اسفsorrow مرّbitter وَآهاتand sighs أَمرmore bitter
اسف مرّ وَآهات أَمر
وَالتِياعand anguish مَلأfilled القَلبthe heart شَررwith sparks
وَالتِياع مَلأ القَلب شَرر
Bitter sorrow, and sighs more bitter,
Regret passed, and sighs of sorrow
And anguish that filled the heart with sparks,
And grief filled the heart with embers
وَعَصيّand unruly مائرsurging مُنهَمرpouring down
وَعَصيّ مائر مُنهَمر
يَتَدلىdescends زمراًin throngs بَعدafter زمرthrongs
يَتَدلى زمراً بَعد زمر
And an unruly torrent, surging, pouring,
And a disobedient destiny drips down
Descending in throngs after throngs.
Group after group in throngs
كَمhow many عَظيمa great man مَشَتthe world bore الدُنياthe world بِهِhim
كَم عَظيم مَشَت الدُنيا بِهِ
فيin جَلالmajesty وَمَشىand moved فيهِthrough him القَدَرfate
في جَلال وَمَشى فيهِ القَدَر
How many a great man the world has borne
How great were those whom the world carried
In majesty, while fate moved through him!
In glory, and fate walked among them
زَهَتgrew proud الغَبراءthe dusty earth مِنfrom وَطأَتِهِhis tread
زَهَت الغَبراء مِن وَطأَتِهِ
وَنَهىand forbade ماwhatever شاءَhe wished فيهاin it وَأَمَرand commanded
وَنَهى ما شاءَ فيها وَأَمَر
The dusty earth grew proud beneath his tread,
The dust glowed from their treading
And he forbade and commanded there as he pleased.
And it prohibited and commanded as it wished
فَإِذاthen when ماindeed اِنقَضَcollapsed عَنdown to آخرهhis last part
فَإِذا ما اِنقَضَ عَن آخره
قَضيwas decreed الأَمرthe verdict عَلَيهِagainst him فَاِندَثَرso he vanished
قَضي الأَمر عَلَيهِ فَاِندَثَر
Then, when he collapsed utterly,
So when it ends for the last of them
His fate was sealed, and he vanished.
The order is carried out on him, and he crumbles
اِنظُرobserve الأَيّامthe days فيin دَورَتِهاtheir cycle
اِنظُر الأَيّام في دَورَتِها
نَظرwith the gaze الثاقبof the discerning one رَأياًin judgment وَفكرand thought
نَظر الثاقب رَأياً وَفكر
Observe the days in their cycle
Look at the days in their cycle
With the gaze of one discerning in judgment and thought.
With the gaze of the piercing, thoughtful one
وَاِعرضand review الأَمسyesterday وَأَمساand a yesterday قَبلَهُbefore it
وَاِعرض الأَمس وَأَمسا قَبلَهُ
وَتَقَلبand wander بَينَamong أَحضانthe embraces العَصرof the age
وَتَقَلب بَينَ أَحضان العَصر
Review yesterday, and the yesterday before it,
And present the past and the day before it
And wander within the embraces of the age.
And move between the laps of the era
تَجدyou will find الأَيامthe days فيin كَثرَتِهاtheir multitude
تَجد الأَيام في كَثرَتِها
اخواتsisters بَعضهاsome of them شبهresembling الأَخرthe other
اخوات بَعضها شبه الأَخر
You will find the days, in their multitude,
You’ll find the days in their multitude
Sisters, each resembling the other.
Are sisters, some like the others
لَيسَthere is not إِلاexcept صُورةan image واحِدَةone
لَيسَ إِلا صُورة واحِدَة
كَررتwas repeated حَتّىuntil تَراءَتit appeared كَالصُورlike images
كَررت حَتّى تَراءَت كَالصُور
There is but a single image,
Merely a single image
Repeated until it seemed like many images.
Repeated until they appeared like portraits
هِيَit is كَفthe hand الدَهرof time وَالدَهرand time بِهاwith it
هِيَ كَف الدَهر وَالدَهر بِها
يوسعoverwhelms الغادةthe maiden أَخذاًwith seizing بِالطررby the forelocks
يوسع الغادة أَخذاً بِالطرر
It is time's hand, and with it time
It is the palm of fate, and with it
Seizes the maiden relentlessly by her forelocks.
