دَهرٌtime حَوادِثُهُits happenings شَتّىvarious الأَحاديثِtales
دَهرٌ حَوادِثُهُ شَتّى الأَحاديثِ
فَاِسمَعso listen بِماto whatever شِئتَyou wish عَنabout نوحٍNoah وَعَنand about شيثِSeth
فَاِسمَع بِما شِئتَ عَن نوحٍ وَعَن شيثِ
Time—its happenings are tales of every kind;
Time brings events of diverse stories; listen to what you will of Noah and of Seth.
So hear whatever you wish of Noah and Seth.
And ask of the firstborn son of dust how he fell, till the strength within him turned to unraveling.
وَسَلand ask عَنabout اِبنِthe son التُرابِof dust البكرِthe firstborn كَيفَhow هوىhe fell
وَسَل عَن اِبنِ التُرابِ البكرِ كَيفَ هوى
فَأَصبَحَتso became قُوَّةٌstrength فيهِwithin him لِتَنكيثِdestined for undoing
فَأَصبَحَت قُوَّةٌ فيهِ لِتَنكيثِ
And ask how the firstborn son of dust fell,
Our worldly abode deceives us with its adornments, while we are hastened along in death's pursuit.
So that the strength within him came undone.
It is but a confused tangle of dreams, muddled by thoughts of illusion in utter disarray.
تَغُرُّناbeguiles us دارُناour dwelling الدُنياworldly بِزُخرُفِهاwith its finery
تَغُرُّنا دارُنا الدُنيا بِزُخرُفِها
وَنَحنُwhile we فيin طَلَبٍpursuit لِلمَوتِby death مَحثوثُdriven hard
وَنَحنُ في طَلَبٍ لِلمَوتِ مَحثوثُ
Our worldly dwelling beguiles us with its finery,
How weary are men when living, and how restful when dead, were it that decayed bones were not to be raised again
While we are relentlessly pursued by death.
For the terror of a perilous Day that cannot be turned back, wherein you see them like scattered moths.
وَإِنَّماand only هِيَit أَضغاثٌtangled dreams تُضَغِّثُهاjumble them together
وَإِنَّما هِيَ أَضغاثٌ تُضَغِّثُها
خَواطِرُpassing thoughts الوَهمِof illusion فيهاwithin it أَيَّutter تَضغيثِjumbling
خَواطِرُ الوَهمِ فيها أَيَّ تَضغيثِ
And it is only tangled dreams, jumbled together
And a cup of bereavement I drank to the dregs, departing from it sickened and ground to dust.
By the stirrings of illusion within it, utterly jumbled.
They said, "Recover, lest it harm you," but I replied, "The bite of fleas does not pain one who is intoxicated."
ماhow أَتعَبَweary الناسَpeople أَحياءًalive وَأَروَحَهُمand how rested they are
ما أَتعَبَ الناسَ أَحياءً وَأَروَحَهُم
مَوتىdead لَوَif only اِنَّthat رَميماًdecayed bones غَيرَnot مَبعوثِraised again
مَوتى لَوَ اِنَّ رَميماً غَيرَ مَبعوثِ
How weary people are alive, and how at ease
I have enough from Fate to distract me from them; the viper pays no heed to the fluttering of bats.
In death—if only decayed bones were not raised again
The pure successor has passed away, and I remain living—as enemies would desire—a life of anguish and distress,
لِهَولِfor the terror of يَومٍa day عَصيبٍdire لاno مَرَدَّaverting لَهُof it
لِهَولِ يَومٍ عَصيبٍ لا مَرَدَّ لَهُ
تَراهُمُyou see them كَفَراشٍlike moths فيهِon it مَبثوثِscattered
تَراهُمُ كَفَراشٍ فيهِ مَبثوثِ
To face the terror of a dire day that cannot be averted,
Until I loathe a drink unmixed with my tears, and food that is not mingled with sorrow.
