جَلَّgrew immense الأَسىthe grief فَتَجَمَّليso compose yourself
جَلَّ الأَسى فَتَجَمَّلي
وَإِذاand if أَبَيتِyou refuse فَأَجمِليthen act with grace
وَإِذا أَبَيتِ فَأَجمِلي
Grief is immense; bear it with dignity.
Anguish prevails, so beautify yourself,
And if you refuse, then mourn with grace.
And if you refuse, then do gracefully.
ياO مِصرُEgypt قَدindeed أَودىperished فَتاyoung man (continued)
يا مِصرُ قَد أَودى فَتا
كِyour (possessive suffix) وَلاand no فَتىًyoung man إِلّاexcept عَليAli
كِ وَلا فَتىً إِلّا عَلي
O Egypt, your young man has perished,
O Egypt, a knight of yours has perished,
and there is no young man but Ali.
And no knight remains except Ali.
قَدindeed ماتَdied نابِغَةُthe prodigy القَضاthe judiciary (continued)
قَد ماتَ نابِغَةُ القَضا
ءِending of 'the judiciary' وَغابَand vanished بَدرُthe full moon المَحفِلِthe gathering
ءِ وَغابَ بَدرُ المَحفِلِ
The prodigy of the judiciary has died,
The star judge has died,
and the full moon of the gathering has vanished.
And the full moon of gatherings has set.
وَعَداand assailed القَضاءُfate عَلىagainst القَضاthe judiciary (continued)
وَعَدا القَضاءُ عَلى القَضا
ءِending of 'the judiciary' فَصابَهُso it struck it فيin المَقتَلِthe fatal spot
ءِ فَصابَهُ في المَقتَلِ
Fate assailed the judiciary,
Fate has turned against fate,
and struck it at its vital point.
So it met its death.
حَلّالُunraveler عَقدِthe knot المُعضِلاthe difficult problems (continued)
حَلّالُ عَقدِ المُعضِلا
تِending of 'difficult problems' قَضىdied بِداءٍof a disease مُعضِلِintractable
تِ قَضى بِداءٍ مُعضِلِ
The unraveler of tangled problems
Solver of intricate problems,
died of an intractable disease.
He judged with an intricate remedy.
وَيحَalas for الكِنانَةِthe Quiver (Egypt) ماwhat لَهاis the matter with her
وَيحَ الكِنانَةِ ما لَها
فيin غَمرَةٍan engulfing turmoil لاnot تَنجَليclears away
في غَمرَةٍ لا تَنجَلي
Alas for Egypt, the Quiver—why is she
Alas for femininity, it has no place
in a turmoil that will not clear?
In deep darkness that does not clear.
باتَتshe spent the night وَكارِثَةٌand a calamity تَمُرpasses (continued)
باتَت وَكارِثَةٌ تَمُر
رُending of 'passes' بِهاover her وَكارِثَةٌand a calamity تَليfollows
رُ بِها وَكارِثَةٌ تَلي
She spent the night as one calamity passed
One calamity passes by,
over her, and another followed.
While another follows.
ياO زَهرَةَflower الماضيthe past وَياand O
يا زَهرَةَ الماضي وَيا
رَيحانَةَsweet basil المُستَقبَلِthe future
رَيحانَةَ المُستَقبَلِ
O flower of the past, and O
O flower of the past, and O basil
sweet basil of the future!
Of the future,
كُنّاwe were نُعِدُّكِwe prepare you لِلشَداfor the hardships (continued)
كُنّا نُعِدُّكِ لِلشَدا
ئِدِending of 'hardships' فيin الزَمانِthe time المُقبِلِto come
ئِدِ في الزَمانِ المُقبِلِ
We were preparing you for hardships
We expected you for feasts
in the time to come.
In the coming times.
ياO لابِسَwearer الخُلُقِcharacter الكَريnoble (continued)
يا لابِسَ الخُلُقِ الكَري
مِending of 'noble' المُطمَئِنِّserene الأَمثَلِmost exemplary
مِ المُطمَئِنِّ الأَمثَلِ
O you clad in noble character,
O you of noble character, reassuring, ideal,
serene and exemplary.
You left us when we needed you, and did not linger.
فارَقتَناyou left us فيin حينِthe time حاneed (continued)
فارَقتَنا في حينِ حا
جَتِناcompletion of 'our need' وَلَمand did not تَتَمَهَّلِyou linger
جَتِنا وَلَم تَتَمَهَّلِ
You left us in our hour of
O you who endured adversity bravely,
need, and did not linger.
Shooter of the bow of the hero.
