شقّtore الكمالُperfection عليهfor him جيبَthe neckline of سوادِهits black robe
شقّ الكمالُ عليه جيبَ سوادِه
وأفاضَand flooded طرْفَthe eye of المجدِglory ماءُthe water of فؤادِهِits heart
وأفاضَ طرْفَ المجدِ ماءُ فؤادِهِ
Perfection tore the neckline of its black robe in mourning for him.
Perfection split open his robe of darkness,
And the water of its heart flooded glory's eye.
And the water of glory overflowed from his heart.
وتيقّنَتْand knew for certain رُتبَthe ranks of المفاخرِhonor أنهاthat they
وتيقّنَتْ رُتبَ المفاخرِ أنها
خفضتwere lowered وقدwhile already رفعوهthey lifted him فيupon أعوادِهhis bier's timbers
خفضت وقد رفعوه في أعوادِه
And the ranks of honor knew for certain that they
The ranks of glories were certain that they
had been lowered, even as they lifted him upon his bier's timbers.
Bowed down though they had raised him on their poles.
وانهلّand streamed دمعُthe tears of الغيثِrain بعدafter مُصابِهhis loss
وانهلّ دمعُ الغيثِ بعد مُصابِه
أسفاًin grief عليهfor him وكانand it was منamong حُسّادِهhis enviers
أسفاً عليه وكان من حُسّادِه
And the rain's tears poured after his loss,
The rain clouds' tears poured down after his affliction,
grieving for him, though it had been among his enviers.
Grieving for him though he was among their enviers.
واعتاضتِand exchanged الأطيارُthe birds منin place of تعريدِهاtheir trilling
واعتاضتِ الأطيارُ من تعريدِها
نوحاًlamentation يُبينrevealing الحزنَgrief فيin تَردادِهits refrain
نوحاً يُبين الحزنَ في تَردادِه
And the birds exchanged their trilling
The birds crowded together in their chirping,
for lamentation revealing grief in its refrain.
Mournfully making evident the grief in their echoes.
ويدُand the hand of الدجىdarkness منذsince استقلّrose aloft سريرَهhis bier
ويدُ الدجى منذ استقلّ سريرَه
نفضَتْshook out علىover الإصباحِthe dawn صِبغَthe dye of حِدادِهits mourning
نفضَتْ على الإصباحِ صِبغَ حِدادِه
And darkness's hand, since his bier rose aloft,
Since the night's hand took control of his throne,
shook the dye of its mourning over the dawn.
It shook off on the dawn the dye of mourning.
خلعَcast off الشبابَyouth وماwhile not انقضتْhad ended أيامُهits days
خلعَ الشبابَ وما انقضتْ أيامُه
وأبىand refused لباسَthe garb of الغصنthe branch منamong أبرادِهhis robes
وأبى لباسَ الغصن من أبرادِه
He cast off youth before its days were done,
He put off youth though his days were not yet done,
and refused the branch's garb among his robes.
And the raiment of branches refused their freshness.
وأظنّهُand I think he هزّshook السماحَgenerosity بعطفِهwith his tenderness
وأظنّهُ هزّ السماحَ بعطفِه
كرَماًgenerously فقسّمَهُthen he divided it علىamong عُوّادِهhis visitors
كرَماً فقسّمَهُ على عُوّادِه
And I think he shook generosity with his tenderness,
I think he shook generosity with his kindness,
generously, then shared it among his visitors.
Nobly dividing it among the needy.
بدرٌa full moon تغشّاهُveiled him الكُسوفُeclipse وطالماand how often
بدرٌ تغشّاهُ الكُسوفُ وطالما
ضاءَتْshone سيادتُهhis lordship بأفْقِon the horizon of سوادِهhis darkness
ضاءَتْ سيادتُه بأفْقِ سوادِه
A full moon veiled by eclipse—how often
A full moon eclipsed though long his authority
his lordship shone on the horizon of his darkness!
Shone in the horizon with its darkness.
ومهنّدٌand an Indian-forged sword ماnot كُنتُI was أحسَبُthinking قبلهاbefore it
ومهنّدٌ ما كُنتُ أحسَبُ قبلها
أنّthat التُرابَearth يكونُcould be منamong أغمادِهits sheaths
أنّ التُرابَ يكونُ من أغمادِه
And an Indian-forged sword: never before this had I thought
And a flashing sword - I had not thought before
that earth could be among its sheaths.
