مِن لِنواحة الدُجى بِأَخ يَمـ

مِن لِنواحة الدُجى بِأَخ يَمـ

ـلي عَلَيها الشجي مِن إِيحائه

ـلي عَلَيها الشجي مِن إِيحائه

Who will bring the night's lamenter a brother

From the lamentations of darkness, with a brother

to dictate to her plaintive strains from his inspiration,

Whose passion flows over it and whose purest blood and breath

يُخلص الآلهة العَميقة مِن أَنبـ

يُخلص الآلهة العَميقة مِن أَنبـ

ـل أَنفاسه وَأَزكى دِمائه

ـل أَنفاسه وَأَزكى دِمائه

drawing forth the profound gods from the noblest

Release the unfathomable gods,

of his breaths and the purest of his blood?

Tell it the tidings of hope though the smiles

قُل لَها صوح الرَجاء وَغاضَت

قُل لَها صوح الرَجاء وَغاضَت

بِسمات الوُجود بَعدَ اِنقِضائه

بِسمات الوُجود بَعدَ اِنقِضائه

Tell her: hope has withered, and

Of existence vanished after its passing,

existence's smiles have ebbed after his passing.

They taught it how tears should flow, to drain

عَلَموها كَيفَ الدُموع لِتَستَنـ

عَلَموها كَيفَ الدُموع لِتَستَنـ

ـزف ماء العُيون مِن جرائه

ـزف ماء العُيون مِن جرائه

Teach her the way of tears, that she may

The water of the eyes because of it,

drain the eyes of their water on his account.

And they filled its chest with the songbirds of death

وَاِملأوا صَدرَها أَغاريد لِلمَو

وَاِملأوا صَدرَها أَغاريد لِلمَو

ت عَلى شَدوِها يَد مِن وَرائه

ت عَلى شَدوِها يَد مِن وَرائه

And fill her breast with songs: death

Clapping over its song, beyond it a hand,

has a hand upon her singing, from behind it.

And the hand of death scatters sincere purposes -

وَيَد المَوت تَنثر القَصد الحَر

وَيَد المَوت تَنثر القَصد الحَر

ى جَراثيم في مَواضع دائه

ى جَراثيم في مَواضع دائه

And death's hand scatters its burning purpose

Germs into the places of its disease,

as germs at the sites of his disease.

So it aimed its arrow and did not miss the Shaykh

فوقت سَهمَها فَلم تُخطئ الشَيخ

فوقت سَهمَها فَلم تُخطئ الشَيخ

وَلَكن تَعجَلت في اِنتهائه

وَلَكن تَعجَلت في اِنتهائه

It aimed its arrow and did not miss the sheikh,

Though it was hasty in his ending,

but hastened to bring his end.

My eyes witnessed the death of virtue

شَهدت مصرع الفَضيلة عَينا

شَهدت مصرع الفَضيلة عَينا

ي وَمَهوى الصَريع مَن عَليائه

ي وَمَهوى الصَريع مَن عَليائه

My eyes witnessed virtue's death

And the deep fall of the lofty one from his heights,

and the fallen man's plunge from his heights.

And my onlooker saw a martyr whom blood

وَرَأى ناظِري شَهيداً يَكاد الدَ

وَرَأى ناظِري شَهيداً يَكاد الدَ

م يَجري عَلى جزين رِدائه

م يَجري عَلى جزين رِدائه

And my eye saw a martyr, the blood almost

Nearly flows over the hem of his gown,

flowing over the two parts of his robe.

And I saw the pasture and sighted

وَتَبينت ما يَريع وَأَبصَر

وَتَبينت ما يَريع وَأَبصَر

ت فَتى مُقبِلاً عَلى آبائه

ت فَتى مُقبِلاً عَلى آبائه

And I discerned what appalls, and saw

A youth coming to his fathers,

a young man approaching his forefathers.

So look around him, angels of eternity

فَاِنظُروا حَولَهُ مَلائكة الخُـ

فَاِنظُروا حَولَهُ مَلائكة الخُـ

ـلد يَطوفن في جَميل اِحتِفائه

ـلد يَطوفن في جَميل اِحتِفائه

So look around him: the angels of eternity

Circling in the beauty of his feast,

circle in beautiful celebration of him.

