لِلَّهِto God دَرُّكَyour excellence كُنتَyou were مِنof رَجُلِa man
لِلَّهِ دَرُّكَ كُنتَ مِن رَجُلِ
لَوif أَمهَلَتكَgranted you respite غَوائِلُthe ravages of الأَجَلِdeath
لَو أَمهَلَتكَ غَوائِلُ الأَجَلِ
God bless you—what a man you would have been,
God be praised! You were a remarkable man,
Had death's ravages granted you respite!
Had fate let you live, despite life's trials.
خُلُقٌcharacter كَأَنفاسِlike the breaths of الرِياضِthe gardens إِذاwhen
خُلُقٌ كَأَنفاسِ الرِياضِ إِذا
أَسحَرنَthey enter dawn غِبَّafter العارِضِthe rain-cloud الهَطِلِpouring
أَسحَرنَ غِبَّ العارِضِ الهَطِلِ
A character like the breaths of gardens when
A character like gentle morning breezes
They greet dawn after a rain-cloud's downpour;
Scenting light rain on dawn's dripping hills.
وَشَمائِلٌand qualities لَوif أَنَّهاthat they مُزِجَتwere blended
وَشَمائِلٌ لَو أَنَّها مُزِجَت
بِطَبائِعِwith the tempers of الأَيّامِthe days لَمnot تَحُلِchange
بِطَبائِعِ الأَيّامِ لَم تَحُلِ
And qualities which, if they were blended
And qualities - had they but mingled
With the tempers of the days, would never change;
With the nature of days, no ill could come.
جَمُّabundant in المَحامِدِpraiseworthy qualities غَيرُnot مُتَّهَمٍsuspect
جَمُّ المَحامِدِ غَيرُ مُتَّهَمٍ
جَمُّabundant in التَواضُعِhumility غَيرُnot مُبتَذَلِdebased
جَمُّ التَواضُعِ غَيرُ مُبتَذَلِ
Abundant in merits, above suspicion,
Praiseworthy in full - no blame attaches.
Abundant in humility, yet never debased.
Humble in full - no affectation there.
ياO دَولَةَrealm of الأَخلاقِvirtues رافِلَةًwalking in finery
يا دَولَةَ الأَخلاقِ رافِلَةً
مِنfrom قاسِمٍQasim فيin أَبهَجِthe loveliest الحُلَلِrobes
مِن قاسِمٍ في أَبهَجِ الحُلَلِ
O realm of virtue, walking proudly
O pillar of sublime traits! Profuse
In the loveliest robes bestowed by Qasim,
Garment of Qasim in most splendid robes!
كَيفَhow اِنطَوَيتِyou were folded away بِهِwith him عَلىin عَجَلٍhaste
كَيفَ اِنطَوَيتِ بِهِ عَلى عَجَلٍ
أَكَذاis this how تَكونُare مَصارِعُthe downfalls of الدُوَلِkingdoms
أَكَذا تَكونُ مَصارِعُ الدُوَلِ
How were you folded away with him so swiftly?
How swiftly you went - no chance to choose,
Is this how kingdoms meet their downfall?
Thus kingdoms' fates are overturned and change.
ياO طالِعاًrising star لِلشَرقِfor the East لَجَّpersisted بِهِagainst him
يا طالِعاً لِلشَرقِ لَجَّ بِهِ
نَحسُill fortune of النُحوسِill fortunes فَقَرَّso he settled فيin زُحَلِSaturn
نَحسُ النُحوسِ فَقَرَّ في زُحَلِ
O star rising for the East, so relentlessly pursued by
O rising in the east! 111 luck clung to you,
The direst ill fortune that you settled in Saturn!
Misfortune compounded your dire event.
هَلّاwhy did you not وَصَلتَcontinue سُراكَyour night journey مُنتَقِلاًmoving onward
هَلّا وَصَلتَ سُراكَ مُنتَقِلاً
عَلَّperhaps السُعودِgood fortunes تَكونُare فيin النُقَلِthe shifts
عَلَّ السُعودِ تَكونُ في النُقَلِ
Why did you not continue your night journey, moving on?
Why did you not join your kin migrating?
Perhaps good fortune lay in those shifts.
The Glory's welcome would greet your advent.