When you see them scattered like moths.
I once dwelt in a garden whose borders were fringed with crops, palms, grapes, and mulberries,
وَكَأسand a cup ثكلٍof bereavement عَلىdespite رِيٍّsatiety شَرِبتُI drank بِهاfrom it
وَكَأس ثكلٍ عَلى رِيٍّ شَرِبتُ بِها
فَرُحتُso I went away مِنهاfrom it بِتَمريصٍwith wringing torment وَتَمريثِand crushing torment
فَرُحتُ مِنها بِتَمريصٍ وَتَمريثِ
And from a cup of bereavement I drank, though already sated,
But on the day he perished, it became desolate, barren of every planted thing and tilled field.
So I came away from it wrung out and crushed.
Why do I see Fahr with its towering peaks brought low, and its land, once lush with flora, turned barren?
قالواthey said أَفِقcome to your senses لِعلاًagainst a pest يُؤذيكَthat harms you قُلتُI said لَهُمto them
قالوا أَفِق لِعلاً يُؤذيكَ قُلتُ لَهُم
لاnot يُؤلِمُhurts المُنتَشيthe intoxicated عَضّthe biting البَراغيثِof fleas
لا يُؤلِمُ المُنتَشي عَضّ البَراغيثِ
They said, 'Rouse yourself against a pest that harms you.' I told them:
O cloud of tears, pour generously upon these effaced ruins; they called to you from thirst, so bring them rain.
'Flea bites do not hurt the intoxicated.'
Make them fertile, and say to the anguish of bereavement in the heart of nobility—while it is yet receptive—"Wreak your havoc."
عِنديI have مِنَfrom الدَهرِtime ماthat which عَنهُمfrom them شغلتُI am distracted بِهِby it
عِندي مِنَ الدَهرِ ما عَنهُم شغلتُ بِهِ
وَالصِلُّand the asp لَيسَdoes not يُباليcare بَالخَفافيثِabout harmless snakes
وَالصِلُّ لَيسَ يُبالي بَالخَفافيثِ
What time has brought me keeps my thoughts from them;
Woe is me, woe is me! I find no cure in crying it twice, nor relief even if I cry it thrice.
And an asp pays no heed to harmless snakes.
I wept, seeking water with my flowing tears, yet I but kindled the fire in my heart to a fiercer blaze.
تَوُفّيdied الخَلَفُthe son الزاكيthe virtuous وَعِشتُand I lived كَماas
تَوُفّي الخَلَفُ الزاكي وَعِشتُ كَما
تَرضىwould please العِداthe enemies عَيشَthe life of مَكروبٍone anguished وَمَكروثِand weighed down
تَرضى العِدا عَيشَ مَكروبٍ وَمَكروثِ
My virtuous son died, and I lived as
Time has destroyed the one they called its crowning glory, the full moon of the heavens, whose right hand was rain to the parched earth.
My enemies would wish: the life of one anguished and crushed.
It took Abd al-Ghani, my son, yet left me to tarry; how cruel its injury through my son, and my lingering behind!
حَتّىuntil أَعافَI loathe شَراباًa drink لَستُI do not أَمزجُهُmix it
حَتّى أَعافَ شَراباً لَستُ أَمزجُهُ
بِعبرَتيwith my tears وَطَعاماًand food غَيرُnot مَغلوثِmixed
بِعبرَتي وَطَعاماً غَيرُ مَغلوثِ
Until I loathe a drink I have not mingled
I long to meet him, yet long to remain to mourn him; so, O Death, hasten if you will, or delay.
With my tears, or food left unmingled.
The lances grieve—nay, the very heights of glory grieve—for a scion they had established with such firm foundation.
