أَتىcame نَعيُdeath-news of مَلكٍa king أَظلَمَgrew dark الشَمسُthe sun وَالقَمَرand the moon
أَتى نَعيُ مَلكٍ أَظلَمَ الشَمسُ وَالقَمَر
لَهُfor him وَوَهىand slackened عِقدُthe necklace of الكَواكِبِthe stars فَاِنتَثَرso it scattered
لَهُ وَوَهى عِقدُ الكَواكِبِ فَاِنتَثَر
News came of a king's death; the sun and moon grew dark
The death of a king was announced, the sun and moon darkened
For him, and the necklace of stars slackened and scattered.
The celestial bodies' orbit faltered and scattered
وَأَبدىand brought forth بِشَرقِin the east of الأَرضِthe earth وَالغَربِand the west رَجفَةًa tremor
وَأَبدى بِشَرقِ الأَرضِ وَالغَربِ رَجفَةً
تَطَأطَأَbowed down مِنهاbecause of it كُلُّall ماthat which طالَrose high وَاِشمَخَرand towered
تَطَأطَأَ مِنها كُلُّ ما طالَ وَاِشمَخَر
And it brought a tremor to the earth's east and west,
And tremors overtook the east and west of earth
At which all that rose high and towered bowed down.
Everything tall and lofty bowed down
وَعُطِّلَتِand were left idle البيضُthe gleaming الصِفاحُbroad blades وَأُهمِلَتand were neglected
وَعُطِّلَتِ البيضُ الصِفاحُ وَأُهمِلَت
مُتونُthe shafts of العَواليthe tall spears فيin الكِفاحِcombat مِنَfrom الأَطَرbending
مُتونُ العَوالي في الكِفاحِ مِنَ الأَطَر
And the gleaming broad blades lay idle, and neglected were
The polished swords and mighty tomes were neglected
The shafts of tall spears, unbent in combat.
In the struggle, eyes' tears nearly effaced the kohl
وَكادَتand nearly دُموعُthe tears of العَينِthe eye تَمحوefface الحُجولَthe white leg markings مِنfrom
وَكادَت دُموعُ العَينِ تَمحو الحُجولَ مِن
جَنائِبِهِhis led horses مِنfrom لَوعَةِthe anguish of الحُزنِgrief وَالغُرَرand the forehead blazes
جَنائِبِهِ مِن لَوعَةِ الحُزنِ وَالغُرَر
And the eye's tears nearly effaced the white stockings of
From their lids, in bitter grief and calamity
His led horses—and their forehead blazes—in grief's anguish.
The cross of polytheism's shackles were undone
وَفُكَّand was freed صَليبُthe cross of الشِركِpolytheism مِنfrom قَيدِthe fetter of أَسرِهِits captivity
وَفُكَّ صَليبُ الشِركِ مِن قَيدِ أَسرِهِ
وَزُلزِلَand was shaken عَرشُthe throne of المُلكِkingship مِنfrom بَعدِafter ماthe time when اِستَقَرit had stood firm
وَزُلزِلَ عَرشُ المُلكِ مِن بَعدِ ما اِستَقَر
And the cross of polytheism was freed from the fetter of its captivity,
The throne of the kingdom shook, after stability
And the throne of kingship shook after it had stood firm.
Though his death brought joy to every believer
لَئِنif indeed سَرَّgladdened ناعيهِhis death-herald بهwith it كُلَّevery مُؤمِنٍbeliever
لَئِن سَرَّ ناعيهِ به كُلَّ مُؤمِنٍ
لَقَدindeed سَرَّhe gladdened لاno أَهلاًwelcome بِهِto him كُلَّeveryone مَنwho كَفَرdisbelieved
لَقَد سَرَّ لا أَهلاً بِهِ كُلَّ مَن كَفَر
If his death-herald gladdened every believer with the news,
It also brought misery to every disbeliever
He surely gladdened—no welcome to him—everyone who disbelieved.