ماwhat ليis with me أَرىI see الأَجداثَthe graves حالِيَةًadorned
ما لي أَرى الأَجداثَ حالِيَةً
وَأَرىand I see رُبوعَthe lands of النيلِthe Nile فيin عَطَلِlack of adornment
وَأَرى رُبوعَ النيلِ في عَطَلِ
Why do I see the graves adorned,
Why do I see the Nile lands inactive
And see the Nile's lands stripped of adornment?
While bounty floods the fields in cessation?
فَإِذاand whenever الكِنانَةُthe Quiver (Egypt) أَطلَعَتbrings forth رَجُلاًa man
فَإِذا الكِنانَةُ أَطلَعَت رَجُلاً
طاحَstruck down القَضاءُfate بِذَلِكَupon that الرَجُلِman
طاحَ القَضاءُ بِذَلِكَ الرَجُلِ
And whenever Egypt, the Quiver, brings forth a man,
When Fate allowed a man of high station,
Fate strikes that man down.
Destiny felled him in that disposition.
أَوَand is it that كُلَّماwhenever أَرسَلتُI sent مَرثِيَةًan elegy
أَوَ كُلَّما أَرسَلتُ مَرثِيَةً
مِنfrom أَدمُعيmy tears فيin إِثرِthe wake of مُرتَحِلِone departed
مِن أَدمُعي في إِثرِ مُرتَحِلِ
And must it be that whenever I send an elegy
Or whenever I sent an elegy
Of my tears in the wake of one departed,
Weeping after one departed,
هاجَتstirred بِيَwithin me الأُخرىanother دَفينَburied أَسىًsorrow
هاجَت بِيَ الأُخرى دَفينَ أَسىً
فَوَصَلتُso I joined بَينَbetween مَدامِعِtear-streams of المُقَلِthe eyes
فَوَصَلتُ بَينَ مَدامِعِ المُقَلِ
Another stirs buried sorrow within me,
Another stirred in me, buried grief,
So I link the tear-streams of my eyes?
And I joined tears shed in consolation.
إِنif خانَنيbetrayed me فيماin what فَجِعتُI was bereaved بِهِby it
إِن خانَني فيما فَجِعتُ بِهِ
شِعريmy poetry فَهَذاthen this الدَمعُthe tears يَشفَعُintercede ليfor me
شِعري فَهَذا الدَمعُ يَشفَعُ لي
If, in the loss that struck me, I am failed by
If, in my sorrow, my poetry fails me,
My poetry, then these tears intercede for me.
Then these tears will intercede for me.
وَلَقَدand indeed أَقولُI say وَماand not يُطاوِلُنيrivals me
وَلَقَد أَقولُ وَما يُطاوِلُني
عِندَin البَديهَةِimpromptu speech قَولُthe words of مُرتَجِلِan improviser
عِندَ البَديهَةِ قَولُ مُرتَجِلِ
And I do say—nor can I be rivaled
And indeed I say what comes to my tongue -
In impromptu speech by any improviser's words—
With spontaneity the amateur's speech.
ياO مُرسِلَutterer of الأَمثالِproverbs يَضرِبُهاhe sets them forth
يا مُرسِلَ الأَمثالِ يَضرِبُها
قَدindeed عَزَّbecame rare بَعدَكَafter you مُرسِلُan utterer of المَثَلِthe proverb
قَد عَزَّ بَعدَكَ مُرسِلُ المَثَلِ
O utterer of proverbs, who sets them forth,
O you who spoke wisdom in analogy!
After you, an utterer of proverbs is hard to find.
None can replace you, maker of examples.
ياO رائِشَfletcher of الآراءِopinions صائِبَةًhitting the mark
يا رائِشَ الآراءِ صائِبَةً
يَرميhe shoots بِهِنَّwith them مَقاتِلَthe vital spots of الخَطَلِfolly
يَرمي بِهِنَّ مَقاتِلَ الخَطَلِ
O fletcher of opinions that strike true,
O you whose opinions hit their mark!
Who shoots them at the vital spots of folly,
To whom the archers' errors were laughable.
لِلَّهِto God آراءٌopinions شَأَوتَyou outstripped بِهاwith them
لِلَّهِ آراءٌ شَأَوتَ بِها
فيamong الخالِدينَthe immortals نَوابِغَthe geniuses of الأُوَلِthe ancients
في الخالِدينَ نَوابِغَ الأُوَلِ
God bless the opinions with which you outstripped
God! Your insights by which you ennobled
The geniuses of old among the immortals!