ياO رامِياًone aiming at صَدرَthe heart الصِعاthe difficulties (continued)
يا رامِياً صَدرَ الصِعا
بِending of 'difficulties' رَماكَshot you راميthe shooter of الأَجدَلِthe falcon
بِ رَماكَ رامي الأَجدَلِ
O you who aimed at the heart of difficulties,
O you who kept intimate secrets
the one who shoots the falcon has shot you.
And were generous in speech.
ياO حافِظاًone keeping faith غَيبَabsence الصَديthe friend (continued)
يا حافِظاً غَيبَ الصَدي
قِending of 'the friend' وَياand O كَريمَnoble المِقوَلِthe tongue
قِ وَيا كَريمَ المِقوَلِ
O you who kept faith with an absent friend,
Which praise is still too little
and O noble of tongue!
For your attire, that did not adorn itself?
أَيُّwhich المَحامِدِpraiseworthy qualities غَضَّةًfresh
أَيُّ المَحامِدِ غَضَّةً
بِحُلاكَwith your graces لَمnot تَتَجَمَّلِadorned itself
بِحُلاكَ لَم تَتَجَمَّلِ
Which virtue, in its freshness,
Your peers play foolishly,
was not adorned with your graces?
While you set yourself apart.
تَلهوamuse themselves لِداتُكَyour peers بِالصِباin youth
تَلهو لِداتُكَ بِالصِبا
لَهواًin play وَأَنتَwhile you بِمَعزِلِin seclusion
لَهواً وَأَنتَ بِمَعزِلِ
Your peers frolic in their youth,
You pursue lasting, righteous deeds,
in play, while you stand apart.
And climb high indefatigably.
تَسعىyou strive وَراءَafter الباقِياthe enduring (continued)
تَسعى وَراءَ الباقِيا
تِending of 'the enduring' الصالِحاتِrighteous deeds وَتَعتَليand you rise
تِ الصالِحاتِ وَتَعتَلي
You strive after the enduring
You attained the knowledge of those gone by
good deeds, and rise,
And grasped the superiority of the first ones.
بَينَamong المَحابِرِthe inkwells وَالدَفاand the notebooks (continued)
بَينَ المَحابِرِ وَالدَفا
تِرِending of 'the notebooks' دائِباًunceasingly diligent لاnot تَأتَليyou slacken
تِرِ دائِباً لا تَأتَلي
amid inkwells and
Your lowest goal is an ambition
notebooks, ever diligent, never flagging.
Above the highest summit.
أَدرَكتَyou attained عِلمَthe knowledge الآخِريthe later ones (continued)
أَدرَكتَ عِلمَ الآخِري
نَending of 'the later ones' وَحُزتَand you gained فَضلَthe excellence الأَوَّلِthe first
نَ وَحُزتَ فَضلَ الأَوَّلِ
You mastered the learning of later generations,
And your highest purpose is to see
and gained the excellence of the earliest.
Egypt prevail and climb high.
أَدنىthe least of مَرامِكَyour aim هِمَّةٌhigh aspiration
أَدنى مَرامِكَ هِمَّةٌ
فَوقَabove السِماكِal-Simak (Spica) الأَعزَلِthe Unarmed
فَوقَ السِماكِ الأَعزَلِ
The least of your aims was an aspiration
The loved ones have passed on after
above al-Simak, the Unarmed Star.
Leaving me with grief and sorrow.
وَأَجَلُّand the loftiest قَصدِكَyour purpose أَنto تَرىyou see
وَأَجَلُّ قَصدِكَ أَن تَرى
مِصراًEgypt تَسودُshe holds sway وَتَعتَليand she rises
مِصراً تَسودُ وَتَعتَلي
And your loftiest purpose was to see
After them I do not have
Egypt hold sway and rise.
A life, and I did not pretend.
دَرَجَpassed away الأَحِبَّةُthe loved ones بَعدَafter ماthat (clause marker)
دَرَجَ الأَحِبَّةُ بَعدَ ما
تَرَكواthey left الأَسىgrief وَالحُزنَand sorrow ليfor me
تَرَكوا الأَسى وَالحُزنَ لي
The loved ones departed after
Every year I stop and grieve
leaving grief and sorrow for me.
For the one who has moved on.
لَمnot يَحلُwas sweet ليto me مِنfrom بَعدِهِمafter them
لَم يَحلُ لي مِن بَعدِهِم
عَيشٌlife وَلَمand not أَتَعَلَّلِI found solace
عَيشٌ وَلَم أَتَعَلَّلِ
After they were gone, I found no sweetness
I cry with the weeping of bereft women,
in life, nor did I find solace.
And I complain as much as I complain.
ليfor me كُلَّevery عامٍyear وَقفَةٌa pause
لي كُلَّ عامٍ وَقفَةٌ
حَرّىburning with grief عَلىover مُتَرَحِّلِone departed
حَرّى عَلى مُتَرَحِّلِ
Each year I stand in mourning,
The day I lost him, determination
burning with grief for one departed.
