ذَوىwithered رَيحانَتيmy basil الأَرَجُfragrant
ذَوى رَيحانَتي الأَرَجُ
وَضاقَand grew narrow مَحَلّيَmy dwelling الفَرَجُspacious
وَضاقَ مَحَلّيَ الفَرَجُ
My fragrant basil has withered,
My basil's aroma has faded
The fragrance of my sweet basil has withered, and the space for relief has narrowed around me.
And my spacious dwelling has grown narrow.
And my joy's abode narrowed
Fate has stricken me through my son, and the source of my joy has died.
دَهانيstruck me الدَهرُtime فيin وَلَديmy son
دَهاني الدَهرُ في وَلَدي
فَماتَand died البَهِجthe radiant one
فَماتَ البَهِج
Time struck me through my son,
Time afflicted me through my son
Just as a brave warrior stumbles when the dust of battle rises and brings him down.
And the radiant one died,
So my delight died
He was the lamp of a people who, atop their saddles, are themselves guiding lights.
كَماas يَكبوstumbles الكَميّthe armored warrior إِذاwhen
كَما يَكبو الكَميّ إِذا
أَثارَhe stirred up فَكَبَّهُand it felled him الرَهَجُthe battle-dust
أَثارَ فَكَبَّهُ الرَهَجُ
As an armored warrior stumbles when
Like a brave man buckles when
Death extinguished him, and a morning that was just beginning to dawn has passed away.
He stirs up dust, and the battle-dust fells him.
Misfortune shakes and bends him
He was of the stars of glory from the tribe of Qays, and the lofty, shining lords of Nizar.
وكانَand he was سِراجَa lamp قَومa people هُمُthey
وكانَ سِراجَ قَوم هُمُ
فُوَيقَjust above سُروجِهِمtheir saddles سُرُجُlamps
فُوَيقَ سُروجِهِم سُرُجُ
He was the lamp of a people who are
He was a lamp for a people whose
They wept for him with me, sprinkling the soil with tears—nay, burning with grief.
Lamps just above their saddles.
Lamps were extinguished, put out
And my eyes, whenever they shed tears, stir up burning sorrows that rage within.
فَأَطفَأَهُso it extinguished him الرَدىdeath وَمَضىand departed
فَأَطفَأَهُ الرَدى وَمَضى
صَباحٌa dawn كانَwas يَنبَلِجُbreaking
صَباحٌ كانَ يَنبَلِجُ
Death extinguished him, and away passed
So morning that was shining
They refuse to cease their persistent weeping; indeed, their tears are a surging sea.
A dawn that had been breaking.
Was extinguished by fate and passed
They asked, "How long will you persist in weeping, refusing to enter the door of patience?"
نُجومُstars المَجدِglory مِنfrom قَيسٍQays
نُجومُ المَجدِ مِن قَيسٍ
وَشُمُّand the lofty men نِزارٍNizar البُلُجُthe bright-faced
وَشُمُّ نِزارٍ البُلُجُ
The stars of glory from Qays,
The stars of glory were Qais
I replied, "The reliever of my sorrows has perished, and now weeping is my only relief."
And Nizar's proud, bright-faced men,
And the scent of Nizar's idols
A heart that once expanded with joy at his words is now, after his loss, constricted.
بَكَوهُthey wept for him مَعيwith me فَقَدfor indeed نَضَحواthey sprinkled الثthe (start of 'the earth')
بَكَوهُ مَعي فَقَد نَضَحوا الث
ثَرىearth بِالدَمعِwith tears بَلrather نَضَجواthey cooked it
ثَرى بِالدَمعِ بَل نَضَجوا
Wept for him with me; they sprinkled the
They wept with me when they outpoured
The face of patience may be a companion to the bereaved, but to me, it appears hideous.
Earth with tears—nay, they cooked it.
The earth with tears, rather they gushed
He is a slaughtered soul from whom blood spilled, though no jugular vein was severed.