The earliest sages of brilliant minds.
قَدindeed كُنتَyou were أَشقاناthe most wretched of us بِناbecause of us وَكَذاand so
قَد كُنتَ أَشقانا بِنا وَكَذا
يَشقىsuffers الأَبِيُّthe high-minded بِصُحبَةِin the company of الوَكَلِthe helpless
يَشقى الأَبِيُّ بِصُحبَةِ الوَكَلِ
You were the most wretched of us because of us; and so
You grieved us as children grieve their father -
The high-minded suffer in the company of the helpless.
The noble sire pained by his boy's defection.
لَهفيmy anguish عَلَيكَfor you قَضَيتَyou died مُرتَجِلاًsuddenly
لَهفي عَلَيكَ قَضَيتَ مُرتَجِلاً
لَمnot تَشكُyou complained لَمnot تَستَوصِyou left last wishes لَمnot تَقُلِyou spoke
لَم تَشكُ لَم تَستَوصِ لَم تَقُلِ
Alas for you! You died suddenly,
I bum for you - you departed suddenly,
Without complaint, last wishes, or a word.
Asked no advice, sent no instructions, said no farewells.
غَلَّshackled القَضاءُfate يَدَthe hand of القَضاءِjustice فَذاso this one
غَلَّ القَضاءُ يَدَ القَضاءِ فَذا
يَبكيweeps عَلَيكَfor you وَذاكَand that one فيin جَذَلِjoy
يَبكي عَلَيكَ وَذاكَ في جَذَلِ
Fate shackled the hand of Justice; the latter
Fate bound the hands of Fate - one weeps for you,
Weeps for you, while the former rejoices.
One helpless, though you lie in fetters still.
شَغَلَتكَoccupied you عَنaway from دُنياكَyour worldly life أَربَعَةٌfour things
شَغَلَتكَ عَن دُنياكَ أَربَعَةٌ
وَالمَرءُand a person مِنfrom دُنياهُhis worldly life فيin شُغُلِpreoccupation
وَالمَرءُ مِن دُنياهُ في شُغُلِ
Four things kept you from your worldly concerns,
Four preoccupied you away from your world,
Though a man is engrossed in his worldly affairs:
Though man's appointed lot is preoccupation.
حَقٌّa right تُناصِرُهُyou champion it وَمَفخَرَةٌand an honor
حَقٌّ تُناصِرُهُ وَمَفخَرَةٌ
تَمشيyou walk إِلَيهاtoward it غَيرَnot مُنتَحِلِa false claimant
تَمشي إِلَيها غَيرَ مُنتَحِلِ
A right you championed, and an honor
A truth you championed, a pride you sought,
You pursued without false pretension;
Facts of knowledge you pursued - no pretensions.
وَحَقائِقٌand truths لِلعِلمِof knowledge تَنشُدُهاyou seek them
وَحَقائِقٌ لِلعِلمِ تَنشُدُها
ماnot لِلحَكيمِfor the sage بِهِنَّregarding them مِنany قِبَلِability
ما لِلحَكيمِ بِهِنَّ مِن قِبَلِ
And truths of knowledge you sought,
A virtue others wearied of attaining
Beyond a sage's power to grasp;
Whose reach exceeded theirs, whom they did not befriend.
وَفَضيلَةٌand a virtue أَعيَتeluded سِواكَanyone but you فَلَمand not
وَفَضيلَةٌ أَعيَت سِواكَ فَلَم
تَمدُدextend إِلَيهِto him يَداًa hand وَلَمand not يَصِلِhe reaches
تَمدُد إِلَيهِ يَداً وَلَم يَصِلِ
And a virtue that eluded others, never
If an opinion came to you in private
Extending a hand to them, nor could they reach it.
Such things happen even to messengers.
إِنif رَيتَyou held رَأياًan opinion فيabout الحِجابِthe veil وَلَمand not
إِن رَيتَ رَأياً في الحِجابِ وَلَم
تُعصَمyou were kept from error فَتِلكَfor those are مَراتِبُthe ranks of الرُسُلِthe messengers
تُعصَم فَتِلكَ مَراتِبُ الرُسُلِ
If you held a view on the veil and were not
Judgement belongs to time, it is the arbiter
Infallible—those heights belong to the messengers—
Of what you saw - so sleep now, do not inquire!
