لِمَنwhose طَلَلٌa ruin أُسائِلُهُI question it
لِمَن طَلَلٌ أُسائِلُهُ
مُعَطَّلَةٌabandoned مَنازِلُهُits dwellings
مُعَطَّلَةٌ مَنازِلُهُ
Whose is this ruin I question,
For whom are these abandoned dwellings that I ask of?
its dwellings left deserted?
Once inhabited, now vacant and still
غَداةَon the morning رَأَيتُهُI saw it تَنعىmourns
غَداةَ رَأَيتُهُ تَنعى
أَعاليهُits upper parts أَسافِلُهُits lower parts
أَعاليهُ أَسافِلُهُ
The morning I saw it, mourning
When at dawn I saw it lamenting
its upper parts were its lower parts.
Both its heights and its depths
وَكُنتُand I used to أَراهُsee it مَأهولاًinhabited
وَكُنتُ أَراهُ مَأهولاً
وَلَكِنbut بادَperished آهِلُهُits inhabitants
وَلَكِن بادَ آهِلُهُ
And I used to see it inhabited,
I used to see it bustling with people
but its inhabitants have perished.
But its inhabitants have departed
وَكُلٌّand everyone لِاعتِسافِto the ruthlessness of الدَهtime (first part)
وَكُلٌّ لِاعتِسافِ الدَه
رِtime (completion) مُعرِضَةٌexposed مَقاتِلُهُhis vulnerable points
رِ مُعرِضَةٌ مَقاتِلُهُ
And everyone, before time's ruthless force,
And everything in the path of fate
has his vulnerable points exposed.
Meets adversaries and struggles
وَماand not مِنany (emphatic) مَسلَكٍpath إِلّاexcept
وَما مِن مَسلَكٍ إِلّا
وَرَيبُand the vicissitudes of الدَهرِtime شامِلُهُencompassing it
وَرَيبُ الدَهرِ شامِلُهُ
And there is no path
And there is no path
untouched by time's vicissitudes.
Untouched by the tricks of fate
فَيَصرَعُso it throws down مَنwhoever يُصارِعُهُwrestles with it
فَيَصرَعُ مَن يُصارِعُهُ
وَيَنضُلُand outshoots مَنwhoever يُناضِلُهُcontests it in archery
وَيَنضُلُ مَن يُناضِلُهُ
So it throws down whoever wrestles with it,
It defeats those who fight it
and outshoots whoever contests it in archery.
And exhausts those who resist it
يُنازِلُconfronts مَنwhoever يَهُمُّsets his sights بِهِon it
يُنازِلُ مَن يَهُمُّ بِهِ
وَأَحياناًand sometimes يُخاتِلُهُdeceives him
وَأَحياناً يُخاتِلُهُ
It confronts whoever sets his sights on it,
It opposes any who dare it
and sometimes it deceives him.
And sometimes toys with them
وَأَحياناًand sometimes يُؤَخِّرُهُdelays him
وَأَحياناً يُؤَخِّرُهُ
وَتاراتٍand at times يُعاجِلُهُstrikes him swiftly
وَتاراتٍ يُعاجِلُهُ
And sometimes it delays him,
Other times, it delays them
and at times it strikes him swiftly.
And sometimes, hastens them
كَفاكَit suffices you بِهِit (emphatic) إِذاwhen نَزَلَتdescended
كَفاكَ بِهِ إِذا نَزَلَت
عَلىupon قَومٍa people كَلاكِلُهُits heavy chests
عَلى قَومٍ كَلاكِلُهُ
It is enough for you, when there descend
It is enough when it descends
upon a people its heavy chests.
Upon a people, to destroy them
وَكَمand how many قَدindeed عَزَّgrew mighty مِنof مَلِكٍa king
وَكَم قَد عَزَّ مِن مَلِكٍ
يَحُفُّgather around بِهِhim قَنابِلُهُhis cavalry companies
يَحُفُّ بِهِ قَنابِلُهُ
And how many a king has been mighty,
How many a mighty king
with his cavalry companies gathered around him.
Surrounded by his armies
يَخافُfear الناسُthe people صَولَتَهُhis assault
يَخافُ الناسُ صَولَتَهُ
وَيُرجىand is hoped for مِنهُfrom him نائِلُهُhis bounty
وَيُرجى مِنهُ نائِلُهُ
People fear his assault,
People fear his strength
and hope for his bounty.
And hope for his bounty
وَيَثنيand turns عِطفَهُhis side مَرَحاًin pride
وَيَثني عِطفَهُ مَرَحاً
وَتُعجِبُهُand please him شَمائِلُهُhis qualities
وَتُعجِبُهُ شَمائِلُهُ
And he turns his shoulder in pride,
He preens and takes pride
and admires his own qualities.
In his character and qualities
فَلَمّاthen when أَنemphatic particle أَتاهُcame to him الحَقthe truth (first part)
فَلَمّا أَن أَتاهُ الحَق
قُtruth (completion) وَلّىdeparted عَنهُfrom him باطِلُهُhis vanity
قُ وَلّى عَنهُ باطِلُهُ
Then, when the truth came to him,
But when the truth descends on him
his vanity departed from him.