That dust could come to be among its sheaths.
صالَتْcharged عليهagainst him يدُthe hand of الزمانِtime ولمand did not يزَلْcease
صالَتْ عليه يدُ الزمانِ ولم يزَلْ
بنَوالِهthrough his bounty يحنوcares tenderly علىfor أولادِهits children
بنَوالِه يحنو على أولادِه
Time's hand assailed him, though he had never ceased
Time saluted him and did not cease to fold
to care tenderly for its children through his bounty.
His swords' straps, grieving for his children.
وتحكمتْand ruled فيهover him المنونُdeath وطالماand how often
وتحكمتْ فيه المنونُ وطالما
حكمتْit judged ببيضِwith the gleaming ظُباهُhis sword-edges فيupon أضدادِهhis foes
حكمتْ ببيضِ ظُباهُ في أضدادِه
And death ruled over him, though so often
Death judged him and often it had judged
it had judged his foes with his gleaming sword-edges.
In his brilliant youth over his peers.
بالأمسyesterday كنتI was أقولُsaying أُنشدُI recite مدحَهhis praise
بالأمس كنت أقولُ أُنشدُ مدحَه
وأرجّعand I trill النَغَماتِthe melodies فيin إنشادِهreciting it
وأرجّع النَغَماتِ في إنشادِه
Yesterday I would speak, reciting his praise,
Yesterday I would say I recite his praise
and trill the melodies in its recital.
And move the tunes about in chanting him.
فبأيthen with what لفظٍword أستطيعُcan I رثاءَهُelegize him
فبأي لفظٍ أستطيعُ رثاءَهُ
إنif لمnot أمُتْI have died فخرِسْتُthen I fell mute عنfrom إيرادِهuttering it
إن لم أمُتْ فخرِسْتُ عن إيرادِه
With what words, then, can I elegize him?
With what word can I lament him
If I have not died, I have fallen mute, unable to voice it.
If I do not die, I am muted from repeating it.
أماas for الزمانُtime فقدthen indeed تعطّلَwas stripped of adornment جيدُهits neck
أما الزمانُ فقد تعطّلَ جيدُه
قُلْsay منof فرائدِهits rare jewels ومنand of إفرادِهits peerless ones
قُلْ من فرائدِه ومن إفرادِه
As for Time, its neck has been stripped of adornment—
As for time, its necklace has been severed
say, of its rare jewels and its peerless ones.
- Say, which of its pearls and which of its solitary gems?
كمhow many صارمٍa sharp sword ملقًىlaid بعاتقِon the shoulder of صارمٍa resolute warrior
كم صارمٍ ملقًى بعاتقِ صارمٍ
بصُعودِهby his ascent أوor دافعٌa defender بصِعادِهwith his spears
بصُعودِه أو دافعٌ بصِعادِه
How many a sharp sword lies on a resolute warrior's shoulder,
How many swords thrown to the shoulder of swords -
by his ascent, or a defender with his spears.
I fear for him, solace him, and solace his solace.
كمhow many صارمa sharp sword ملقىlaid بعاتقon the shoulder of صارمٍa resolute warrior
كم صارم ملقى بعاتق صارمٍ
أنخشىshould we fear? عليهfor him ونجدهand his valor ونجادهand his sword-belt
أنخشى عليه ونجده ونجاده
How many a sharp sword lies on a resolute warrior's shoulder,
Alas, no obstacle can turn back death
should we fear for him, with his valor and his sword-belt?
In its rising or ward it off in its attacking.
هيهاتَfar from possible أنthat يَثْنيturn back المنيّةَdeath مانعٌa protector
هيهاتَ أن يَثْني المنيّةَ مانعٌ
بصعودهby his ascent أوor دافعa defender بصعادهwith his spears
بصعوده أو دافع بصعاده
Impossible for a protector to turn death back
It tightened the slacking of fate from its bond,
by his ascent, or a defender with his spears.
And turned the slackening of the tribe from its wont.
شدّتْshe charged فخلِّthen leave الدهرَtime عنwithout شُدّادِهits Shaddād
شدّتْ فخلِّ الدهرَ عن شُدّادِه
وعدَتْand she assailed فخلِّthen leave قبيلةًa tribe عنwithout عادِهits ʿĀd
وعدَتْ فخلِّ قبيلةً عن عادِه
She charged: leave Time without its Shaddād;
A journey which all people are tested by,
and she assailed: leave a tribe without its ʿĀd.
