بَني الحَسَبِ الوَضّاحِ والشّرَفِ الجمِّ

بَني الحَسَبِ الوَضّاحِ والشّرَفِ الجمِّ

لسانيَ إنْ لم أرْثِ والدَكم خصمي

لسانيَ إنْ لم أرْثِ والدَكم خصمي

Sons of illustrious lineage and abundant honor,

O sons of noble lineage and shining honor,

my tongue is my foe if I do not elegize your father.

My tongue, if I do not eulogize your father as my adversary,

شكَوْتُ منَ الأيّامِ تَبديلَ غادِرٍ

شكَوْتُ منَ الأيّامِ تَبديلَ غادِرٍ

بِوافٍ ونَقْلاً مِنْ سرورٍ إلى هَمِّ

بِوافٍ ونَقْلاً مِنْ سرورٍ إلى هَمِّ

I lamented the days' substitution of a traitor

I complained of the days' fickleness with perfidy,

for a faithful man, and their turning joy to sorrow;

With loss and transfer from joy to sorrow,

وَحالاً كَريشِ النّسرِ بَيْنا رأيتُهُ

وَحالاً كَريشِ النّسرِ بَيْنا رأيتُهُ

جَناحاً لشَهْمٍ آضَ رِيشاً على سَهمِ

جَناحاً لشَهْمٍ آضَ رِيشاً على سَهمِ

and a fate like an eagle's plumage: one moment I saw it

And a state like the eagle's feathers while I saw it

as a brave bird's wing; then it became an arrow's fletching.

A wing for boldness with feathers over an arrow,

ولا مِثْلَ فُقْدانِ الشّريف محَمّدٍ

ولا مِثْلَ فُقْدانِ الشّريف محَمّدٍ

رزِيّةَ خَطبٍ أو جِنايةَ ذي جُرْمِ

رزِيّةَ خَطبٍ أو جِنايةَ ذي جُرْمِ

Nothing is like the loss of al-Sharif Muhammad—

And there is no one like the loss of the noble Muhammad,

no grievous calamity, no criminal's offense.

Either the misery of grave events or the crime of a sinner,

فيَا دافنيهِ في الثّرَى إنّ لحدَهُ

فيَا دافنيهِ في الثّرَى إنّ لحدَهُ

مَقَرُّ الثّرَيّا فادْفِنوهُ على عِلْمِ

مَقَرُّ الثّرَيّا فادْفِنوهُ على عِلْمِ

O you who bury him in the earth, his grave

So O you who bury him in the ground, verily his grave

is the Pleiades' resting place: bury him knowing this.

Is the home of goodness, so bury him in knowledge,

ويا حاملي أعْوادِهِ إنّ فَوْقَها

ويا حاملي أعْوادِهِ إنّ فَوْقَها

سَماوِيّ سِرٍّ فاتّقوا كوكبَ الرّجمِ

سَماوِيّ سِرٍّ فاتّقوا كوكبَ الرّجمِ

O bearers of his bier's timbers, upon them

And O you who carry his bier, verily above it

lies one of heavenly essence: beware the stoning star.

Is a celestial secret so fear the star of stoning,

وما نَعشُهُ إلا كنَعشٍ وَجَدْتُهُ

وما نَعشُهُ إلا كنَعشٍ وَجَدْتُهُ

أباً لبَناتٍ لا يَخَفنَ من اليُتْمِ

أباً لبَناتٍ لا يَخَفنَ من اليُتْمِ

His bier is only like the starry Bier I have found

And his bier is but like a bier I found

a father to daughters who fear no orphanhood.

A father to daughters who do not fear orphanhood,

فَوَيْحَ المَنايا لم يُبْقيّنَ غايَةً

فَوَيْحَ المَنايا لم يُبْقيّنَ غايَةً

طَلعنَ الثّنايا واطّلعْنَ على النّجْمِ

طَلعنَ الثّنايا واطّلعْنَ على النّجْمِ

Alas for death's powers! They have spared no height:

So alas for the fates! They left no ultimate goal,

they climbed the mountain passes and reached the star.

They lifted the veils and looked upon the stars,

أعاذِلَ إنْ صُمّ القَنا عن نَعْيِه

أعاذِلَ إنْ صُمّ القَنا عن نَعْيِه

فوا حَسَدا مِن بَعدِهِ للقَنا الصُّمِ

فوا حَسَدا مِن بَعدِهِ للقَنا الصُّمِ

O reproacher, if the lances were deaf to his death's announcement,

I excuse him if the wine jars are silent about his death,

ah, how I envy, after him, those deaf, solid lances!