He announced the death of the lion amidst fierce Ashwas
نَعىannounced the death of اللَيثَthe lion فيin ثِنيَيthe two folds of مُفاضَةِan ample coat of mail of أَشوَسٍa fierce-eyed warrior
نَعى اللَيثَ في ثِنيَي مُفاضَةِ أَشوَسٍ
شَديدَmighty in القُوىstrength داميbloodied الأَظافِرِthe claws بِالظَّفَرthrough victory
شَديدَ القُوى دامي الأَظافِرِ بِالظَّفَر
He announced a lion's death, within the folds of a fierce warrior's ample mail,
Powerful, bloody taloned, triumphant in war
Mighty in strength, his claws bloodied by victory.
Why blame the Muslims for their grief
وَكَيفَand how يُلامُare blamed المُسلِمونَthe Muslims عَلىfor الأَسىsorrow
وَكَيفَ يُلامُ المُسلِمونَ عَلى الأَسى
وَقَدand indeed عَدِمَhas lost الإِسلامُIslam ناصِرَهُits champion عُمَرUmar
وَقَد عَدِمَ الإِسلامُ ناصِرَهُ عُمَر
And how can Muslims be blamed for sorrow,
When Islam lost its champion for life?
When Islam has lost its champion, Umar?
He pried open the gates of disbelief by force
أَباحَlaid open ثُغورَthe frontier strongholds of الكُفرِunbelief بِالسَيفِwith the sword عَنوَةًby force
أَباحَ ثُغورَ الكُفرِ بِالسَيفِ عَنوَةً
وَسَدَّand sealed ثُغورَthe frontiers of السِلمِpeace بِالطَعنِwith spear-thrusts فيinto الثَغَرthe mouth
وَسَدَّ ثُغورَ السِلمِ بِالطَعنِ في الثَغَر
He laid open unbelief's frontiers with the sword, by force,
And blocked the gates of peace by stabbing in the throat
And sealed peace's frontiers with spear-thrusts into mouths.
The victorious king hoped to kill him in battle
رَجاhoped for قَتلَهُhis being slain المَلكُthe king المُظَفَّرُal-Muzaffar (the victorious) فيin الوَغىbattle
رَجا قَتلَهُ المَلكُ المُظَفَّرُ في الوَغى
شَهيداًas a martyr وَنارُand the fire of الحَربِwar طائِرَةُflying الشَرَرsparks
شَهيداً وَنارُ الحَربِ طائِرَةُ الشَرَر
King al-Muzaffar hoped to be slain in battle,
A martyr, amidst the burning sparks of war
A martyr, while the fire of war sent sparks flying.
But one gets only what Allah decreed
وَلَيسَand not يَنالُbefalls المَرءَa person شَيءٌanything سِوىexcept الَّذيthat which
وَلَيسَ يَنالُ المَرءَ شَيءٌ سِوى الَّذي
قَضاهُhas ordained it قَضاءُthe decree of اللَهِGod فيamong الخَلقِcreation وَالبَشَرand humankind
قَضاهُ قَضاءُ اللَهِ في الخَلقِ وَالبَشَر
And nothing befalls a man except what
In fate, for all people and mankind
God's decree has ordained for creation and humankind.
He would face the blades with his face
لَقَدindeed كانَhe used to يَلقىmeet المُرهَفاتِthe sharpened blades بِوَجهِهِwith his face
لَقَد كانَ يَلقى المُرهَفاتِ بِوَجهِهِ
وَسُمرَand the brown القَناlances بِالصَدرِwith the breast فيin الوِردِthe advance وَالصَدَرand the withdrawal
وَسُمرَ القَنا بِالصَدرِ في الوِردِ وَالصَدَر
Indeed, he would meet sharpened blades with his face,
And the spears with his chest, in fray and attack
And brown lances with his breast, in advance and withdrawal.
Their hands would tremble with awe of him
وَتُرعِشُand makes tremble أَيديهِمtheir hands مَهابَتُهُhis awe-inspiring presence فَماso no
وَتُرعِشُ أَيديهِم مَهابَتُهُ فَما
لِضَربِهِمof their blows وَالطَعنِand spear-thrusts فيon جِسمِهِhis body أَثَرa trace
لِضَربِهِم وَالطَعنِ في جِسمِهِ أَثَر
And the awe he inspired made their hands tremble, so no
Their blows and stabs had no effect on his body
Trace of their blows and thrusts marked his body.