Fate expands, seizing shreds
أَسرَعَتit hastened دُونtoward عَليمAlim فَمَضىso he departed
أَسرَعَت دُون عَليم فَمَضى
مُسرِعاًswiftly دُونbehind سَميكاتthick ones السترof the veils
مُسرِعاً دُون سَميكات الستر
It hastened toward Alim, and he departed,
It hastened without a wise one, and so passed
Swiftly, behind thick veils.
Hastening without thick veils
لَفَهُenfolded him المَوتdeath عَلىupon مدرجةa path
لَفَهُ المَوت عَلى مدرجة
وَرَماهُand cast him الدَهرtime فيinto كَفthe hand الغَيرof another
وَرَماهُ الدَهر في كَف الغَير
Death enfolded him upon a path,
Death wrapped him on the staircase
And time cast him into another's hand.
And fate cast him into the grip of others
خَفَقتfluttered أَفئدةhearts وَاِضطَرَبَتand trembled
خَفَقت أَفئدة وَاِضطَرَبَت
ياO لِهَولthe terror of اليَومthe day أَكبادthe vitals البَشَرof humankind
يا لِهَول اليَوم أَكباد البَشَر
Hearts fluttered and trembled;
Hearts throbbed and spirits shook
O the terror of this day for human vitals!
Oh, the awfulness of the day, the livers of mankind
كُلeveryone مَنwho قيلَwas told لَهُto him ماتَhe died اِنزَوىwithdrew
كُل مَن قيلَ لَهُ ماتَ اِنزَوى
يَعصرwrings القَلبthe heart بِكَفwith a hand مِنof حَجَرstone
يَعصر القَلب بِكَف مِن حَجَر
Everyone told, “He has died,” withdrew,
All who were told “he died” went into seclusion
Wringing the heart with a hand of stone.
Wringing the heart with a fist of stone
لاnot يَقومcan match الدَمعtears بِالدَمعthe tears لَهُfor him
لا يَقوم الدَمع بِالدَمع لَهُ
كَيفَماhowever اِنسابَthey flowed وَمَهماand however much يَنهَمرthey pour
كَيفَما اِنسابَ وَمَهما يَنهَمر
No tears can match the tears due him,
No tear rises for him with a tear
However they flow, however they pour.
However it flows and however it pours
أمةa nation تَفقدloses فيهِin him امةa nation
أمة تَفقد فيهِ امة
وَبِلادand a land ثَكلتwas bereaved مِنهَthrough him الأَبَرof the most dutiful
وَبِلاد ثَكلت مِنهَ الأَبَر
A nation loses a nation in him,
A nation that lost a nation through him
And a land, in him, loses its most dutiful one.
And countries were bereaved of the righteous
شاعرa poet الفُصحىof classical Arabic وَماand did not عودَهاaccustom it
شاعر الفُصحى وَما عودَها
هَذرidle chatter القَولin speech إِذاwhen عَمَprevailed الهَذرidle chatter
هَذر القَول إِذا عَمَ الهَذر
A poet of classical Arabic, who never accustomed it
The poet of eloquence and what accustomed it
To idle speech when idle chatter prevailed.
To the babble when babble spreads
يَنفثbreathes forth السحرmagic وَمِنand from مَنطَقهhis utterance
يَنفث السحر وَمِن مَنطَقه
طالَماhow often اِهتَزَتstirred مُتونridges وَغَدرand pools
طالَما اِهتَزَت مُتون وَغَدر
He breathes magic; at his utterance
He breathes magic, and from his speech
How often ridges and pools have stirred!
How often have texts and minds shook
وَصَحافيand a journalist مَشيناwe walked خَلفَهُbehind him
وَصَحافي مَشينا خَلفَهُ
وَاِقتَفَيناand we followed فيin المَواضيعthe topics الأَثَرthe footsteps
وَاِقتَفَينا في المَواضيع الأَثَر
And a journalist behind whom we walked,
We journalists walked behind him
Following his footsteps through the topics.