وَكُنتُand I was فيin جَنَّةٍa garden حفَّتwere fringed جَوانِبُهاits borders
وَكُنتُ في جَنَّةٍ حفَّت جَوانِبُها
بالزرعِwith crops وَالنَخلِand palms وَالأَعنابِand grapevines وَالتوثِand mulberries
بالزرعِ وَالنَخلِ وَالأَعنابِ وَالتوثِ
And I once dwelt in a garden whose borders were fringed
But flowing Fate uprooted him to strike them with grief, tearing away a pure essence from above the stars.
With crops and palms, grapevines and mulberries.
If I swore by God that Time has left no equal to him among men, his nobility would ensure I do not speak falsely.
فَأَصبَحَتso it became يَومَon the day أَودىhe died وَهيَwhile it was خاوِيَةٌdesolate
فَأَصبَحَت يَومَ أَودى وَهيَ خاوِيَةٌ
جَرداءُbare مِنof كُلِّevery مَغروسٍplanted thing وَمَحروثِand tilled plot
جَرداءُ مِن كُلِّ مَغروسٍ وَمَحروثِ
But on the day he died it stood desolate,
High nobility is pleased with him, and ancestral honor too, when the gains of glory are recounted alongside inheritances.
Bare of every planted thing and every tilled plot.
For Glory has held its funeral for him this day, amidst wide-eyed beauties and lions prowling for prey.
ماwhat ليis with me أَرىI see فَهرَFihr قَدalready أَودَتhave perished شَواهِقُهاits lofty heights
ما لي أَرى فَهرَ قَد أَودَت شَواهِقُها
وَأَجدَبَتand became barren أَرضهاits land ذاتbearing الجَثاجيثِaromatic desert shrubs
وَأَجدَبَت أَرضها ذات الجَثاجيثِ
Why do I see Fihr's lofty heights laid low,
Voices echoed one another in weeping, blending together until I could not distinguish the masculine from the feminine.
And its land of jathjath shrubs turned barren?
I would ransom all women, save for a mother of his who rebelled, trading a stallion like me for effeminate men.
ياO ديمَةَsteady rain of الدَمعِtears جوديpour generously upon أَربُعاًabodes دُرُساًeffaced
يا ديمَةَ الدَمعِ جودي أَربُعاً دُرُساً
نادَتكِthey called to you مِنfrom ظَمأthirst خَمسof five days بِهاupon them غيثيrain down
نادَتكِ مِن ظَمأ خَمس بِها غيثي
O steady rain of tears, drench the ruined abodes;
I seek God's forgiveness for the bond of she who broke faith, exchanging me for another, though my own bond remains unbroken.
They called to you from five days' thirst—rain upon them!
Abd al-Ghani, dwell in the shades of Paradise, and be joined with a company of maidens untouched by man.
فَأَمرعيهاso make them verdant وَقوليand say وَهيَand it is صالِحَةfitting
فَأَمرعيها وَقولي وَهيَ صالِحَة
لِلَوعَةِto the burning anguish of الثُكلِbereavement فيin قَلبِthe heart of العَلاglory عيثيwreak havoc
لِلَوعَةِ الثُكلِ في قَلبِ العَلا عيثي
Then make them verdant and say, as is fitting,
And reach out to your father, interceding for him, repaying the rights of a righteous upbringing and deep attachment.
To bereavement's burning anguish: 'Ravage glory's heart!'
Perhaps we shall meet in a pristine garden, winning therein eternity and an everlasting abode.
وَيلاهُwoe is me! وَيلاهُwoe is me! لاnot أشفىI find relief بِتَثنيةby saying it twice
وَيلاهُ وَيلاهُ لا أشفى بِتَثنية
حَتّىuntil أزيدَI add more وَلاnor أشفىdo I find relief بِتَثليثِby saying it thrice
حَتّى أزيدَ وَلا أشفى بِتَثليثِ
Woe is me, woe is me! Saying it twice brings no relief,
Until I add more; nor does saying it thrice bring relief.
