بنيO sons of راشدRashid الزاكيthe virtuous ابنson of سالمSalim
بني راشد الزاكي ابن سالم
عزاءcondolences علىon فقدانكمyour loss of وجهthe face of سالمSalim
عزاء على فقدانكم وجه سالم
O sons of Rashid the virtuous, son of Salim,
O sons of Rashid al-Zaki, son of Salem
Condolences on your loss of Salim's face.
My condolences for your loss, may you have peace
كؤوسcups of المناياdeath فيamong البراياall creatures مدارةpassed around
كؤوس المنايا في البرايا مدارة
فلاso no one سالمsafe منهاfrom them ولاnor إبنa son of سالمSalim
فلا سالم منها ولا إبن سالم
The cups of death are passed around among all creatures;
The cups of death roam the vast desert
So none is safe from them—not even a son of Salim.
Bringing no peace, not even for the son of Salem
ولاnor مانعa protector منهاfrom them قبيلa tribe معسكرencamped
ولا مانع منها قبيل معسكر
ولاnor منعتprotected عنهاfrom them رؤوسthe tops of السلالمthe ladders
ولا منعت عنها رؤوس السلالم
Nor can an encamped tribe ward them off,
Nothing holds them back, not even an army camp
Nor have the tops of ladders afforded protection from them.
Nor do the rungs of a ladder hinder their climb
يعيشlives الفتىthe young man ماas long as عاشhe lives أطيبthe sweetest عيشةlife
يعيش الفتى ما عاش أطيب عيشة
فماyet … not عيشهhis life إلاexcept كأحلامlike the dreams of نائمa sleeper
فما عيشه إلا كأحلام نائم
A young man may live the sweetest life all his days,
A young man lives the sweetest life imaginable
Yet his life is but like a sleeper's dreams.
Yet life itself is but a dream for one asleep
نروحwe go at evening ونغدوand we go at dawn كالبهائمlike beasts رتعاgrazing freely
نروح ونغدو كالبهائم رتعا
فلاso no فرقdifference فيماin what is بينناbetween us والبهائمand the beasts
فلا فرق فيما بيننا والبهائم
We go at evening and at dawn, grazing like beasts,
We rise and retire like cattle grazing
So there is no difference between us and the beasts.
No difference between us and the beasts
نؤملwe hope for آمالاhopes ومنand from دونshort of نيلهاattaining them
نؤمل آمالا ومن دون نيلها
كؤوسcups of المناياdeath وهيand they are شرthe worst of المطاعمfare
كؤوس المنايا وهي شر المطاعم
We cherish hopes, but between us and their fulfillment lie
We hope for things unlikely to be attained
The cups of death, and they are the worst of fare.
While death’s cups are the worst nourishment
علىfor سالمSalim ابكىI weep وتبكيand weep جمايعmultitudes
على سالم ابكى وتبكي جمايع
بدمعwith tears عيونfrom eyes فيover الخدودthe cheeks سواجمstreaming
بدمع عيون في الخدود سواجم
For Salim I weep, and multitudes weep,
For Salem I weep, and all people weep
With tears from eyes, streaming over cheeks.
With tears flowing down saddened cheeks
وإنand if بقيتremain أعمامهhis paternal uncles الغرthe illustrious وابنهand his son
وإن بقيت أعمامه الغر وابنه
وإخوتهand his brothers فالحزنthen grief ليسis not بلازمnecessary
وإخوته فالحزن ليس بلازم
And if his noble uncles and his son remain,
Though his uncles remain, and his son
And his brothers—then there is no need for grief.
And brothers, grief still remains
همthey الخلفthe successors الباقيremaining لناfor us وهموand they هموthey
هم الخلف الباقي لنا وهمو همو
لناfor us عصمbulwarks مثلlike الجبالthe mountains العواصمthat protect
لنا عصم مثل الجبال العواصم
They are the successors left to us, and they—they
They are the remnants left for us, they are
Are our bulwarks, like sheltering mountains.
Our protection, like mountains unyielding
فلاso may … not قصصتbe clipped منكمfrom you خوافيthe inner flight feathers of جناحكمyour wing
فلا قصصت منكم خوافي جناحكم
ولاnor may حصصتbe plucked منكمfrom you طوالthe long القوادمouter flight feathers
ولا حصصت منكم طوال القوادم
So may your wing's inner feathers never be clipped from you,
When you have not shortened your sheltering wings
Nor may the long outer feathers be plucked from you.
Nor limited your far reaching lead
يكونmay become صغيرthe young السنin years منكمamong you كبيركمyour elder
يكون صغير السن منكم كبيركم
ولاتخلعواand do not take off عنكمfrom yourselves لباسthe garment of المكارمnoble virtues
ولاتخلعوا عنكم لباس المكارم
May the young in years among you become your elder,
Let the youngest among you become the eldest
And do not strip yourselves of the garment of noble virtues.
Do not divest yourselves of noble deeds
فأنتمfor you are كرامnoble people منfrom كرامnoble people تقدمتwho came before
فأنتم كرام من كرام تقدمت
وكلand every كريمnoble person فهوthen he is إرثa legacy of المكارمnoble virtues
وكل كريم فهو إرث المكارم
For you are noble, sprung from nobles who came before,
For you are nobles from a line of nobles
And every noble person is a legacy of noble virtues.
And every noble inherits nobility