He would drive back the great army alone
وَكانَand he used to يَرُدّdrive back الجَحفَلَthe army المَجرَthe massive وَحدَهُby himself
وَكانَ يَرُدّ الجَحفَلَ المَجرَ وَحدَهُ
يَمَسّونَthey touch بِالأَيديwith the hands الظُهورَthe backs مِنَfrom الخَوَرfaintheartedness
يَمَسّونَ بِالأَيدي الظُهورَ مِنَ الخَوَر
And alone he would drive back the massive host,
They touched only his back as he retreated
They felt their backs with their hands out of faintheartedness.
When the Ayyubid king submitted, we were not
إِذاif سَلِمَis safe المَلكُthe king ابنُson of أَيّوبَAyyub لَمnot نُبَلwe care
إِذا سَلِمَ المَلكُ ابنُ أَيّوبَ لَم نُبَل
بِمَنfor whoever باشَرَتهُhave touched him الحادِثاتُcalamities مِنَamong البَشَرhumankind
بِمَن باشَرَتهُ الحادِثاتُ مِنَ البَشَر
If the king, Ibn Ayyub, remains safe, we care not
Impacted by worldly events and people
For any mortal whom calamities have touched.
Indeed, Salahuddin was refuge for the faith
وَإِنَّand indeed صَلاحَSalah الدينِal-Din لِلدينِfor the faith مَوئِلٌa refuge
وَإِنَّ صَلاحَ الدينِ لِلدينِ مَوئِلٌ
وَرُكنٌand a pillar شَديدٌstrong عاصِمٌa protector حينَwhen لاno وَزَرshelter
وَرُكنٌ شَديدٌ عاصِمٌ حينَ لا وَزَر
And indeed Salah al-Din is a refuge for the faith,
A firm pillar, protecting when none took responsibility
And a strong pillar, a protector when there is no shelter.
Truly, all prey is found amongst the creation
أَجَلyes إِنَّindeed كُلَّall الصَيدِgame يوجَدُis found فيin الفَرىthe wild ass
أَجَل إِنَّ كُلَّ الصَيدِ يوجَدُ في الفَرى
فَأَينَso where لِحِزبِfor the faction of الشِّركِpolytheism مِنfrom حَربِهِhis war المَفَرescape
فَأَينَ لِحِزبِ الشِّركِ مِن حَربِهِ المَفَر
Yes, all game is found in the wild ass;
So where can the party of polytheism escape his war?
Where, then, can the faction of polytheism flee from his war?
The existence of Salahuddin, over all things lost
بَقاءُthe survival of صَلاحِSalah الدينِal-Din مِنfor كُلِّevery فائِتٍlost one
بَقاءُ صَلاحِ الدينِ مِن كُلِّ فائِتٍ
لَناfor us عِوَضٌcompensation فَاِصبِرso be patient فَطوبىso blessedness لِمَنfor whoever صَبَرendures
لَنا عِوَضٌ فَاِصبِر فَطوبى لِمَن صَبَر
The survival of Salah al-Din, for every loss,
Is solace, so be patient - blessed is the patient one
Is compensation for us; be patient—blessed is whoever endures.
People before us left their loved ones
فَقَدfor indeed فارَقَhave parted from الناسُpeople الأَحِبَّةَthe loved ones قَبلَناbefore us
فَقَد فارَقَ الناسُ الأَحِبَّةَ قَبلَنا
وَأَعياand proved elusive دَواءُa cure for المَوتِdeath فيamong البَدوِnomads وَالحَضَرand townsfolk
وَأَعيا دَواءُ المَوتِ في البَدوِ وَالحَضَر
For people have parted from loved ones before us,
And death's cure failed, in both country and city
And a cure for death has proved elusive among nomads and townsfolk.
Take comfort, though comfort lessens grief
عَزاءًseek consolation وَإِنand although عَزَّis hard to find العَزاءُconsolation فَماfor not الأَسىgrief
عَزاءً وَإِن عَزَّ العَزاءُ فَما الأَسى
بِمُجدٍof any avail وَلاnor يُغنيavails البُكاءُweeping وَلاnor الحَذَرcaution
بِمُجدٍ وَلا يُغني البُكاءُ وَلا الحَذَر
Seek consolation, though consolation is hard to find, for grief is not
No glory in weeping or caution avails
Of any avail; neither weeping nor caution helps.
Partial English translation: 39 of 40 Arabic lines translated.