So woe to the jealousy after him of the silent jars,

بكى السّيفُ حتى أخضَلَ الدمعُ جَفنَهُ

بكى السّيفُ حتى أخضَلَ الدمعُ جَفنَهُ

على فارِسٍ يُرْويهِ من فارِسِ الدُّهمِ

على فارِسٍ يُرْويهِ من فارِسِ الدُّهمِ

The sword wept until tears drenched its eyelid,

The sword cried until the tears made its eyelids green

for a knight who slaked it with the blood of a rider of black steeds.

Over a horseman who quenched it from the horseman of sorrows,

تَلَذُّ العَوالي والظُّبَى في بَنانِهِ

تَلَذُّ العَوالي والظُّبَى في بَنانِهِ

لِقاءَ الرّزايا من فُلولٍ ومن حَطمِ

لِقاءَ الرّزايا من فُلولٍ ومن حَطمِ

Spearheads and sword blades delight, in his fingers,

The lofty places and wild animals enjoy his shoots

in meeting calamities of chipping and shattering.

Meeting misfortunes whether in bands or in ruins,

وباللهِ رَبّي ما تَقَلّدَ صارِماً

وباللهِ رَبّي ما تَقَلّدَ صارِماً

له مُشْبِهٌ في يوْمِ حَرْبٍ وَلا سِلمِ

له مُشْبِهٌ في يوْمِ حَرْبٍ وَلا سِلمِ

By God, my Lord, no one ever girded on a keen sword

By Allah, my Lord, none like him has ever wielded a sword

as his equal, in war or in peace,

In a day of war or peace,

ولا صاحَ بالخيل اقدُمي في عَجاجةٍ

ولا صاحَ بالخيل اقدُمي في عَجاجةٍ

إذا قيل حِيدي في ضنْكِها أُمّي

إذا قيل حِيدي في ضنْكِها أُمّي

nor cried to the horses, 'Advance!' amid the battle-dust,

Nor called to the horses, “Charge forward in the fray!”

and, when 'Veer away!' was cried, 'Head into its tightest press!'

When it was said, “Restrain!” in its tightness, O my mother,

وَلا صَرّفَ الخَطّيَّ مثْلَ يَمينِهِ

وَلا صَرّفَ الخَطّيَّ مثْلَ يَمينِهِ

يَمينٌ وإنْ كانَتْ مُعاوَدَةَ النُّعْمِ

يَمينٌ وإنْ كانَتْ مُعاوَدَةَ النُّعْمِ

No right hand wielded a Khatt spear like his,

Nor turned the sword blade like his right hand,

though that hand was accustomed to comfort.

A right hand, even if the favors were repeated,

ولا أمسَكَتْ يُسْرَى عِناناً لغارَةٍ

ولا أمسَكَتْ يُسْرَى عِناناً لغارَةٍ

كيُسراهُ والفُرْسانُ طائشَةُ العزْمِ

كيُسراهُ والفُرْسانُ طائشَةُ العزْمِ

No left hand held a bridle for a raid

Nor did the left hand restrain the bridle firmly

like his, while the riders' resolve faltered.

As his left, while the horsemen had reckless resolve,

فيا قلبُ لا تُلْحِقْ بثُكْلِ محَمّدٍ

فيا قلبُ لا تُلْحِقْ بثُكْلِ محَمّدٍ

ليَبقى ثُكْلُهُ بَيّنَ الوَسْمِ

ليَبقى ثُكْلُهُ بَيّنَ الوَسْمِ

O heart, add nothing to the loss of Muhammad,

When the wine jars filled them with pride

so that his loss may remain distinctly marked.

And anger, so they inflicted the irritated with a blow,

فإنّي رأيتُ الحُزْنَ للحُزْنِ ماحِياً

فإنّي رأيتُ الحُزْنَ للحُزْنِ ماحِياً

كما خُطّ في القِرْطاسِ رَسْمٌ على رَسْمِ

كما خُطّ في القِرْطاسِ رَسْمٌ على رَسْمِ

For I have seen one sorrow erase another,

And they tossed the braids of the she-camel as if

as one inscription is written over another on paper.