Falsehood turns from him
فَغَمَّضَthen he closed عَينَهُhis eye لِلمَوfor death (first part)
فَغَمَّضَ عَينَهُ لِلمَو
تِdeath (completion) وَاستَرخَتand grew slack مَفاصِلُهُhis joints
تِ وَاستَرخَت مَفاصِلُهُ
Then he closed his eyes in death,
He closes his eyes to death
and his joints grew slack.
And his joints grow limp
فَماso not لَبِثَlingered السِياقُthe death throes بِهِwith him
فَما لَبِثَ السِياقُ بِهِ
إِلىuntil أَنthat جاءَcame غاسِلُهُthe washer of his body
إِلى أَن جاءَ غاسِلُهُ
His death throes scarcely lingered
And fate continues to carry him
before the washer of his body came.
To one who will wash him
فَجَهَّزَهُthen he prepared him إِلىfor جَدَثٍa grave
فَجَهَّزَهُ إِلى جَدَثٍ
سَيَكثُرُwill be numerous فيهِin it خاذِلُهُthose who forsake him
سَيَكثُرُ فيهِ خاذِلُهُ
Then he readied him for a grave,
Who prepares him for a grave
where many will forsake him.
Where many will betray him
وَيُصبِحُand he becomes شاحِطَfar removed المَثوىin resting place
وَيُصبِحُ شاحِطَ المَثوى
مُفَجَّعَةًstricken with grief ثَواكِلُهُwomen bereaved of him
مُفَجَّعَةً ثَواكِلُهُ
And he lies in a distant resting place,
And he will wake to find his abode
his bereaved women stricken with grief,
Narrow, while his women weep
مُخَمَّشَةًscratched نَوادِبُهُhis mourning women
مُخَمَّشَةً نَوادِبُهُ
مُسَلَّبَةًstripped away غَلائِلُهُhis undergarments
مُسَلَّبَةً غَلائِلُهُ
his mourning women bearing scratches,
With hair disheveled and garments torn
his undergarments stripped away.
How many hopes have lingered on
وَكَمand how many قَدindeed طالَgrew long مِنof أَمَلٍa hope
وَكَم قَد طالَ مِن أَمَلٍ
فَلَمyet did not يُدرِكهُattain it آمِلُهُone who hoped for it
فَلَم يُدرِكهُ آمِلُهُ
And how many a hope has stretched far,
Never to be attained by the hopeful!
yet the one who hoped never attained it.
I have seen the truth that cannot be obscured
رَأَيتُI saw الحَقَّthe truth لاnot يَخفىis hidden
رَأَيتُ الحَقَّ لا يَخفى
وَلاand not تَخفىare hidden شَواكِلُهُits forms
وَلا تَخفى شَواكِلُهُ
I have seen that truth is not hidden,
Nor can its consequences be obscured
nor are its forms hidden.
Look to yourself, what provisions do you carry
أَلاtake heed فَانظُرthen consider لِنَفسِكَfor yourself أَيwhat (first part)
أَلا فَانظُر لِنَفسِكَ أَي
يَwhat (completion) زادٍprovisions أَنتَyou حامِلُهُcarrying them
يَ زادٍ أَنتَ حامِلُهُ
Take heed: consider for yourself what
To a solitary grave, where you will descend?
provisions you are carrying
Dug narrow and short, with planks overhead
لِمَنزِلِfor a dwelling of وَحدَةٍsolitude بَينَamong الthe
لِمَنزِلِ وَحدَةٍ بَينَ ال
مَقابِرِgraves أَنتَyou نازِلُهُlodging in it
مَقابِرِ أَنتَ نازِلُهُ
for a solitary dwelling among the
In a place of difficult, distant visitation
graves, where you will lodge:
O graves! In you are those we dwelt with
قَصيرِlow السَمكِin height قَدalready رُصَّتhave been packed tightly
قَصيرِ السَمكِ قَد رُصَّت
عَلَيكَupon you بِهِwithin it جَنادِلُهُits stones
عَلَيكَ بِهِ جَنادِلُهُ
Low-roofed; packed tightly
And those we traded and dealt with
upon you within it are its stones.
Those we accompanied and associated with
بَعيدِfar removed from تَزاوُرِmutual visits of الجيراthe neighbors (first part)
بَعيدِ تَزاوُرِ الجيرا
نِneighbors (completion) ضَيِّقَةٍnarrow مَداخِلُهُits entrances
نِ ضَيِّقَةٍ مَداخِلُهُ
Far from neighbors' visits,
And those we kept intimate company
its entrances narrow.