وَعَينيand my eye كُلَّماwhenever ذَرَفَتshed tears
وَعَيني كُلَّما ذَرَفَت
تَهيجُstirs up لَواعِجاًburning pangs تَهِجُblaze
تَهيجُ لَواعِجاً تَهِجُ
And whenever my eye sheds tears,
And my eyes whenever they streamed
I watched as his blood and the blood of my eyes mingled together.
It stirs burning pangs that blaze.
Would stir raging passions and burn
They did not drip drop by drop, but poured forth in a united, pairing stream.
أَبَتit refused إِلّاexcept لجاجاًpersistence فيin الthe
أَبَت إِلّا لجاجاً في ال
بُكاweeping فَدُموعُهاso its tears لَجَجُdeep seas
بُكا فَدُموعُها لَجَجُ
It refuses all but persistence in
Refusing but obstinately weeping
Were it not for his death, a sea of blood would have flowed between us.
Weeping; its tears are deep seas.
So their tears were turbulent
I speak while my soul lies in tatters: "Would that souls could be offered as his ransom!"
وقالواand they said كَمhow long تَلِجُّyou persist بُكاًweeping
وقالوا كَم تَلِجُّ بُكاً
وَبابَand the gate الصَبرِpatience لاnot تَلِجُyou enter
وَبابَ الصَبرِ لا تَلِجُ
They said: "How long will you persist in weeping,
And they said how long will you grieve
"Be gentle with him, O sickness! Must crookedness follow such perfect form?"
And not enter the gate of patience?"
And not knock on patience's door?
"You have executed what you were commanded to do; you bear no blame in the face of Decree."
فقُلتُso I said مُفَرِّجthe reliever of الكُرُباthe sorrows (word begins)
فقُلتُ مُفَرِّج الكُرُبا
تِend of 'sorrows' أَودىperished وَالبُكاand weeping فَرَجُrelief
تِ أَودى وَالبُكا فَرَجُ
I said: "The one who relieved my sorrows
I said He Who relieves sorrows
Where now, within you, is his luminous brow and his playful, charming glance?
Has perished, and weeping is relief.
Is loss, and weeping brings relief
And where is the smile, adorned by God's order and the beauty of his teeth?
وَصَدرٌand a breast كانَwas يَشرَحُهُhe gladdened it
وَصَدرٌ كانَ يَشرَحُهُ
حَديثاًrecently بَعدَهُafter him حَرِجُanguished
حَديثاً بَعدَهُ حَرِجُ
And a heart that he used to gladden
My breast which had been eased
Where is the sharpness of his speech? Where are his intellect and his reasoning?
Until recently is anguished now he is gone.
By his talk, after him was pained
He surpassed the wisdom of a man of forty, though his own decades had not yet passed.
فَوَجهُso the face الصَبرِpatience لِلثَكلىfor the bereaved mother
فَوَجهُ الصَبرِ لِلثَكلى
سَميرٌan evening companion وَهَوَand it ليto me سَمجُrepellent
سَميرٌ وَهَوَ لي سَمجُ
The face of patience, to a bereaved mother,
So to the bereaved, patience's face
He was—in all his generosity—complete perfection, while the rest of mankind remains incomplete.
Is an evening companion; to me it is repellent."
Is bitter, and to me it's harsh
His peers sleep through the morning, while he would set out early for his studies.
ذَبيحٌa slaughtered one طَلَّwent unavenged مِنهُfrom him دَمٌblood
ذَبيحٌ طَلَّ مِنهُ دَمٌ
وَلَمand not يُقطَعُwas cut لَهُfor him وَدجُa jugular vein
وَلَم يُقطَعُ لَهُ وَدجُ
A slaughtered one, whose blood went unavenged,
A slaughtered one whose blood poured
He would rejoice when I opened doors of knowledge for him, and grieve when they were closed.
Though no jugular vein of his was cut.