We had gestured to one with vegetation by a sign,

كَرِيمٌ حليمُ الجَفنِ والنّفسِ لا يرَى

كَرِيمٌ حليمُ الجَفنِ والنّفسِ لا يرَى

إذا هوَ أغفى ما يرَى النّاسُ في الحُلْمِ

إذا هوَ أغفى ما يرَى النّاسُ في الحُلْمِ

Noble, gentle in gaze and soul, he does not see,

So horsemen of war who in the morning musk is mixed

when he slumbers, what others see in dreams.

With them, the trotting sniffing into their noble noses,

فتىً عَشِقَتْهُ البابِليّةُ حِقْبَةً

فتىً عَشِقَتْهُ البابِليّةُ حِقْبَةً

فلم يَشفِها منه برَشْفٍ ولا لَثْمِ

فلم يَشفِها منه برَشْفٍ ولا لَثْمِ

A youth whom Babylonian wine loved for an age,

And this one's father was the noble one,

yet he never eased her longing for him with a sip or kiss.

The prince of meanings, the knight of prose and verse,

كأنّ حَبابَ الكأسِ وَهْيَ حَبيبةٌ

كأنّ حَبابَ الكأسِ وَهْيَ حَبيبةٌ

إلى الشَّرْبِ ما يَنفي الحُبابُ من السّمِّ

إلى الشَّرْبِ ما يَنفي الحُبابُ من السّمِّ

As though the cup's bubbles—though the cup is beloved

If it is said “piety,” the friend is Khalil ibn Azhar,

of drinkers—were the venom a serpent expels.

And if it is said “understanding,” the friend is the brother of understanding,

تَسورُ إليهِ الرّاحُ ثمّ تَهابُهُ

تَسورُ إليهِ الرّاحُ ثمّ تَهابُهُ

كأنَّ الحُمَيّا لوْعةٌ في ابنَةِ الكَرْمِ

كأنَّ الحُمَيّا لوْعةٌ في ابنَةِ الكَرْمِ

Wine leaps toward him, then fears him,

The houses of poetry stood deciding after him

as though its fiery strength were yearning in the vine's daughter.

Composing elegies, which are forms unto ruin,

دعَا حَلَباً أُختَ الغَرِيّينِ مَصرَعٌ

دعَا حَلَباً أُختَ الغَرِيّينِ مَصرَعٌ

بِسيفِ قُوَيْقٍ للمَكارِمِ والحزمِ

بِسيفِ قُوَيْقٍ للمَكارِمِ والحزمِ

A death made Aleppo a sister to al-Ghariyyayn,

We mourned him until for the gazelle and mountain roe

on Quwayq's bank—the death of noble deeds and resolve:

Every wish would sacrifice itself for the inevitable,

أبي السّبعَةَ الشُّهْبِ التي قيلَ إِنّها

أبي السّبعَةَ الشُّهْبِ التي قيلَ إِنّها

مُنَفِّذَةُ الأقدارِ في العُرْبِ والعُجْمِ

مُنَفِّذَةُ الأقدارِ في العُرْبِ والعُجْمِ

the father of the seven radiant stars, said to be

And the new moon's thin crescent was not worn out,

the executors of fate among Arabs and non-Arabs.

But in his face was the effect of the blow,

فإنْ كُنْتُ مَا سَمّيْتُهُم فنَباهةٌ

فإنْ كُنْتُ مَا سَمّيْتُهُم فنَباهةٌ

كَفَتْنيَ فيهِمْ أَنْ أُعَرِّفَهم باسْمِ

كَفَتْنيَ فيهِمْ أَنْ أُعَرِّفَهم باسْمِ

If I have not named them, their renown

So O you who intends farewell, if you find consolation,

has spared me the need to identify them by name.

You are near in imagination and delusion,

فَيا مَعْشَرَ البِيضِ اليَمانيَةِ اسألي

فَيا مَعْشَرَ البِيضِ اليَمانيَةِ اسألي

بَنيهِ طَعاماً إنْ سَغِبتِ إلى اللّحمِ

بَنيهِ طَعاماً إنْ سَغِبتِ إلى اللّحمِ

O company of gleaming Yemeni blades, ask

As if you have not dragged a wine skin, and not dragged

his sons for food if you hunger for flesh.

A girl, and not forced a prince under command,

فكُلُّ وَليدٍ منهُمُ ومُجَرَّبٍ

فكُلُّ وَليدٍ منهُمُ ومُجَرَّبٍ

لنا خَلَفٌ من ذلكَ السيّدِ الصَّتْمِ

لنا خَلَفٌ من ذلكَ السيّدِ الصَّتْمِ

For every youth among them, and every seasoned man,

And your face did not show, and your fire did not shine,

is for us a successor to that stalwart lord.

