إِعجَب مِنَ الغَيمِ كَيفَ اِرفَضَّ فَاِنقَشَعا

إِعجَب مِنَ الغَيمِ كَيفَ اِرفَضَّ فَاِنقَشَعا

وَصالِحِ العَيشِ كَيفَ اِعتيقَ فَاِرتُجِعا

وَصالِحِ العَيشِ كَيفَ اِعتيقَ فَاِرتُجِعا

Marvel at the cloud—how it scattered, then cleared away,

The clouds' refusal astounds me, and how they then dissipate,

and life's goodness—how it was withheld, then taken back.

As does the wholesomeness of life, how it escapes and then returns.

لَولا الفَقيدُ الَّذي عَمَّت نَوافِلُهُ

لَولا الفَقيدُ الَّذي عَمَّت نَوافِلُهُ

ماضاقَ مِن جانِبِ الأَيّامِ ما إِتَّسَعا

ماضاقَ مِن جانِبِ الأَيّامِ ما إِتَّسَعا

But for the loss of him whose gifts reached everyone,

Were it not for the absence of the departed, whose supererogations encompassed all,

what had widened in the realm of days would not have narrowed.

The days would not have narrowed what they had expanded.

فَجيعَةٌ مِن صُروفِ الدَهرِ مُعضِلَةٌ

فَجيعَةٌ مِن صُروفِ الدَهرِ مُعضِلَةٌ

لَو يَعلَمُ الدَهرُ فيها كُنهَ ماصَنعا

لَو يَعلَمُ الدَهرُ فيها كُنهَ ماصَنعا

An overwhelming calamity from Time's reversals—

So it is a confusing blow of fate's caprice,

if only Time knew in it the full extent of what it wrought.

As if fate did not know its essence, it would not have acted thus.

خَلّى أَبو القاسِمِ الجُلّى عَلى عُصَبٍ

خَلّى أَبو القاسِمِ الجُلّى عَلى عُصَبٍ

إِن حاوَلوا الصَبرَ فيها بَعدَهُ اِمتَنَعا

إِن حاوَلوا الصَبرَ فيها بَعدَهُ اِمتَنَعا

Abu al-Qasim left a great calamity upon groups of men;

Abu'l Qasim the Glorious left a people in anguish,

if they seek patience in it after his passing, it eludes them.

That if after him they attempt patience, it would be unbearable.

إِنَّ النَعِيَّ بِمَروِ الشاهِجانِ غَداً

إِنَّ النَعِيَّ بِمَروِ الشاهِجانِ غَداً

لَباعِثٌ رَهَجاً في الشَرقِ مُرتَفَعا

لَباعِثٌ رَهَجاً في الشَرقِ مُرتَفَعا

Indeed, tomorrow the death-tidings at Merv al-Shahijan

The news tomorrow in Marw al-Shahijan

will surely raise a cloud of dust high in the East.

Will raise clamor in the Orient, loud and high.

تَنثالُ أَنجِيَةُ الوادي إِلى خَبَرٍ

تَنثالُ أَنجِيَةُ الوادي إِلى خَبَرٍ

بَنو سُوَيدٍ عَلَيهِ عاكِفونَ مَعا

بَنو سُوَيدٍ عَلَيهِ عاكِفونَ مَعا

The valley's conferring groups stream toward the news,

The paths of the valley lead to news

on which Banu Suwayd dwell together.

Of the Banu Suwayd, gathered together as one.

يُخفونَ ماوَجَدوا مِنهُ وَبَينَهُمُ

يُخفونَ ماوَجَدوا مِنهُ وَبَينَهُمُ

وَجدٌ إِذا أَطفَأوا مَشبوبَهُ سَطَعا

وَجدٌ إِذا أَطفَأوا مَشبوبَهُ سَطَعا

They conceal what grief it brings them, yet among them

They hide what they find, though amongst themselves

is sorrow that flares when they quench its blazing fire.

When they quench their flaming thirst, it ignites again.

لَأَبكِيَنَّ ضُيوفاً فيكَ حائِرَةً

لَأَبكِيَنَّ ضُيوفاً فيكَ حائِرَةً

أَسبابُها وَرَجاءً مِنكَ مُنقَطِعا

أَسبابُها وَرَجاءً مِنكَ مُنقَطِعا

I shall surely weep for guests—bewildered at your loss

I will cry guests bewildered in you,

are their means of support—and for hope from you cut off.

Their hopes in you cut off, desperately seeking union.

وَكَيفَ تَنسى وَما اِستُنزِلتَ عَن خَطَرٍ

وَكَيفَ تَنسى وَما اِستُنزِلتَ عَن خَطَرٍ

وَلا نَسيتَ النُهى خَوفاً وَلا طَمَعا

وَلا نَسيتَ النُهى خَوفاً وَلا طَمَعا

And how could you be forgotten, when you were never brought down from eminence,

How could you forget? You were not spared from danger,

and never forgot reason out of fear or greed?