بَكَيتُI wept مُستَسقِياًseeking rain بِالدَمعِwith tears حينَwhen جِرىthey flowed
بَكَيتُ مُستَسقِياً بِالدَمعِ حينَ جِرى
فَلَمbut did not أزدI increase نارthe fire of قَلبيmy heart غَيرanything but تَأريثِkindling
فَلَم أزد نار قَلبي غَير تَأريثِ
I wept, seeking rain with my tears as they flowed,
But only stoked the fire within my heart.
أَودىcarried off الزَمانُtime بِمَنthe one whom يَدعونَthey call غرّتهُhis radiant brow
أَودى الزَمانُ بِمَن يَدعونَ غرّتهُ
بَدرَthe full moon of السَماءِthe sky وَيُمناهُand his right hand حَياthe rain of الميثِsoft plains
بَدرَ السَماءِ وَيُمناهُ حَيا الميثِ
Time took the one whose radiant brow they called
Heaven's full moon, and whose right hand was rain for the soft plains.
أَودىcarried off بِعَبدِAbd الغَنيal-Ghani اِبنيmy son وَلَبَّثَنيand left me lingering
أَودى بِعَبدِ الغَني اِبني وَلَبَّثَني
وَكَيفَand how إيذاؤُهُits wounding بِاِبنيthrough my son وَتَلبيثيand leaving me lingering
وَكَيفَ إيذاؤُهُ بِاِبني وَتَلبيثي
It took my son Abd al-Ghani and left me lingering;
How grievous its wounding me through my son and leaving me behind!
أُحِبُّI desire لُقياهُmeeting him وَالبُقياand survival لأَندُبَهُso I may lament him
أُحِبُّ لُقياهُ وَالبُقيا لأَندُبَهُ
فَياso, O شعوبُDeath اِعجِليhasten إِنif شِئتِyou wish أَوor رِيثيtarry
فَيا شعوبُ اِعجِلي إِن شِئتِ أَو رِيثي
I long to meet him, and to live on to lament him;
So, Death, hasten if you wish, or tarry.
عَزَّconsole العَواليthe lofty spears بَلrather عَزَّconsole المَعاليthe lofty virtues فيover
عَزَّ العَوالي بَل عَزَّ المَعالي في
فَرعٍa branch لَهاof hers أَثَّثتهُshe made it luxuriant أَيَّutmost تَأثيثِluxuriance
فَرعٍ لَها أَثَّثتهُ أَيَّ تَأثيثِ
Console the lofty spears—nay, the lofty virtues—over
A branch of theirs, which they had made luxuriant beyond measure.
فَجَثّهُthen uprooted it القَدَرُfate الجاريin its course لِيَفجَعَهاto bereave her
فَجَثّهُ القَدَرُ الجاري لِيَفجَعَها
بِطيبof a fragrant one مِنfrom فَوَيقِjust above النَجمِthe stars مَجثوثِuprooted
بِطيب مِن فَوَيقِ النَجمِ مَجثوثِ
But fate in its course uprooted it, to bereave them
Of a fragrant shoot uprooted from just above the stars.
إِنif قُلتُI say وَاللَهِby God ماnot أَبقىhas left الزَمانُtime لَهُfor him
إِن قُلتُ وَاللَهِ ما أَبقى الزَمانُ لَهُ
فيamong القَومِhis people شِبهاًan equal أَبَتrefused عَلياهُhis high rank تَحنيثيto prove my oath false
في القَومِ شِبهاً أَبَت عَلياهُ تَحنيثي
If I say, 'By God, time has left him
No equal among his people,' his high worth keeps my oath true.
تَرضىis pleased العلاglory عَنهُwith him وَالأَحسابُand noble lineages إِنwhen ذكرتare recounted
تَرضى العلا عَنهُ وَالأَحسابُ إِن ذكرت
مَكاسِبthe gains of المَجدِglory مِنfrom بَعدِafter المَواريثِinherited honors
مَكاسِب المَجدِ مِن بَعدِ المَواريثِ
Glory and noble ancestry approve him, whenever mention is made
Of glories earned beyond those inherited.