الحُكمُjudgment لِلأَيّامِto the days مَرجِعُهُits final recourse
الحُكمُ لِلأَيّامِ مَرجِعُهُ
فيماconcerning what رَأَيتَyou held فَنَمso sleep وَلاand do not تَسَلِask
فيما رَأَيتَ فَنَم وَلا تَسَلِ
The final judgment belongs to the days
Thus the wise leave off their opinions,
On what you held; so sleep, and do not ask.
Abandoning them to time's patient ripening.
وَكَذاand thus طُهاةُthe cooks of الرَأيِthought تَترُكُهُleave it
وَكَذا طُهاةُ الرَأيِ تَترُكُهُ
لِلدَهرِto time يُنضِجُهُbrings it to maturity عَلىwith مَهَلِslowness
لِلدَهرِ يُنضِجُهُ عَلى مَهَلِ
And so the cooks of thought leave it
When you were right you were the best of men,
To time, which cooks it slowly.
Administering the cure in the seat of pain.
فَإِذاand if أَصَبتَyou were right فَأَنتَthen you are خَيرُthe finest فَتىًyoung man
فَإِذا أَصَبتَ فَأَنتَ خَيرُ فَتىً
وَضَعَplaced الدَواءَthe remedy مَواضِعَat the sites of العِلَلِthe ailments
وَضَعَ الدَواءَ مَواضِعَ العِلَلِ
And if you were right, you are the finest man
Sufficient for you is your noble reputation
To place the remedy where the ailments lie.
And the deeds you left in your mortal life.
أَولاor if not فَحَسبُكَthen sufficient for you ماwhat شَرُفتَyou gained honor بِهِthrough it
أَولا فَحَسبُكَ ما شَرُفتَ بِهِ
وَتَرَكتَand you left فيin دُنياكَyour worldly life مِنof عَمَلِwork
وَتَرَكتَ في دُنياكَ مِن عَمَلِ
Or if not, enough is what brought you honor
Alas for a house I passed by
And the work you left behind in your world.
Desolate, where roads converged in days gone by!
واهاًalas عَلىfor دارٍa house مَرَرتُI passed بِهاby it
واهاً عَلى دارٍ مَرَرتُ بِها
قَفراًdesolate وَكانَتand it had been مُلتَقىa meeting place of السُبُلِthe paths
قَفراً وَكانَت مُلتَقى السُبُلِ
Alas for a house I passed by,
There I squandered everything precious
Desolate, though once a meeting place of paths!
And called to mind halts where ruins lie.
أَرخَصتُI spent freely فيهاin it كُلَّevery غالِيَةٍprecious thing
أَرخَصتُ فيها كُلَّ غالِيَةٍ
وَذَكَرتُand I recalled فيهاin it وَقفَةَa vigil at الطَلَلِthe ruins
وَذَكَرتُ فيها وَقفَةَ الطَلَلِ
There I spent freely all that was precious,
I asked about Qasim - it was stubbornly silent,
And there recalled the vigil at the ruins.
Refusing answer - I left confused.
ساءَلتُهاI questioned it عَنabout قاسِمٍQasim فَأَبَتbut it refused
ساءَلتُها عَن قاسِمٍ فَأَبَت
رَدَّreturning الجَوابِthe answer فَرُحتُso I went away فيin خَبَلِbewilderment
رَدَّ الجَوابِ فَرُحتُ في خَبَلِ
I asked it about Qasim, but it refused
Stumbling, weakness overcame me,
To answer; so I went away distraught,
Sighing like a camel surfeited.
مُتَعَثِّراًstumbling يَنتابُنيassails me وَهَنٌweakness
مُتَعَثِّراً يَنتابُني وَهَنٌ
مُتَرَنِّحاًreeling كَالشارِبِlike a drinker الثَمِلِdrunk
مُتَرَنِّحاً كَالشارِبِ الثَمِلِ
Stumbling as weakness assailed me,
Remembering the day I took the Imam's side,
Reeling like a drunken drinker,
The day I stood with that hero.