And your spear did not thrust, and your palm did not protect,

مَغافِرُهُمْ تِيجانُهُمْ وحُبَاهُمُ

مَغافِرُهُمْ تِيجانُهُمْ وحُبَاهُمُ

حَمائِلُهُم وَالفَرْعُ يُنمى إلى الجِذْمِ

حَمائِلُهُم وَالفَرْعُ يُنمى إلى الجِذْمِ

Their mail-coifs are their crowns, and their sitting-bands

Gabriel approached with your soul ascending

are their sword-baldrics; the branch is traced to the root.

To the Throne, presenting it to your grandfather and mother,

مَناجيدُ لَبّاسُونَ كُلَّ مُفاضَةٍ

مَناجيدُ لَبّاسُونَ كُلَّ مُفاضَةٍ

كأنّ غَديراً فاضَ منها عَلى الجِسْمِ

كأنّ غَديراً فاضَ منها عَلى الجِسْمِ

Valiant men, wearers of every ample coat of mail,

Below you is sealed wine, for only

as though a pool had spilled from it across the body.

To drink it was it kept sealed,

كأنّهُمُ فيها أُسُودُ خَفِيّةٍ

كأنّهُمُ فيها أُسُودُ خَفِيّةٍ

ولكن على أكتادِها حُلَلُ الرُّقْمِ

ولكن على أكتادِها حُلَلُ الرُّقْمِ

As though within it they were lions of Khafiyya,

And do not forget me on the Day of Gathering around him

but with the speckled serpents' robes upon their shoulders.

At the Basin, mixed crowds between flowing and ebbing,

كُماةً إذا الأعرافُ كانتْ أعِنّةً

كُماةً إذا الأعرافُ كانتْ أعِنّةً

فمُغْنيهِمُ حُسْنُ الثّباتِ عنِ الحُزْمِ

فمُغْنيهِمُ حُسْنُ الثّباتِ عنِ الحُزْمِ

Champions who, when manes serve as reins,

Perhaps on the Day of Resurrection you will remember me

need no girths, so steady is their seat.

And ask my Lord to lighten my sins.

يُطيلُونَ أرْواقَ الجِيادِ وطالما

يُطيلُونَ أرْواقَ الجِيادِ وطالما

ثَنَوْهُنَ عُضْباً غيرَ رُوقٍ ولا جُمِّ

ثَنَوْهُنَ عُضْباً غيرَ رُوقٍ ولا جُمِّ

They lengthen the steeds' horns; many a time

they brought them back broken-horned, neither long-horned nor naturally hornless.

إذا مَلأَتْهُنّ القَنَا جَبَرِيّةً

إذا مَلأَتْهُنّ القَنَا جَبَرِيّةً

وغيْظاً فأوْقَعْنَ الحَفيظةَ باللُّجْمِ

وغيْظاً فأوْقَعْنَ الحَفيظةَ باللُّجْمِ

When lances fill them with haughty force

and rage, they vent their fury upon their bridles,

وَرَفّتْنَ مَجْدولَ الشّكيمِ كأنّما

وَرَفّتْنَ مَجْدولَ الشّكيمِ كأنّما

أشَرْنا إلى ذاوٍ من النّبْتِ بالأَزْمِ

أشَرْنا إلى ذاوٍ من النّبْتِ بالأَزْمِ

and crush the twisted bit, as though

we had gestured with our bites toward withered vegetation.

فَوَارِسُ حرْبٍ يُصْبحُ المِسكُ مازِجاً

فَوَارِسُ حرْبٍ يُصْبحُ المِسكُ مازِجاً

به الرّكْضُ نَقْعاً في أُنوفِهِم الشُّمِّ

به الرّكْضُ نَقْعاً في أُنوفِهِم الشُّمِّ

War-horsemen, whose musk becomes mingled

with dust by galloping, in their high-bridged noses.

فهذا وقد كانَ الشّريفُ أبوهُمُ

فهذا وقد كانَ الشّريفُ أبوهُمُ

أميرَ المَعاني فارِسَ النّثْرِ والنّظْمِ

أميرَ المَعاني فارِسَ النّثْرِ والنّظْمِ

Such are they; and their father, al-Sharif, was

the prince of meanings, the knight of prose and verse.