Nor forgot the prohibition, fearing or hoping.

لاتَحسِبَنّي اِغتَفَرتُ الرُزءَ فيكَ وَلا

لاتَحسِبَنّي اِغتَفَرتُ الرُزءَ فيكَ وَلا

ظَلِلتُ فيهِ لِرَيبِ الدَهرِ مُنخَدِعا

ظَلِلتُ فيهِ لِرَيبِ الدَهرِ مُنخَدِعا

Do not think I have excused the calamity of losing you, or

Do not think I forgave the tragedy in you, or

remained deceived in it by Time's treacheries.

Succumbed in it to the guiles of fate.

وَقَد تَقَصَّيتُ عُذري في التَجَمُّلِ لَو

وَقَد تَقَصَّيتُ عُذري في التَجَمُّلِ لَو

أَحمَدتَ غايَتَهُ وَالحُزنِ لَو نَفَعا

أَحمَدتَ غايَتَهُ وَالحُزنِ لَو نَفَعا

And I have tried my utmost at composure—if

I made excuses for myself in persisting elegantly, had you

you could approve its outcome—and at grief, if it availed.

Praised its perfection, and grief, had it been of use.

نَفسٌ سَلَكتُ بِها التَهجينَ رائِدَةً

نَفسٌ سَلَكتُ بِها التَهجينَ رائِدَةً

فَما رَأَت جَلَداً أَغنى وَلا هَلَعا

فَما رَأَت جَلَداً أَغنى وَلا هَلَعا

My soul I led through reproach, scouting ahead;

A soul I took as my guide to departure

and it found neither fortitude nor panic of any use.

Saw no patience more profitable or safer refuge.

كَلَّفتُها الصَبرَ فَاِعتاصَت مُمانِعَةً

كَلَّفتُها الصَبرَ فَاِعتاصَت مُمانِعَةً

وَسامَحَت لَكَ إِذ كَلَّفتُها الجَزَعا

وَسامَحَت لَكَ إِذ كَلَّفتُها الجَزَعا

I charged it with patience; it balked, resisting,

I tasked it with patience, but it resisted

but yielded for your sake when I charged it with anguish.

And pardoned you when I tasked it with grief.

وَالدَمعُ سَيلٌ مَتى عَلَّيتَ جَريَتَهُ

وَالدَمعُ سَيلٌ مَتى عَلَّيتَ جَريَتَهُ

أَبى الرُجوعَ وَإِن صَوَّبتَهُ اِندَفَعا

أَبى الرُجوعَ وَإِن صَوَّبتَهُ اِندَفَعا

And tears are a torrent: whenever you raise its course,

Tears are a torrent; when you unleash them they flow,

it refuses to run back; if you turn it downward, it rushes on.

Refusing retreat, even when you curb them.

تَنَكَّرَ العَيشُ حَتّى صارَ أَكدَرُهُ

تَنَكَّرَ العَيشُ حَتّى صارَ أَكدَرُهُ

يَأتي نِظاماً وَيَأتي صَفوُهُ لُمَعا

يَأتي نِظاماً وَيَأتي صَفوُهُ لُمَعا

Life has turned hostile, till its murkiest moments

Life became unrecognizable until its bitterness

come in a chain, while its clarity comes in flashes.

Came regularly, and its sweetness came to shine.

وَآنَسَت مِن خُطوبِ الدَهرِ كَثرَتُها

وَآنَسَت مِن خُطوبِ الدَهرِ كَثرَتُها

فَلَيسَ يُرتاعُ مِن خَطبٍ إِذا طَلَعا

فَلَيسَ يُرتاعُ مِن خَطبٍ إِذا طَلَعا

And the multitude of Time's calamities has made them familiar,

It perceived from the blows of fate their multitude,

so one is not startled by a calamity when it appears.

So it is not alarmed by calamities when they appear.

قُل لِأَبي صالِحٍ إِمّا عَرَضتُ لَهُ

قُل لِأَبي صالِحٍ إِمّا عَرَضتُ لَهُ

تَحمَدهُ قائِلَ أَقوامٍ وَمُستَمِعا

تَحمَدهُ قائِلَ أَقوامٍ وَمُستَمِعا

Say to Abu Salih, should I come before him—

Say to Abu Salih, when people happen upon me,

you praise him as spokesman for people and as a listener:

Praising me while listeners hear,

قَد آنَ لِلصَبرِ أَن تُرجى مَثوبَتُهُ

قَد آنَ لِلصَبرِ أَن تُرجى مَثوبَتُهُ

وَمولَعٍ بِهُمولِ الدَمعِ أَن يَدَعا

وَمولَعٍ بِهُمولِ الدَمعِ أَن يَدَعا

The time has come to hope for patience's reward,

It is time the reward of patience be hoped for

and for one devoted to streaming tears to leave them off.