An angel from whose wing the roses blow

ملك مِن جَناحه يَهب الوَر

ملك مِن جَناحه يَهب الوَر

د وَيَنشو النَعيم مِن أَعضائِهِ

د وَيَنشو النَعيم مِن أَعضائِهِ

An angel bestows roses from his wing,

And bliss sprouts from his limbs,

and bliss wafts from his limbs.

And a merciful one of the cherubim

وَرَحيم مِن المَلائكة الغُر

وَرَحيم مِن المَلائكة الغُر

يَمد الظَليل مِن أَفيائه

يَمد الظَليل مِن أَفيائه

And a merciful one among the radiant angels

Who extends the shade from his sides,

extends sheltering shade from his shadows.

Adorn it, O angels, with flowers, or honor his noble bier,

كَليل بِالوَرود أَيَّتها الأَمـ

كَليل بِالوَرود أَيَّتها الأَمـ

ـلاك أَو ظللي كَريم فَنائه

ـلاك أَو ظللي كَريم فَنائه

Crown him with roses, O angels,

And do your best for the One, the Only, and preserve for me some of his story,

or shade his noble courtyard.

How I burnt in the embers of his presence, a group

وَاِحفلي ما اِستَطَعت بِالواحد الـ

وَاِحفلي ما اِستَطَعت بِالواحد الـ

ـفرد وَصوني عَلَيهِ بَعض روائه

ـفرد وَصوني عَلَيهِ بَعض روائه

And honor, as best you can, the one,

Of his mourners beside me,

the unique, and preserve some of his splendor for him.

In my agony there is clarity, and in my eyes

كَم تَحَرَقت في مَجامر إذكا

كَم تَحَرَقت في مَجامر إذكا

ها بِجَنبي طائف مِن رثائه

ها بِجَنبي طائف مِن رثائه

How often I burned in braziers kindled

From his love, from his distress and his hopes,

at my side by a passing vision of lament for him!

A tear that inflames sorrows or extinguishes

إِن في لَوعَتي بَياناً وَفي عَيني

إِن في لَوعَتي بَياناً وَفي عَيني

مِن وَجدِهِ وَمِن بَرحائِهِ

مِن وَجدِهِ وَمِن بَرحائِهِ

Indeed, there is eloquence in my anguish, and in my eye,

In the duct if its hope is dashed,

from his grief and from his torment,

O destiny who aimed true, striking the heart

مَدمَعاً يُلهب الأَسية أَو يُطفئ

مَدمَعاً يُلهب الأَسية أَو يُطفئ

في المَسيل وَقَد رَجائه

في المَسيل وَقَد رَجائه

a tear inflames sorrow, or quenches,

Of time in its holiness and grandeur,

as it flows, the blaze of his hope.

For the shrouded one in his relics

يا قَضاء رَمى فَأقصد قَلب الدَ

يا قَضاء رَمى فَأقصد قَلب الدَ

هر في قُدسِهِ وَفي كِبرِيائه

هر في قُدسِهِ وَفي كِبرِيائه

O fate that shot and mortally pierced the heart of time

Of the messengers of good, or the echo of his prophets,

in its holiness and its majesty!

I said, carry his bier through the valleys of the wind

لِلمَسجي بِثَوبِهِ مِن بَقايا

لِلمَسجي بِثَوبِهِ مِن بَقايا

رُسل الخَير أَو صَدى أَنبيائه

رُسل الخَير أَو صَدى أَنبيائه

For the one shrouded in his garment, a remnant

And walk with it over its setbacks,

of goodness's messengers, or an echo of its prophets,

And flow out and ask permission in God's heaven

قُلت سَيروا بِنَعشِهِ في هَوادي ا

قُلت سَيروا بِنَعشِهِ في هَوادي ا

لريح وَاِمشوا بِهِ عَلى نَكبائِهِ

لريح وَاِمشوا بِهِ عَلى نَكبائِهِ

I said: bear his bier on the leading currents

To allow you into His skies,

of the wind, and carry him upon its crosswind.

And enter it, for among you is one humble

وَاستَفيضوا وَاِستَأذِنوا في سَماء

وَاستَفيضوا وَاِستَأذِنوا في سَماء

اللَه يَأذَن إِلَيكُم في سَمائه

اللَه يَأذَن إِلَيكُم في سَمائه

And spread forth, and seek leave to enter the heaven

And one streaming with tears,

of God; He grants you leave in His heaven.