And traced the subjects in his footsteps
كَتمconcealment (unclear here) كَالآيlike verses فيin مَقطعهاtheir cadence
كَتم كَالآي في مَقطعها
صَعبهاtheir difficulty سَهلis easy وَمَبغاهاand their attainment عسرis hard
صَعبها سَهل وَمَبغاها عسر
Concealment [wording unclear], like verses in their cadence;
He was silent like wonders in their context
Their difficulty is easy; their attainment is hard.
Its difficulty easy, and its purpose complex
أَحكَمتwere perfected رَصفاًin arrangement وَمَعنىand meaning مِثلَماjust as
أَحكَمت رَصفاً وَمَعنى مِثلَما
أَحكمperfected البناءthe builder مَصقولpolished الجدرthe walls
أَحكم البناء مَصقول الجدر
Perfected in arrangement and meaning, just as
As precise as building, smooth as walls
A builder perfects a smooth-walled edifice.
Appearing like the rays of a constant sun
تَتَراءىappears كَشُعاعlike a ray مُدمنunceasing
تَتَراءى كَشُعاع مُدمن
قُدرةthe power اللَهof God عَلىupon سَطحthe surface الزبرof the writings
قُدرة اللَه عَلى سَطح الزبر
There appears, like a ceaseless ray,
On the surface of the Pleiades
God's power upon the face of the writings.
The death of the wise is an admonition
إِنَّماindeed مَوتthe death عَليمof Alim عظةis an admonition
إِنَّما مَوت عَليم عظة
لَيسَnot كُلevery المَوتdeath لِلناسfor people عبرis a lesson
لَيسَ كُل المَوت لِلناس عبر
Indeed, Alim's death is an admonition;
Not all death makes people take heed
Not every death brings lessons to humankind.
O you standing on the ramshackle spot
أَيُّهاO you الثاويwho rests عَلىupon بلقعةa barren expanse
أَيُّها الثاوي عَلى بلقعة
وَالمَواريand the concealed one بَينَamong هاتيكthose الحُفَرpits
وَالمَواري بَينَ هاتيك الحُفَر
O you resting upon a barren expanse,
And hiding between those pits
And hidden among those pits,
Where is the voice that death made hoarse
أَينَwhere is صَوتa voice سامهُsubjected it to المَوتdeath البَلىdecay
أَينَ صَوت سامهُ المَوت البَلى
وَيَراعand a reed pen بَينَbetween كَفيكyour two palms عَثرfaltered
وَيَراع بَينَ كَفيك عَثر
Where is the voice that death consigned to decay,
And stumbled between your hands
And the reed pen that faltered between your palms?
Death dragged him to his demise
جَرهdragged it المَوتdeath عَلىonto شقتهits side
جَره المَوت عَلى شقته
فَتَثنىthen it bent عَلىover الأُخرىthe other اِنكَسَرit broke
فَتَثنى عَلى الأُخرى اِنكَسَر
Death dragged it onto its side;
Bending him double, broken
Then it bent over the other and broke.
You were, son of the white folk, a lad
كُنتyou were ياO بنson of النَفرthe folk البيضthe fair ones فَتىa youth
كُنت يا بن النَفر البيض فَتى
جاءَbrought لِلكونinto the world بِهِhim أَيwhat a نَفَرcompany
جاءَ لِلكون بِهِ أَي نَفَر
You were, son of the fair folk, a youth
Who came to the universe with any company
Whom a company—what a company!—brought into the world.
Resolves beneath which the darkness of night flashed
عَزماتfirm resolves دُونَهاbeneath them بَرقlightning الدُجىin the darkness
عَزمات دُونَها بَرق الدُجى
وَمَضاءand decisiveness دونَهُbeneath it لَمحthe blink البَصَرof an eye
وَمَضاء دونَهُ لَمح البَصَر
Resolves that outstrip lightning in the dark,
And illumination beneath which sights gleamed
And decisiveness faster than the blink of an eye.
You have the vestiges of the sublime prophets
لَكَyours are آثارthe legacies النَبيينof the prophets الأَلىwho
لَكَ آثار النَبيين الأَلى
مَلأواfilled العالمthe world ذِكرىwith remembrance وَأَثَرand traces
مَلأوا العالم ذِكرى وَأَثَر
Yours are the legacies of the prophets who
Who filled the world with memories and traces
Filled the world with remembrance and enduring traces.