And the tearful urged to abandon their weeping.

فَقدُ الشَقيقِ غَرامٌ ما يُرامُ وَفي

فَقدُ الشَقيقِ غَرامٌ ما يُرامُ وَفي

فَقدِ التَجَمُّلِ وَهنٌ يُعقِبُ الظَلَعا

فَقدِ التَجَمُّلِ وَهنٌ يُعقِبُ الظَلَعا

Losing a brother is torment that cannot be shaken off; and in

To lose a brother is a death nothing can replace, and in

losing composure lies weakness that brings on limping.

Losing composure, a weakness follows the stumble.

كِلاهُما عِبءُ مَكروهٍ إِذا اِفتَرَقا

كِلاهُما عِبءُ مَكروهٍ إِذا اِفتَرَقا

فَكَيفَ ثِقلُهُما الموهي إِذا اِجتَمَعا

فَكَيفَ ثِقلُهُما الموهي إِذا اِجتَمَعا

Each is a burden of affliction when they are separate;

Both are a burden when they meet,

what, then, of their enfeebling weight when they combine?

So how heavy is their weight on the afflicted soul?

لَيسَ المُصيبَةُ في الثَأوى مَضى قَدَراً

لَيسَ المُصيبَةُ في الثَأوى مَضى قَدَراً

بَلِ المُصيبَةُ في الباقي هَفا جَزَعا

بَلِ المُصيبَةُ في الباقي هَفا جَزَعا

The calamity is not in the one laid to rest, gone as fate decreed,

The misfortune is not in the ordained departure,

but in the survivor who falters in anguish.

Rather, the misfortune is in the remaining one, distraught in grief.

إِنَّ البُكاءَ عَلى الماضينَ مَكرُمَةٌ

إِنَّ البُكاءَ عَلى الماضينَ مَكرُمَةٌ

لَو كانَ ماضٍ إِذا بَكَّيتَهُ رَجَعا

لَو كانَ ماضٍ إِذا بَكَّيتَهُ رَجَعا

Surely weeping for the departed would be a noble deed,

Crying for the departed is an honored thing—

if a departed one returned when you bewailed him.

If only the departed returned when we cried!

صُعوبَةُ الرُزءِ تُلقى في تَوَقُّعِهِ

صُعوبَةُ الرُزءِ تُلقى في تَوَقُّعِهِ

مُستَقبَلاً وَاِنقِضاءُ الرُزءِ أَن يَقَعا

مُستَقبَلاً وَاِنقِضاءُ الرُزءِ أَن يَقَعا

The hardship of loss lies in anticipating it,

The difficulty of tragedy lies in dreading its arrival

still to come; the calamity ends when it befalls.

In the future, while enduring present tragedy.

وَفي أَبيكَ مُعَزٍّ عَن أَخيكَ إِذا

وَفي أَبيكَ مُعَزٍّ عَن أَخيكَ إِذا

فَكَّرتَ فيهِ وَفي الوَفدِ الَّذي تَبِعا

فَكَّرتَ فيهِ وَفي الوَفدِ الَّذي تَبِعا

And in your father is solace for your brother, if

In your father the consoler for your brother, consider,

you reflect on him and the delegation that followed.

And the procession that followed—

هُمُ وَنَحنُ سَواءٌ غَيرَ أَنَّهُمُ

هُمُ وَنَحنُ سَواءٌ غَيرَ أَنَّهُمُ

أَضحَوا لَنا سَلَفاً نُمسي لَهُم تَبَعا

أَضحَوا لَنا سَلَفاً نُمسي لَهُم تَبَعا

They and we are alike, except that they

They and us are equal, save that they

have become our forerunners; by evening we become their followers.

Have gone before at dawn, and we will follow at dusk.

قَد رَدَّ في نُوَبِ الأَيّامِ شِرَّتَها

قَد رَدَّ في نُوَبِ الأَيّامِ شِرَّتَها

أَن لَم تَكُن غَمَراً فيها وَلا ضَرَعا

أَن لَم تَكُن غَمَراً فيها وَلا ضَرَعا

What has checked the fury of the days' reversals

The bitterness of those days has passed;

is that you were neither inexperienced in them nor weak.

They were not flooded nor torn asunder.

عَزيمَةٌ مِنكَ أَن حَشَّمتَها جَشِمَت

عَزيمَةٌ مِنكَ أَن حَشَّمتَها جَشِمَت

وَرُكنُ رَضوى إِذا حَمَّلتَهُ اِضطَلَعا

وَرُكنُ رَضوى إِذا حَمَّلتَهُ اِضطَلَعا

Yours is a resolve that, if you shame it, bears hardship,

A resolve of yours sought to make firm

and a buttress of Radwa that, when you load it, shoulders the burden.

Would buttress accepting the divine decree.