Those we contended and vied with
أَأَيَّتُهاO المَقابِرُgraves فيin
أَأَيَّتُها المَقابِرُ في
كِyou مَنthose whom كُنّاwe used to نُنازِلُهُconfront him
كِ مَن كُنّا نُنازِلُهُ
O graves, within
And those we overlapped with
you lie those we used to confront,
Those we drank with
وَمَنand those whom كُنّاwe used to نُتاجِرُهُtrade with him
وَمَن كُنّا نُتاجِرُهُ
وَمَنand those whom كُنّاwe used to نُعامِلُهُdeal with him
وَمَن كُنّا نُعامِلُهُ
and those we used to trade with,
And those we shared food with
and those we used to deal with,
Those we walked with
وَمَنand those whom كُنّاwe used to نُعاشِرُهُkeep company with him
وَمَن كُنّا نُعاشِرُهُ
وَمَنand those whom كُنّاwe used to نُداخِلُهُassociate closely with him
وَمَن كُنّا نُداخِلُهُ
and those we used to keep company with,
And those we dwelt with
and those we used to associate closely with,
Those we honored
وَمَنand those whom كُنّاwe used to نُفاخِرُهُvie with him in boasting
وَمَن كُنّا نُفاخِرُهُ
وَمَنand those whom كُنّاwe used to نُطاوِلُهُrival him in stature
وَمَن كُنّا نُطاوِلُهُ
and those we used to vie with in boasting,
And those we flattered
and those we used to rival in stature,
Those we rarely parted from
وَمَنand those whom كُنّاwe used to نُشارِبُهُdrink with him
وَمَن كُنّا نُشارِبُهُ
وَمَنand those whom كُنّاwe used to نُؤاكِلُهُeat with him
وَمَن كُنّا نُؤاكِلُهُ
and those we used to drink with,
And those we kept strong ties with
and those we used to eat with,
Each has settled in a place, with their ropes cut off
وَمَنand those whom كُنّاwe used to نُرافِقُهُaccompany him
وَمَن كُنّا نُرافِقُهُ
وَمَنand those whom كُنّاwe used to نُنازِلُهُconfront him
وَمَن كُنّا نُنازِلُهُ
and those we used to accompany,
Lo! Death is inevitable, and all shall meet it
and those we used to confront,
The late ones will perish, like the early ones before them
وَمَنand those whom كُنّاwe used to نُكارِمُهُvie with him in generosity
وَمَن كُنّا نُكارِمُهُ
وَمَنand those whom كُنّاwe used to نُجامِلُهُtreat him courteously
وَمَن كُنّا نُجامِلُهُ
and those we used to vie with in generosity,
By your life! The scholar and ignorant are not equal
and those we used to treat with courtesy,
So that all with deeds may know
وَمَنand those whom كُنّاwe were لَهُto him إِلفاًclose companions
وَمَن كُنّا لَهُ إِلفاً
قَليلاًseldom ماemphatic particle نُزايِلُهُpart from him
قَليلاً ما نُزايِلُهُ
and those whose close companions we were,
That God will question them
seldom parting from them,
The quickest to good words and deeds prevails.
وَمَنand those whom كُنّاwe used to بِلاwithout مَينٍdeceit
وَمَن كُنّا بِلا مَينٍ
أَحايِيناًat times نُواصِلُهُmaintain ties with him
أَحايِيناً نُواصِلُهُ
and those whom we, without deceit,
would keep in touch with at times.
فَحَلَّthen he settled مَحَلَّةًan abode مَنwhoever حَلَّsettled in
فَحَلَّ مَحَلَّةً مَن حَلَّ
هاit صُرِمَتwere severed حَبائِلُهُhis bonds
ها صُرِمَت حَبائِلُهُ
Then he settled in an abode; whoever settles in
it has his bonds severed.
أَلاtake heed إِنَّindeed المَنِيَّةَdeath مَنwatering place (first part)
أَلا إِنَّ المَنِيَّةَ مَن
هَلٌwatering place (completion) وَالخَلقُand all creation ناهِلُهُdrinks from it
هَلٌ وَالخَلقُ ناهِلُهُ
Take heed: death is a watering
place, and all creation drinks from it.
أَواخِرُthe last of مَنthose whom تَرىyou see تَفنىperish
أَواخِرُ مَن تَرى تَفنى
كَماjust as فَنِيَتhave perished أَوائِلُهُtheir first ones
كَما فَنِيَت أَوائِلُهُ
The last of those you see will perish,
just as their first have perished.
لَعَمرُكَby your life ماnot استَوىbecame equal فيin الأَمthe matter (first part)
لَعَمرُكَ ما استَوى في الأَم
رِmatter (completion) عالِمُهُone who knows it وَجاهِلُهُand one ignorant of it
رِ عالِمُهُ وَجاهِلُهُ
By your life, in a matter, not equal are
the one who knows it and the one ignorant of it.
لِيَعلَمlet him know كُلُّevery ذيdoer of عَمَلٍa deed
لِيَعلَم كُلُّ ذي عَمَلٍ
بِأَنَّthat اللَهَGod سائِلُهُwill question him
بِأَنَّ اللَهَ سائِلُهُ
Let every doer of deeds know
that God will question him.
فَأَسرَعُso the swiftest فائِزٍwinner بِالخَيof goodness (first part)
فَأَسرَعُ فائِزٍ بِالخَي
رِgoodness (completion) قائِلُهُone who speaks it وَفاعِلُهُand one who does it
رِ قائِلُهُ وَفاعِلُهُ
So the swiftest to win goodness
is he who speaks it and does it.
Partial English translation: 64 of 78 Arabic lines translated.