Set forth in the sky and seek the dawn

وَأَدخُلوها فَمِنكُم خاشع الطَر

وَأَدخُلوها فَمِنكُم خاشع الطَر

ف وَمِنكَم مُستَرسل في بُكائه

ف وَمِنكَم مُستَرسل في بُكائه

And enter it: among you is one with a humbled gaze,

And build his tomb from its light,

and among you one unrestrained in his weeping.

O blot on virtue, in whose mystery and depths

وَاِنفُروا في السَماء فَالتَمِسوا الـ

وَاِنفُروا في السَماء فَالتَمِسوا الـ

ـفَجر وَصُوغوا ضَريحه مِن ضِيائه

ـفَجر وَصُوغوا ضَريحه مِن ضِيائه

And go forth through heaven: seek

Lay all that is noble,

the dawn, and fashion his tomb from its light.

The hope in its spring has dried, the sweet

يا ذماء مِن الفَضيلة كُل النبـ

يا ذماء مِن الفَضيلة كُل النبـ

ـل في سره وَفي أَحشائه

ـل في سره وَفي أَحشائه

O last breath of virtue, all nobility

Dream in the depths of its water is arid,

is in his hidden self and his innermost depths.

And the throbbing heart from thought is folded

غاض في نَبعِهِ الرَجاء وَجَف الأَ

غاض في نَبعِهِ الرَجاء وَجَف الأَ

مَل الحُلو في قَرارة مائِهِ

مَل الحُلو في قَرارة مائِهِ

Hope ebbed in its spring, and dried up was

Away, precious in its remoteness,

sweet hope in the depths of its water.

A nation was too hasty for him, and in ourselves

وَاِنطَوى خافق أَغَر مِن الفكـ

وَاِنطَوى خافق أَغَر مِن الفكـ

ـر عَزيز عَلى بُعد اِنطِوائه

ـر عَزيز عَلى بُعد اِنطِوائه

And a radiant, beating heart of thought folded away,

A need to keep him remains,

still cherished, despite its distant concealment.

So sob, O souls, for weeping, or gather me

عوجِلَت أُمة عَلَيهِ وَفي أَنفُسِـ

عوجِلَت أُمة عَلَيهِ وَفي أَنفُسِـ

ـنا حاجة إِلى اِستِبقائه

ـنا حاجة إِلى اِستِبقائه

A nation was taken unawares by his loss, and in our souls

To his family,

there is a need to keep him alive.

And come, let us ask death what would

فَاجهَشي لِلبُكاء أَيَّتها الأَنفُـ

فَاجهَشي لِلبُكاء أَيَّتها الأَنفُـ

ـس أَو أَجملي عَلي لِأَوائه

ـس أَو أَجملي عَلي لِأَوائه

Then burst into tears, O souls,

Lift the puzzle of its thick covering,

or show noble patience amid his hardship.

Is it death, this great stillness

وَتَعالي نَستَلهم المَوت ما يَر

وَتَعالي نَستَلهم المَوت ما يَر

فَع عَن لُغزِهِ سَميك غِطائه

فَع عَن لُغزِهِ سَميك غِطائه

And come: let us seek from death what will lift

Over the serenity of the earth, or its nudity?

its thick covering from its riddle.

Is it death, this first step

أَهُوَ المَوت هَذِهِ الهدأة الكُبرى

أَهُوَ المَوت هَذِهِ الهدأة الكُبرى

عَلى وَهدة الثَرى أَو عَرائه

عَلى وَهدة الثَرى أَو عَرائه

Is death this great stillness

To the Savior of the world from its troubles?

in a hollow of the earth, or on its bare expanse?

Is it death, that endless forever

أَهُوَ المَوت هَذِهِ الخُطوة الأُو

أَهُوَ المَوت هَذِهِ الخُطوة الأُو

لى إِلى مُنقذ الوَرى مِن عَنائه

لى إِلى مُنقذ الوَرى مِن عَنائه

Is death this first step

Folded in on itself, in its markings?

toward the deliverer of humankind from its suffering?

Lie buried there in its mummy cloths

أَهُوَ المَوت ذَلِكَ الأَبَد المَطـ

أَهُوَ المَوت ذَلِكَ الأَبَد المَطـ

ـوي في نفسِهِ عَلى سَيمائه

ـوي في نفسِهِ عَلى سَيمائه

Is death that eternity folded

So postpone it if you want, not by the threads of dawn

within itself, over its own features?

