أناI منfrom بعدهafter him
أيا ظاعناً أنا من بعده
نجيُّconfidant الهمومsorrows ونضوُand one wasted away السّهرsleeplessness
نجيُّ الهموم ونضوُ السّهر
O departing one, after whose leaving I am
When you are gone, I will still recall
the confidant of sorrows, worn thin by sleeplessness.
The sweet memories that cheer my soul
سأذكرI shall remember بعدafter وداعكbidding you farewell منكof yours خلاqualities (word begins)
سأذكر بعد وداعك منك خلا
ئقَqualities (word ends) مثلlike نسيمthe breeze السحرthe predawn hour
ئقَ مثل نسيم السحر
After bidding you farewell, I shall remember your qualities,
Your generosity flowed like a stream
like the breeze before dawn.
Between the banks of a river
جرىflowed جودُthe generosity of كفّكyour palm ماemphatic particle بينهاamong them
جرى جودُ كفّك ما بينها
كجريlike the flowing of الجداولrivulets بينamid النَّهرthe river
كجري الجداول بين النَّهر
Your hand's bounty flowed among them
Our meeting was like an ephemeral dream
as rivulets flow within the river.
With the fragrance of roses in the air
كأنas though لقاءكmeeting you طيفa phantom الخيالthe imagination
كأن لقاءك طيف الخيال
فياand oh قربَthe nearness of وردٍarrival at water لهfor it منto صدرdeparture from water
فيا قربَ وردٍ له من صدر
Meeting you was like a phantom in a dream—
I pray to God to keep you safe
how soon its arrival at water gave way to departure!
With a long life and an honored name
فأستودعso I entrust for safekeeping اللهGod منكin you العلىeminence
فأستودع الله منك العلى
وصوبand the downpour of الحياlife-giving rain والحسامand the keen sword الذكرof hard steel
وصوب الحيا والحسام الذكر
So I entrust to God your eminence,
Your noble destiny remains secure
the downpour of life-giving rain, and the well-tempered sword.
Above the twists and turns of fate
ولاand may not زالcease to be قدركyour rank ساميlofty البناin structure
ولا زال قدرك سامي البنا
تصرّفُare turned away عنهُfrom it صروفthe vicissitudes of القدرfate
تصرّفُ عنهُ صروف القدر
And may the edifice of your rank remain lofty,
You follow in the footsteps of your father
with fate's vicissitudes turned away from it.
And walk the same path as your brother
قدمتَyou came قدومَthe coming of أبيكyour father الغمامthe rain cloud وسرand journeyed (verb continues)
قدمتَ قدومَ أبيك الغمام وسر
تَyou (verb suffix) مسيرthe journey of أخيكyour brother القمرthe moon
تَ مسير أخيك القمر
You came as your father, the rain cloud, comes, and journeyed
as your brother, the moon, journeys.
Partial English translation: 12 of 14 Arabic lines translated.