Without a sacrificial animal cut for him
He would memorize all when his tablet was filled, even when the script was dense and crowded.
رَأَيتُI saw دِماءَهُhis blood وَدِماand blood (word begins)
رَأَيتُ دِماءَهُ وَدِما
ءَend of 'blood' عَينيmy eye كَيفَhow تَمتَزِجُthey mingle
ءَ عَيني كَيفَ تَمتَزِجُ
I saw his blood and the blood
I saw his blood and my eyes' blood
Every fair maiden wept blood for him until the dark beauty of her eyes was washed away.
Of my eye—how they mingled.
How they blended and merged
The roots of all mankind extend towards the root of the earth.
وَلَمand not تَقطُرdripped فُرادىseparately بَلrather
وَلَم تَقطُر فُرادى بَل
هُريقَتwere poured out وَهيَand it تَزدَوِجُmingles in pairs
هُريقَت وَهيَ تَزدَوِجُ
They did not drip separately, but
And did not drip separately but
The children of this world, in their lack of concern, are like mindless drifting gnats.
Were poured out mingling together.
Poured while doubling and pairing
Is this world anything but an abode of suffering? No sooner do they enter than they depart.
فَلَولاso, but for مَوتَهُhis death لَجَرَتwould have flowed
فَلَولا مَوتَهُ لَجَرَت
مِنَof الدَمِblood بَينَناbetween us لجَجُdeep seas
مِنَ الدَمِ بَينَنا لجَجُ
But for his death, there would have flowed
If not for his death, from the blood
Observe how the earth devours them, though they are the very children she bore.
Between us deep seas of blood.
Tumult would have flowed between us
We have fallen in love with this world, yet if she revealed her true form, her deformity would be plain.
أَقولُI say وَمُهجَتيand my heart قِطَعٌpieces
أَقولُ وَمُهجَتي قِطَعٌ
وَلَيتَand would that فِداءَهُa ransom for him المُهجُhearts
وَلَيتَ فِداءَهُ المُهجُ
I say, with my heart torn to pieces—
I say though my innermost being is severed
She feigns affection for us, all the while dragging us down toward calamity.
Would that hearts had been his ransom—
Would that for his sake my inner self was sacrificed
We stand at the very end of days, amidst confusion and utter chaos.
تَرَفَّقَbe gentle ياO سقامُsickness بِهِwith him
تَرَفَّقَ يا سقامُ بِهِ
أَبَعدَafter ...? المُستَوىstraightness عِوَجُcrookedness
أَبَعدَ المُستَوى عِوَجُ
Be gentle with him, O sickness!
Be gentle, oh terminator, with him
My son has escaped, while the world destroys me through attachment—truly, such attachment is madness.
Must crookedness follow straightness?
Is the ordained decree without fault?
O Abd al-Ghani, I am devoted to your memory, my tongue constantly speaking your name.
صَدَعتَyou carried out بِماwith what أُمِرتَyou were commanded وَماand no
صَدَعتَ بِما أُمِرتَ وَما
عَلَيكَupon you مَعَwith القَضاfate حَرَجُblame
عَلَيكَ مَعَ القَضا حَرَجُ
You carried out what you were commanded, and no
So where is his luminous forehead in you
The time is near when I shall see you, for the eye of my heart is already trembling.
Blame falls on you in the face of fate.
And where is his languorous eyelid?
May God gather us together in the Gardens of Tuba, where we shall rejoice forevermore.
فَأَينَso where جَبينُهُhis brow الوَضاthe radiant (word begins)
فَأَينَ جَبينُهُ الوَضا
حُend of 'radiant' فيكَin you وَطَرفُهُand his gaze الغَنجُwinsome
حُ فيكَ وَطَرفُهُ الغَنجُ
Where, then, is his radiant brow
And where is the mouth adorned
In you, and his winsome gaze?
By God's creation and the crevice?