مُتَذَكِّراًremembering يَومَthe day of الإِمامِthe Imam بِهِthrough him
مُتَذَكِّراً يَومَ الإِمامِ بِهِ
يَومَthe day اِنتَوَيتُI sought out بِذَلِكَthat البَطَلِhero
يَومَ اِنتَوَيتُ بِذَلِكَ البَطَلِ
Recalling through him the day of the Imam,
The day I sought reward, hoping
The day I sought out that hero,
To lie beneath the dust, a relic of hope!
يَومَthe day اِحتَسَبتُI accepted the loss وَكُنتُand I was ذاpossessed of أَمَلٍhope
يَومَ اِحتَسَبتُ وَكُنتُ ذا أَمَلٍ
تَحتَbeneath التُرابِthe earth بَقِيَّةَthe last remnant of الأَمَلِhope
تَحتَ التُرابِ بَقِيَّةَ الأَمَلِ
The day I mourned—though still a man of hope—
Dweller, join your beloved friends who left
The last remnant of hope beneath the earth.
With resolve, daring, action.
جاوِرdwell beside أَحِبَّتَكَyour loved ones الأُلىwho ذَهَبواdeparted
جاوِر أَحِبَّتَكَ الأُلى ذَهَبوا
بِالعَزمِwith resolve وَالإِقدامِand daring وَالعَمَلِand action
بِالعَزمِ وَالإِقدامِ وَالعَمَلِ
Dwell beside your loved ones, who departed,
Recall to them the land's need
Taking resolve, daring, and action with them.
For their guidance in events of magnitude.
وَاِذكُرand mention لَهُمto them حاجَthe need of البِلادِthe country إِلىfor
وَاِذكُر لَهُم حاجَ البِلادِ إِلى
تِلكَthose النُهىwise minds فيin الحادِثِthe calamity الجَلَلِgrave
تِلكَ النُهى في الحادِثِ الجَلَلِ
And tell them of the country's need for
Say to the Imam, when you meet
Those wise minds amid this grave calamity.
In the Gardens of Paradise, in noblest lodging:
قُلsay لِلإِمامِto the Imam إِذاwhen اِلتَقَيتَyou meet بِهِwith him
قُل لِلإِمامِ إِذا اِلتَقَيتَ بِهِ
فيin الجَنَّتَينِthe two Gardens بِأَكرَمِwith the noblest النُزُلِhospitality
في الجَنَّتَينِ بِأَكرَمِ النُزُلِ
Tell the Imam, when you meet him
"Truth has become the target
In the two Gardens, with the noblest hospitality:
Of riders upon the steeds of chance."
إِنَّindeed الحَقيقَةَtruth أَصبَحَتhas become هَدَفاًa target
إِنَّ الحَقيقَةَ أَصبَحَت هَدَفاً
لِلراكِبينَfor those riding مَراكِبَthe mounts of الزَلَلِerror
لِلراكِبينَ مَراكِبَ الزَلَلِ
Truth has become a target
God! There are traces of you
For those riding the mounts of error.
That eternal time proclaimed will never pass.
لِلَّهِto God آثارٌworks لَكُمof yours خَلَدَتendured
لِلَّهِ آثارٌ لَكُم خَلَدَت
صاحَcried out الزَوالُdisappearance بِهاto them فَلَمyet did not تَزُلِvanish
صاحَ الزَوالُ بِها فَلَم تَزُلِ
God bless the works of yours that have endured!
God! There were days for you
Oblivion cried out to them, yet they did not vanish.
Whose intimate knowledge lengthened, did not end.
لِلَّهِto God أَيّامٌdays لَكَمof yours دَرَجَتpassed away
لِلَّهِ أَيّامٌ لَكَم دَرَجَت
طالَتlasted long عَوارِفُهاtheir benefactions وَلَمyet did not تَطُلِlast long
طالَت عَوارِفُها وَلَم تَطُلِ
God bless the days of yours that passed!
Blessed shade! Would that it had lasted!
Their benefactions lasted long, though the days did not.
Or that a shade not shifted had been found!
نِعمَhow excellent الظِلالِthe shades لَوَif only اِنَّهاthat they بَقِيَتremained
نِعمَ الظِلالِ لَوَ اِنَّها بَقِيَت
أَوor أَنَّthat ظِلّاًa shade غَيرُnot مُنتَقِلِshifting away
أَو أَنَّ ظِلّاً غَيرُ مُنتَقِلِ
How fine the shades—if only they had remained,
Or if any shade could ever be unchanging!
Partial English translation: 82 of 84 Arabic lines translated.