إذا قيلَ نُسْكٌ فالخَليلُ بنُ آزَرٍ

إذا قيلَ نُسْكٌ فالخَليلُ بنُ آزَرٍ

وإن قيل فَهْمٌ فالخليلُ أخو الفَهْمِ

وإن قيل فَهْمٌ فالخليلُ أخو الفَهْمِ

When piety is named: al-Khalil, son of Azar;

and when understanding is named: al-Khalil, brother of understanding.

أقامتْ بُيوتُ الشِّعرِ تُحكِمُ بعدهُ

أقامتْ بُيوتُ الشِّعرِ تُحكِمُ بعدهُ

بِناءَ المَراثي وَهْيَ صُورٌ إلى الهَدْمِ

بِناءَ المَراثي وَهْيَ صُورٌ إلى الهَدْمِ

After him, the houses of verse kept strengthening

the structure of elegies, though leaning toward ruin.

نَعَيْناهُ حتى للغَزالَةِ والسُّهَى

نَعَيْناهُ حتى للغَزالَةِ والسُّهَى

فكُلُّ تَمَنّى لَوْ فَداهُ مِنَ الحَتْمِ

فكُلُّ تَمَنّى لَوْ فَداهُ مِنَ الحَتْمِ

We told even the sun and al-Suha of his death,

and each wished to ransom him from his appointed doom.

وما كُلْفَةُ البَدْرِ المُنيرِ قديمَةً

وما كُلْفَةُ البَدْرِ المُنيرِ قديمَةً

ولكِنّها في وَجْهِهِ أثَرُ اللَّدْمِ

ولكِنّها في وَجْهِهِ أثَرُ اللَّدْمِ

The dark mark on the shining full moon is not ancient;

it is the trace of mourning blows upon its face.

فَيا مُزْمِعَ التّوْديعِ إنْ تُمسِ نائياً

فَيا مُزْمِعَ التّوْديعِ إنْ تُمسِ نائياً

فإنّكَ دانٍ في التّخَيّلِ والوَهمِ

فإنّكَ دانٍ في التّخَيّلِ والوَهمِ

O you resolved on farewell, though you become distant,

you remain near in imagination and thought.

كأنّكَ لم تُجْرِرْ قَناةً ولم تُجِرْ

كأنّكَ لم تُجْرِرْ قَناةً ولم تُجِرْ

فَتاةً ولم تُجْبِرْ أميراً على حُكْمِ

فَتاةً ولم تُجْبِرْ أميراً على حُكْمِ

As though you had never left a lance embedded, nor sheltered

a maiden, nor forced a prince to submit to judgment;

ووجْهُكَ لم يُسْفِرْ ونارُك لم تُنِرْ

ووجْهُكَ لم يُسْفِرْ ونارُك لم تُنِرْ

ورُمحُكَ لم يَعتِرْ وكَفُّكَ لم تَهْمِ

ورُمحُكَ لم يَعتِرْ وكَفُّكَ لم تَهْمِ

your face had never shone, your fire never given light,

your spear never slaughtered, your palm never rained bounty.

تَقَرّبَ جبريلٌ بُروحِكَ صاعِداً

تَقَرّبَ جبريلٌ بُروحِكَ صاعِداً

إلى العرشِ يُهديها لجَدّك والأُمِّ

إلى العرشِ يُهديها لجَدّك والأُمِّ

Gabriel drew near, ascending with your soul

to the Throne, offering it to your grandfather and mother.

فدُونَكَ مَختُومَ الرّحيقِ فإنّما

فدُونَكَ مَختُومَ الرّحيقِ فإنّما

لِتَشرَبَ منهُ كان يُحفظُ بالخَتْمِ

لِتَشرَبَ منهُ كان يُحفظُ بالخَتْمِ

Take, then, the sealed nectar: it was only

for you to drink of it that it was kept under seal.

ولا تَنْسَني في الحَشرِ والحوضِ حوْله

ولا تَنْسَني في الحَشرِ والحوضِ حوْله

عصائبُ شتّى بينَ غَرٍّ إلى بُهْمِ

عصائبُ شتّى بينَ غَرٍّ إلى بُهْمِ

Do not forget me at the Gathering and the Pool, around which

are varied throngs, from bright-faced ones to dark.

لَعَلّكَ في يوْمِ القيامة ذاكري

لَعَلّكَ في يوْمِ القيامة ذاكري

فتَسألَ رَبّي أنْ يُخَفّفَ من إثْمي

فتَسألَ رَبّي أنْ يُخَفّفَ من إثْمي

Perhaps on the Day of Resurrection you will remember me,

and ask my Lord to lessen my sin.