وَأَينَand where الثَغرُthe mouth زَيَّنَهُadorned it
وَأَينَ الثَغرُ زَيَّنَهُ
نِظامُordered arrangement اللَهِGod وَالفَلَجُand the gap between teeth
نِظامُ اللَهِ وَالفَلَجُ
And where is the mouth adorned by
And where is the thick of his saying
God's arrangement and the gap between its teeth?
And where are his arguments and proofs?
وَأَينَand where غِرارُthe sharp edge مِقوَلِهِhis tongue
وَأَينَ غِرارُ مِقوَلِهِ
وَأَينَand where حِجاهُhis intellect وَالحُجَجُand the arguments
وَأَينَ حِجاهُ وَالحُجَجُ
And where is the sharp edge of his tongue,
The son of forty years - his decades
And where his intellect and arguments?
Of arguments did not cease
شَأىhe outstripped اِبنa man of الأَربَعينَforty years وَماand not اِنstart of 'reached'
شَأى اِبن الأَربَعينَ وَما اِن
تَهَتend of 'reached' عَشراتهُhis decades الحِجَجُthe years
تَهَت عَشراتهُ الحِجَجُ
He outstripped a man of forty, though
So he was total generosity
His years had not yet numbered in tens.
While mankind are stingy
فَكانَso he was وَكُلُّهُand all of him كَرَمٌgenerosity
فَكانَ وَكُلُّهُ كَرَمٌ
ثماماًthumam grass (likely intended: fully formed) وَالوَرىand mankind خُدُجُpremature births
ثماماً وَالوَرى خُدُجُ
He was—all of him generosity—
His students would sleep at dawn
Fully formed, while mankind were premature births.
As he dictated to the writers
يَنامُsleep مُحاضِروهُhis companions ضُحىًin the forenoon
يَنامُ مُحاضِروهُ ضُحىً
وَلِلكُتّابِand to school يَدَّلِجُhe sets out before dawn
وَلِلكُتّابِ يَدَّلِجُ
His companions slept through the forenoon,
He would be glad when I opened for him
While he set out for school before dawn.
And be sad when I bolted the door
يُسَرُّhe rejoices إِذاwhen فَتَحتُI explain لَهُto him
يُسَرُّ إِذا فَتَحتُ لَهُ
وَيَحزَنُand he grieves حينَwhen أُرتَتَجُI am tongue-tied
وَيَحزَنُ حينَ أُرتَتَجُ
He rejoiced when I made things clear to him,
And he would memorize when his board was filled
And grieved when I was tongue-tied.
While the writing coalesced
وَيحفَظand he memorizes حينَwhen يُملَأُis filled لَوstart of 'tablet'
وَيحفَظ حينَ يُملَأُ لَو
حُهُend of 'his tablet' وَالخَطُّand the writing مُندَمِجُtightly packed
حُهُ وَالخَطُّ مُندَمِجُ
And he memorized whenever his tablet was filled,
Every singer wept blood for him
With the writing tightly packed.
Until the inkpads were smeared
بكَتهُshe wept for him كُلُّevery غانِيَةٍlovely woman
بكَتهُ كُلُّ غانِيَةٍ
دَماًblood حَتّىuntil اِمَّحىwas erased الدَعَجُdarkness of the eyes
دَماً حَتّى اِمَّحى الدَعَجُ
Every lovely woman wept for him,
The veins of all mankind
Blood, until her eyes' dark luster was erased.
stretch to the earth's vein
عُروقُveins الناسِthe people كُلِّهِمُall of them
عُروقُ الناسِ كُلِّهِمُ
إِلىto عِرقِthe vein الثَرىthe earth تَشجُintertwine
إِلى عِرقِ الثَرى تَشجُ
The veins of all mankind
The people of this world are as though
Intertwine with the vein of the earth.
For lack of care they are indifferent
بَنوchildren الدُنياthe world كَأَنَّهُمُas though they
بَنو الدُنيا كَأَنَّهُمُ
لِقِلَّةِfor the scantness of هَمِّهِمtheir concern هَمَجُgnats
لِقِلَّةِ هَمِّهِم هَمَجُ
The children of this world seem
And is it anything but the house of woe
Like gnats, so little do they care.