You were a precursor, but to the elevated
أَنتَyou are سباقa forerunner وَلَكنbut لِلعُلىtoward lofty heights
أَنتَ سباق وَلَكن لِلعُلى
أَنتَyou are جَبارmighty وَلَكنbut فيin الفكرthought
أَنتَ جَبار وَلَكن في الفكر
You are a forerunner, but toward lofty heights;
You were strong, but in thought
You are mighty, but in thought.
You remain, immortalized in memory
أَنتَyou are باقenduring خالدimmortal مدكرremembered
أَنتَ باق خالد مدكر
حَيثwhere لاnot تَبقىremains مَعwith المَوتdeath الذكرremembrance
حَيث لا تَبقى مَع المَوت الذكر
You endure, immortal, remembered,
Where with death, remembrance does not remain
Where remembrance does not survive death.
People raised you in their aspirations
رَفَعتهraised him الناسthe people فيin هاماتهمtheir heads
رَفَعته الناس في هاماتهم
وَاِعتَلىand ascended عَرشa throne حَياءof modesty وَخَفرand reserve
وَاِعتَلى عَرش حَياء وَخَفر
People raised him high upon their heads,
And you ascended the throne of modesty and pride
And he ascended a throne of modesty and reserve.
In vain it would be for the vile speaker, evil conduct
عَبَثاًin vain حُلولsolutions (unclear here) أَنto يَخفضهbring him low
عَبَثاً حُلول أَن يَخفضه
مُقذعone foul in القَولspeech وَوضاعand a fabricator السَيرof life stories
مُقذع القَول وَوضاع السَير
In vain are schemes to bring him low
To try lowering him
By the foul-mouthed fabricator of life stories.
Whenever a tremulous hand reached
كُلَّماwhenever مَدَhe extended يَداًa hand رَعاشةtrembling
كُلَّما مَدَ يَداً رَعاشة
نَحوَtoward ذاكَthat العَرضhonor شاكَتهاpricked it الإِبَرthe needles
نَحوَ ذاكَ العَرض شاكَتها الإِبَر
Whenever he stretched out a trembling hand
Toward that honor, its fingers shook
Toward that honor, needles pricked it.
The most deserving people of sublime eternity
إِنindeed أَحرىthe most deserving الناسpeople بِالخُلدof immortality الألىare those who
إِن أَحرى الناس بِالخُلد الألى
وَهَبواgave العلمknowledge شَباباًyouth وَكبرand old age
وَهَبوا العلم شَباباً وَكبر
Those most deserving of immortality are those who
Are those who gifted knowledge in youth and old age
Gave knowledge their youth and old age.
They were sincere in effort for it and exhausted
أَخلَصواdevoted sincerely السَعيtheir striving لَهُto it وَاِستَنزَفواand exhausted
أَخلَصوا السَعي لَهُ وَاِستَنزَفوا
كُلall ماthat فيwithin ذرعهمtheir capacity مِنof مُصطَبرendurance
كُل ما في ذرعهم مِن مُصطَبر
They devoted their striving to it and exhausted
All that was in their power of the strained
All the endurance within their capacity.
Rise, O wise one, and look how the breaths of sorrow
قُمrise عَليمAlim انظُرbehold نَفاثاتthe exhalations الأَسىof grief
قُم عَليم انظُر نَفاثات الأَسى
كَيفَhow تَشتَقthey carve out وُروداًan arrival وَصَدرand departure
كَيفَ تَشتَق وُروداً وَصَدر
Rise, Alim; behold grief's exhalations,
Yearn and miss a breast and bosom
How they carve a path, coming and going,
Ideas expand in killing whenever
تَوسعoverwhelm الأَفكارthoughts قَتلاًwith killing كُلَّماwhenever
تَوسع الأَفكار قَتلاً كُلَّما
جالَwandered بَعضsome الشَيءthing مِنهاof them وَخَطَرand came to mind
جالَ بَعض الشَيء مِنها وَخَطَر
Slaughtering thoughts whenever
One of them wanders and crosses the mind
Something of them wanders and comes to mind.
This is the moral of a sincere friend
هَذِهِthis عِبرةis a lesson خِلof a friend صادقfaithful
هَذِهِ عِبرة خِل صادق
فيin وِدادaffection وَالاخلاءwhile friends غَدرare faithless
في وِداد وَالاخلاء غَدر
This is the lesson of a friend faithful
In affection and betrayal of trust
In affection, while other friends are faithless.