فَقَدfor indeed أَقامَتshe has held عَلَيهِfor him اليَومَtoday مَأتَمَهاher mourning assembly
فَقَد أَقامَت عَلَيهِ اليَومَ مَأتَمَها
بَينَamong المَهاthe oryxes العينِwide-eyed وَالأسدِand the lions الدَلاهيثِmighty
بَينَ المَها العينِ وَالأسدِ الدَلاهيثِ
For today it has held its mourning assembly for him,
Amid wide-eyed oryxes and mighty lions.
تَجاوَبَتanswered one another بِالبُكاwith weeping الأَصواتُthe voices وَاِشتَبَهَتand grew alike
تَجاوَبَت بِالبُكا الأَصواتُ وَاِشتَبَهَت
فَلَمso did not أَمِزI distinguish بَينَbetween تَذكيرٍmale وَتَأنيثِand female
فَلَم أَمِز بَينَ تَذكيرٍ وَتَأنيثِ
Their voices answered one another in weeping and grew so alike
That I could not distinguish male from female.
أَفديI would give my life for النِساءَwomen سِوىexcept أَمّa mother لَهُof his نَشَزَتwho rebelled
أَفدي النِساءَ سِوى أَمّ لَهُ نَشَزَت
وَباعَتand traded الفَحلَthe stallion مِنّيin me بِالمَخانيثِfor effeminate men
وَباعَت الفَحلَ مِنّي بِالمَخانيثِ
I would give my life for women, save his mother, who rebelled
And traded the stallion in me for effeminate men.
أَستَغفرI ask forgiveness of اللَهَGod مِنfor عَهدِthe bond with الَّتيher who نَكَثتbroke faith
أَستَغفر اللَهَ مِن عَهدِ الَّتي نَكَثت
فَاِستَبدَلَتthen chose a replacement بيfor me وَماand not عَهديmy pledge بِمَنكوثِbroken
فَاِستَبدَلَت بي وَما عَهدي بِمَنكوثِ
I ask God's forgiveness for my bond with her who broke faith,
Then took another in my place, though my pledge remained unbroken.
عَبدAbd الغِنيّal-Ghani اِسكنِdwell in الفردَوسَParadise فيin ظَلَلٍshades
عَبد الغِنيّ اِسكنِ الفردَوسَ في ظَلَلٍ
وَاِطمثand deflower مِنَfrom among الحورِthe houris سرباًa flock غَيرnot مَطموثِpreviously deflowered
وَاِطمث مِنَ الحورِ سرباً غَير مَطموثِ
Abd al-Ghani, dwell in Paradise beneath its shades,
And deflower a flock of untouched houris.
وَصِلand show kindness to أَباكَyour father شَفيعاًas an intercessor فيهِon his behalf وَاِقضِand repay لَهُto him
وَصِل أَباكَ شَفيعاً فيهِ وَاِقضِ لَهُ
حُقوقَthe dues of تَربِيَةٍupbringing بَرَّتthat was loving وَتَشبيثِand close attachment
حُقوقَ تَربِيَةٍ بَرَّت وَتَشبيثِ
And show your father kindness by interceding for him, and repay him
The dues of loving nurture and steadfast attachment.
لَعَلَّناperhaps we نَلتَقيshall meet فيin رَوضَةٍa garden أُنُفٍfresh and untouched
لَعَلَّنا نَلتَقي في رَوضَةٍ أُنُفٍ
نَفوزُwe gain فيهاtherein بِتَخليدٍeternal life وَتَمكيثِand lasting residence
نَفوزُ فيها بِتَخليدٍ وَتَمكيثِ
May we meet in a fresh, untouched garden,
To win eternal life there and an abiding stay.
Partial English translation: 32 of 64 Arabic lines translated.