When they enter it, they exit
وَهَلand is ...? هِيit غَيرُother than دارِan abode of أَذىًharm
وَهَل هِي غَيرُ دارِ أَذىً
إِذاwhen دَخَلواthey entered بِهاinto it خَرَجواthey left
إِذا دَخَلوا بِها خَرَجوا
And is it anything but a house of harm,
Contemplate how it eats them
Where, when they enter, they leave?
While they are offspring it birthed
تَأَمَّلconsider كَيفَhow تَأكُلُهُمit devours them
تَأَمَّل كَيفَ تَأكُلُهُم
وَهُمand they وُلدٌchildren لَهاto it نَتَجواwere born
وَهُم وُلدٌ لَها نَتَجوا
Consider how it devours them,
We loved it even had it been
Though they are children born to it.
Crooked in its creation
عَشِقناهاwe loved it وَلَوand if مَثَلَتit took form
عَشِقناها وَلَو مَثَلَت
بَداwould appear فيin خَلقِهاits form عَرَجُa limp
بَدا في خَلقِها عَرَجُ
We loved it; yet, were it to take shape,
It shows us affection while toward us
A limp would appear in its form.
Sliding into detriments
تُريناit shows us الوُدَّaffection وَهيَand it بِناwith us
تُرينا الوُدَّ وَهيَ بِنا
إِلىtoward الآفاتِcalamities تَندَرِجُmoves gradually
إِلى الآفاتِ تَندَرِجُ
It shows us affection, while bearing us
And we are at its ends
Gradually toward calamities.
So this is havoc and that devastation
وَنَحنُand we عَلىat أَواخِرِهاits final days
وَنَحنُ عَلى أَواخِرِها
فَذاso this is هَرَجٌtumult وَذاand that is مَرَجُdisorder
فَذا هَرَجٌ وَذا مَرَجُ
And we are in its final days:
My son escaped while it destroys me
Here is tumult, and there confusion.
Passionately, for passion ravages
نَجاescaped اِبنيmy son وَهيَand it توبِقُنيruins me
نَجا اِبني وَهيَ توبِقُني
هَوىًthrough passion إِنَّindeed الهَوىpassion هَوَجُmadness
هَوىً إِنَّ الهَوى هَوَجُ
My son escaped, while it destroys me
O Abdel Ghani, I am passionate
Through passion—passion is madness.
In remembering you and fervent
أَياO عَبدَAbd (servant of) الغنيّal-Ghani (the Self-Sufficient) أَناI
أَيا عَبدَ الغنيّ أَنا
بِذِكرِكَwith remembering you مولعٌobsessed لَهِجُever speaking of you
بِذِكرِكَ مولعٌ لَهِجُ
O Abd al-Ghani, I am
And soon I will see you tomorrow
Consumed by your memory, forever speaking of you.
So the heart's eye stirs and flickers
وَيوشِكُand it is imminent أَنthat أَراكَI see you غَداًtomorrow
وَيوشِكُ أَن أَراكَ غَداً
فَعَينُso the eye القَلبِthe heart تَختَلِجُquivers
فَعَينُ القَلبِ تَختَلِجُ
And I may well see you tomorrow,
Perhaps God will gather us
For my heart's eye quivers.
In blessing where we will delight
لَعَلَّperhaps اللَهَGod يَجمَعُناwill unite us
لَعَلَّ اللَهَ يَجمَعُنا
بِطوبىin Tuba (bliss) حَيثُwhere نَبتَهِجُwe rejoice
بِطوبى حَيثُ نَبتَهِجُ
May God bring us together
In Tuba, where we shall rejoice.
Partial English translation: 78 of 80 Arabic lines translated.
Partial English translation: 40 of 80 Arabic lines translated.