If you desire it, nor by its intelligent design,

هَذِ بَينَنا المَظاهر وَالسر

هَذِ بَينَنا المَظاهر وَالسر

دَفين هُناكَ في موميائه

دَفين هُناكَ في موميائه

These appearances are among us; the secret

Do you ask existence the meanings of the heavens

lies buried there within its mummy.

Or deduce them from its air?

فَأَجله إِن أَرَدت لا مِن خَيوط الفَجر

فَأَجله إِن أَرَدت لا مِن خَيوط الفَجر

إِن شئته وَلا مِن ذِكائه

إِن شئته وَلا مِن ذِكائه

Then unveil it, if you wish—not through the threads of dawn,

That is hidden over the generations, so there is no

if you desire it, nor through its brilliance.

Hope in fathoming it and bringing it to light,

أَفَتَستَلهم الوُجود مَعاني السَـ

أَفَتَستَلهم الوُجود مَعاني السَـ

ـموات أَم تَستَمدها مِن هَوائه

ـموات أَم تَستَمدها مِن هَوائه

Do you then seek from existence the meanings of

O Abu al-Qasim overlooking the world

the heavens, or draw them from its air?

From his grave and from his heights,

تِلكَ مَخبوءة القُرون فَلا مطمـ

تِلكَ مَخبوءة القُرون فَلا مطمـ

ـع في كنهها إِلى اِستجلائه

ـع في كنهها إِلى اِستجلائه

That is the ages' hidden secret: there is no hope

For you I have a great hand that stirred a memory

of reaching its essence and bringing it to light.

And roused it from its slumber,

يا أبا القاسم المطل عَلى العال

يا أبا القاسم المطل عَلى العال

لم مِن لَحدِهِ وَمِن علوائه

لم مِن لَحدِهِ وَمِن علوائه

O Abu al-Qasim, overlooking the world

For you I have covenants on my shoulder I could never

from your grave and your lofty heights,

Fulfill, even if you add to their burdens,

لَكَ عِندي كُبرى يَد نَبهت ذِكـ

لَكَ عِندي كُبرى يَد نَبهت ذِكـ

ـرى وَاِستَنفَرته مِن إِغفائه

ـرى وَاِستَنفَرته مِن إِغفائه

you did me a great kindness, awakening my memory

I was in the company of the dead people

and rousing it from its slumber.

So destruction made its way to its lodgings,

لَكَ في عاتِقي مَواثيق ما أَجـ

لَكَ في عاتِقي مَواثيق ما أَجـ

ـدرها إِن تُزيد مِن أَعبائه

ـدرها إِن تُزيد مِن أَعبائه

For you I bear pledges upon my shoulder—how fitting

Hoping you might see lively ones there, and find

they are, if they add to its burdens!

The living in their midst, alive in their quarters,

كُنت في رِفقة مِن الناس مَوتى

كُنت في رِفقة مِن الناس مَوتى

فَاِنتَهَجَت الرَدى إِلى نَزلائه

فَاِنتَهَجَت الرَدى إِلى نَزلائه

You kept company with people who were dead,

Some in graves are dead, and some

so you took death's path to its dwellers,

In being lost was the way to their survival,

آملاً أَن تَرى هُنالك أَحيا

آملاً أَن تَرى هُنالك أَحيا

ء فَحي الرِغام في أَحيائه

ء فَحي الرِغام في أَحيائه

hoping to see the living there;

Lord, grant from You the soul of my father al-Qasim

so greet the dust in its living inhabitants.

What You never granted to his peers,

بَعض مَن في القُبور مَوتى وَبَعـ

بَعض مَن في القُبور مَوتى وَبَعـ

ـض كانَ في فُقدانه سَبيل بَقائه

ـض كانَ في فُقدانه سَبيل بَقائه

Some of those in graves are dead; for others,

Grant him the mercy of heaven and bless

their loss was the path to their survival.

His offspring and his children.

رَب هِب مِن لَدُنكَ روح أَبي الـ

رَب هِب مِن لَدُنكَ روح أَبي الـ

ـقاسم ما لَم تَهب إِلى نَظرائه

ـقاسم ما لَم تَهب إِلى نَظرائه

O Lord, grant from Yourself to the soul of Abu al-Qasim

what You have not granted to his peers.

هب لَهُ رَحمَة السَماء وَبارك

هب لَهُ رَحمَة السَماء وَبارك

في ذَراريه وَفي أَبنائه

في ذَراريه وَفي أَبنائه

Grant him heaven's mercy, and bless

his descendants and his sons.