And he succeeds in it who has piety as provision.
سفرٌa journey جميعُall الناسِpeople ممتحَنٌtested بهby it
سفرٌ جميعُ الناسِ ممتحَنٌ به
ويفوزُand triumphs فيهin it منwhoever التُقىpiety منamong زادهhis provisions
ويفوزُ فيه من التُقى من زاده
A journey by which all people are put to the test,
Strange is one deluded with an abode of frivolity,
and whoever has piety among his provisions triumphs in it.
From what conveys him to an abode of guidance.
عجباًhow strange! لمغرورٍat one deluded بدارِby an abode of سفاهةٍfolly
عجباً لمغرورٍ بدارِ سفاهةٍ
عماaway from what يبلّغُهbrings him لدارِto the abode of رشادِهhis right guidance
عما يبلّغُه لدارِ رشادِه
How strange that one is beguiled by a house of folly,
Does he see survival when he has seen what was
diverted from what would bring him to the abode of his right guidance!
Of his departed fathers or forefathers?
أيرىdoes he expect? البقاءَlasting life وقدthough already رأىhe has seen ماwhat كانbecame منْof
أيرى البقاءَ وقد رأى ما كان منْ
آبائهhis fathers الماضينَthe departed أوor أجدادِهhis grandfathers
آبائه الماضينَ أو أجدادِه
Does he expect to endure, though he has seen what became of
This is Abu Abdillah immortalized -
his departed fathers or his grandfathers?
If a master is immortalized, it is by his rectitude.
هذاthis أبوAbū (father of) عبدʿAbd (servant of) الإلهِal-Ilāh (God) مخلَّدٌimmortalized
هذا أبو عبد الإلهِ مخلَّدٌ
إنْif كانwas خُلِّدَimmortalized سيّدٌa lord لسَدادِهfor his rectitude
إنْ كان خُلِّدَ سيّدٌ لسَدادِه
This Abū ʿAbd al-Ilāh is immortalized,
A man may die before his death,
if ever a lord was immortalized for his rectitude.
And a man may return before his return.
ولقدand indeed يموتُmay die المرءُa man قبلbefore مماتِهhis death
ولقد يموتُ المرءُ قبل مماتِه
ولقدand indeed يعودُmay return المرءُa man قبلbefore مَعادِهhis final return
ولقد يعودُ المرءُ قبل مَعادِه
And indeed, a man may die before his death,
Gone is he we would say to the guest,
and indeed, a man may return before his final return.
"A spirit the people's souls from their bodies."
ذهبَis gone الذيthe one who كناwe used to نقولُsay لضيفِهto his guest
ذهبَ الذي كنا نقولُ لضيفِه
روحٌa spirit نفوسُthe souls of الخلقِhumankind منamong أجسادِهits bodies
روحٌ نفوسُ الخلقِ من أجسادِه
Gone is the man to whose guest we used to say:
How excellent is the beautiful mention, for it
A spirit whose bodies include the souls of humankind.
Is a spirit the people's souls from their bodies.
ماhow أحسنَbeautiful الذكرَremembrance الجميلَkindly فإنهfor it is
ما أحسنَ الذكرَ الجميلَ فإنه
روحٌa spirit نفوسُthe souls of الخلقِhumankind منamong أجسادِهits bodies
روحٌ نفوسُ الخلقِ من أجسادِه
How beautiful is kindly remembrance, for it is
Gone is he we would say when one related
a spirit whose bodies include the souls of humankind.
News of the virtuous, "Confirm its authority."
ذهبis gone الذيthe one who كنّاwe used to نقولُsay لمنْto whoever رَوىrecounted
ذهب الذي كنّا نقولُ لمنْ رَوى
خبرَnews of الأفاضلِthe eminent نُصَّcite explicitly عنfrom إسنادِهhis chain of transmission
خبرَ الأفاضلِ نُصَّ عن إسنادِه
Gone is the one—we would say to anyone recounting
After him, for questions in questions, who has
news of the eminent: "Quote from his chain of transmission."
Familiarity and knowledge of the degree of intention?