My heart is pressed with anguish, so how
عَصرwrung القَلبthe heart مَلياًat length فَأَنىthen how
عَصر القَلب مَلياً فَأَنى
بِالَّتيwith that which تَعثرstumbles فيin ثَوبthe garment الحَصرof speechlessness
بِالَّتي تَعثر في ثَوب الحَصر
He wrung his heart at length—yet how could he
Can that which stumbles in the gown of captivity avail?
Bring forth what stumbles in the garb of speechlessness?
How loyal you are! You do not twist upon
كَمhow many وَفيa loyal one لَكto you لاnot يَلوىturns عَلىtoward
كَم وَفي لَك لا يَلوى عَلى
زَخرفthe glitter السَلوىof solace وَيَأبىand refuses أَنto يَسرrejoice
زَخرف السَلوى وَيَأبى أَن يَسر
How many loyal to you will not turn toward
The finery of diversion, and refuse to flow
The glitter of solace, refusing to rejoice!
You wear the night, and when the dawn breaks
يَلبسwears اللَيلthe night وَأَماand when سَطَعتshone
يَلبس اللَيل وَأَما سَطَعت
غرةthe bright brow الفَجرof dawn فَسَوداءthen black الحبرas ink
غرة الفَجر فَسَوداء الحبر
He wears the night; and when there shines
You are blacker than ink
The brow of dawn, his garb is black as ink.
Oh, my wish for you, how wonderful
ياO لِوديmy love لَكَfor you ماhow أَعجبهwondrous it is
يا لِودي لَكَ ما أَعجبه
مِنof وِدادaffection لَمdid not يَطُلlast long حَتّىbefore قَصرit shortened
مِن وِداد لَم يَطُل حَتّى قَصر
O my love for you—how wondrous it is,
Was an affection that did not last long before it was cut short
A love that did not last long before it was cut short!
What was most terrible is that
شَدgreatly ماhow كانَit was رَهيباًoverwhelming إِنَّماyet
شَد ما كانَ رَهيباً إِنَّما
طَويwas folded اليَومtoday وَبِالأَمسand yesterday نَشرwas unfolded
طَوي اليَوم وَبِالأَمس نَشر
How overwhelming it was! Yet
Today was folded, and yesterday spread
It was folded today, and yesterday unfolded.
You are in the safekeeping of the Shaper of creation
أَنتَyou are فيin ذمةthe safekeeping مَنof Him who صاغَfashioned الوَرىcreation
أَنتَ في ذمة مَن صاغَ الوَرى
وَتَعالىand is exalted عَنabove ذُهولheedlessness وَخورand weakness
وَتَعالى عَن ذُهول وَخور
You are in the safekeeping of Him who fashioned creation
Exalted above madness and conceit
And is exalted above heedlessness and weakness.
We entrusted you to the earth’s bosom
نَحنُwe أَودعناكَlaid you فيin جَوفthe belly الثَرىof the earth
نَحنُ أَودعناكَ في جَوف الثَرى
وَدفناكand we buried you عَلىupon ظَهرthe back القَمَرof the moon
وَدفناك عَلى ظَهر القَمَر
We laid you in the belly of the earth,
And buried you upon the moon’s surface
And buried you upon the back of the moon.
Farewell to the sublime, to restraint
فَوَداعاًso farewell لِلمعاليto lofty attainments لِلنُهىto intellect
فَوَداعاً لِلمعالي لِلنُهى
لِلغَواليto the precious ones مِنamong قَوافيكyour rhymes الغُررthe radiant ones
لِلغَوالي مِن قَوافيك الغُرر
So farewell to lofty attainments, to intellect,
To the pearls of your lines and couplets
To the precious ones among your radiant rhymes.
The eternal farewell in
الوداعfarewell اللانهائيّunending وَفيand in
الوداع اللانهائيّ وَفي
كنفthe shelter اللَهof God وَفيand in حفظthe safety المَقَرof the resting place
كنف اللَه وَفي حفظ المَقَر
An unending farewell—and in
The care of God and the protection of the tomb
God's shelter, and in the safety of your resting place.
Partial English translation: 95 of 96 Arabic lines translated.