منwho للمُسائلِfor the questioner فيin المسائلthe questions بعدَهafter him
من للمُسائلِ في المسائل بعدَه
عُرْفاًkindness ومعرفةًand knowledge بقدْرِto the measure of مُرادِهhis desire
عُرْفاً ومعرفةً بقدْرِ مُرادِه
Who will serve the questioner in his questions after him,
Were it not for hope in hope, the radiance
with kindness and knowledge in the measure he desires?
Of its pillar and its support would not have risen up high for law.
لولاwere it not for رجاءٌhope فيin رجاءٍRajāʾ ماnot اعتلىrose high
لولا رجاءٌ في رجاءٍ ما اعتلى
للشّرْعِfor the sacred Law ضوءُthe light of عَمودِa pillar وعِمادِهand its support
للشّرْعِ ضوءُ عَمودِ وعِمادِه
But for hope in Rajāʾ, there would not have risen
The mother of glory carried him noble,
for the Law, the light of a pillar and its support.
The line of leadership innate in him from his birth.
حملَتْwas pregnant بهwith him أمُّthe mother of السيادةِlordship ماجداًnoble
حملَتْ به أمُّ السيادةِ ماجداً
رسمةُthe mark of الرئاسةِleadership فيهِin him منfrom ميلادِهhis birth
رسمةُ الرئاسةِ فيهِ من ميلادِه
The mother of lordship bore him noble,
The eloquent, his age forgot its sorrows,
the mark of leadership was in him from his birth.
Diversion and resolution determined his return.
ومهذّبِand one refined in الألفاظِwords يُنسيmakes forget دهرَهُhis age
ومهذّبِ الألفاظِ يُنسي دهرَهُ
سحبانَSaḥbān وائلِهits Wāʾil وقَسَّand Quss إيادِهits Iyād
سحبانَ وائلِه وقَسَّ إيادِه
And one of polished speech, who makes his age forget
He lied who casts time as the dregs of virtues
the Saḥbān of its Wāʾil and the Quss of its Iyād.
While it is of its glories and its beauties.
كذبَlied الذيhe who يرميaccuses الزمانَthe age بأنّهof its being
كذبَ الذي يرمي الزمانَ بأنّه
نزْرُscant in الفضائلِvirtues وهوand he منamong أمجادِهits illustrious men
نزْرُ الفضائلِ وهو من أمجادِه
He lied who accuses the age of being
O you who teach us solace through your knowledge,
scant in virtues, while he is among its illustrious men.
Take solace and restrain your echoes.
ياO منyou who يعلّمناteaches us العزاءَconsolation بعلمِهthrough his knowledge
يا من يعلّمنا العزاءَ بعلمِه
خُذْtake بالعزاءِto consolation وأَعفِand excuse منfrom تَرْدادِهrepeating it
خُذْ بالعزاءِ وأَعفِ من تَرْدادِه
O you who teach us consolation through your learning,
And know that Mohammad was not worn away by death
embrace consolation, and excuse us from repeating it.
While you spread wide his praise.
واعْلَمْand know بأنthat محمّداًMuḥammad لمnot يطْوِهfold him away
واعْلَمْ بأن محمّداً لم يطْوِه
موتٌdeath وأنتand you نشرْتَyou have spread منsome of إحمادِهpraise of him
موتٌ وأنت نشرْتَ من إحمادِه
And know that Muḥammad has not been folded away
May God pray on the one who resembled him,
by death, while you have spread some of his praises.
For he is of his elite and of his worshipers.
صلّىmay bless الإلهGod علىupon صَداهُhis remains فإنّهfor he is
صلّى الإله على صَداهُ فإنّه
منamong سِرِّthe choicest of صفوتِهHis elect ومنْand among عُبّادِهHis worshippers
من سِرِّ صفوتِه ومنْ عُبّادِه
May God bless his remains, for he is
And may a cloud water his burial place with a shower
among the choicest of His elect and among His worshippers.
That smiles at the covenant from the weeping of its time.
وسقىand may water ثراهُhis grave-soil منfrom الغمائمِthe clouds صيِّبٌa downpour
وسقى ثراهُ من الغمائمِ صيِّبٌ
ضحِكُlaughing المعاهِدِthe familiar haunts منfrom بُكاءِthe weeping of عِهادِهits successive rains
ضحِكُ المعاهِدِ من بُكاءِ عِهادِه
And may a downpour from the clouds water his grave's earth,
making the familiar haunts laugh through the weeping of its successive rains.
Partial English translation: 68 of 70 Arabic lines translated.