Did not abandon me.
أَبكيI weep بُكاءَthe weeping الثاكِلاbereaved mothers (continued)
أَبكي بُكاءَ الثاكِلا
تِending of 'bereaved mothers' وَأَصطَليand I suffer scorching ماwhat أَصطَليI suffer scorching
تِ وَأَصطَلي ما أَصطَلي
I weep as bereaved mothers weep,
A gloomy day has passed
and endure the searing pain I endure.
With a knight in his prime.
لَمnot يُبقِleft ليto me يَومُthe day الفَقيthe departed (continued)
لَم يُبقِ لي يَومُ الفَقي
دِending of 'the departed' عَزيمَةًa resolve لَمnot تُفلَلِwas blunted
دِ عَزيمَةً لَم تُفلَلِ
The day of bereavement left me
Who did not witness its horror
no resolve that had not been blunted.
When the decree descended?
يَومٌa day عَبوسٌgrim-faced قَدindeed مَضىpassed
يَومٌ عَبوسٌ قَد مَضى
بِفَتىًwith a young man أَغَرَّwhite-blazed مُحَجَّلِwhite-marked of limb
بِفَتىً أَغَرَّ مُحَجَّلِ
A grim-faced day has passed,
He does not know what the breaking of backs is,
carrying off a youth, bright-browed and white-marked of limb.
Nor the sagging of joints.
مَنwhoever لَمnot يُشاهِدwitnessed هَولَهُits terror
مَن لَم يُشاهِد هَولَهُ
عِندَat القَضاءِthe decree المُنزَلِsent down
عِندَ القَضاءِ المُنزَلِ
Whoever did not witness its terror
O grave, shame on you, what you have done
when the decree descended
To his radiant face!
لَمnot يَدرِknew ماwhat قَصمُthe breaking الظُهوbacks (continued)
لَم يَدرِ ما قَصمُ الظُهو
رِending of 'backs' وَلاnor اِنخِزالُthe sundering المَفصِلِthe joint
رِ وَلا اِنخِزالُ المَفصِلِ
knows nothing of the breaking of backs,
You have frowned at a glow
nor of a joint torn apart.
That was meadows of beauty.
ياO قَبرُgrave وَيحَكَwoe to you ماwhat صَنَعdid (continued)
يا قَبرُ وَيحَكَ ما صَنَع
تَyou (verb ending) بِوَجهِهِto his face المُتَهَلِّلِbeaming
تَ بِوَجهِهِ المُتَهَلِّلِ
O grave, woe to you! What have you done
And you have corrupted, from him, a innocence
to his beaming face?
That did not detach.
عَبَّستَyou made frown مِنهُof him نَضرَةًfresh radiance
عَبَّستَ مِنهُ نَضرَةً
كانَتwas رِياضَgardens المُجتَليthe beholder
كانَت رِياضَ المُجتَلي
You made his fresh radiance frown,
O grave, has time played
which had been gardens for the beholder.
With the softness of those fingers?
وَعَبَثتَand you tampered مِنهُof him بِطُرَّةٍwith a forelock
وَعَبَثتَ مِنهُ بِطُرَّةٍ
سَوداءَblack لَمّاnot yet تَنصُلِlose its color
سَوداءَ لَمّا تَنصُلِ
And you tampered with a forelock of his,
In distress, I yearn for them, flowing
black, not yet faded.
Like a stream.
ياO قَبرُgrave هَلwhether لَعِبَplayed البِلىdecay
يا قَبرُ هَل لَعِبَ البِلى
بِلِطافِwith the delicate ones تِلكَthose الأَنمُلِfingers
بِلِطافِ تِلكَ الأَنمُلِ
O grave, has decay played
In hardship, I long for them to solve
with those delicate fingers?
Knotty problems.
لَهفيmy grief عَلَيهاfor them فيon الطُروthe pages (continued)
لَهفي عَلَيها في الطُرو
سِending of 'the pages' تَسيلُthey flow سَيلَthe flow الجَدوَلِthe stream
سِ تَسيلُ سَيلَ الجَدوَلِ
How I mourn them upon the pages,
I yearn for them for hope
flowing as a stream flows!
And for questioning youth.
لَهفيmy grief عَلَيهاfor them فيin الجِداdebate (continued)
لَهفي عَلَيها في الجِدا
لِending of 'debate' تَحُلُّthey untie عَقدَthe knot المُشكِلِthe difficult problem
لِ تَحُلُّ عَقدَ المُشكِلِ
How I mourn them in debate,
O grave, your guest among us
untying the knot of a difficult problem!
Was the best expectation.
لَهفيmy grief عَلَيهاfor them لِلرَجاfor hope (continued)
لَهفي عَلَيها لِلرَجا
ءِending of 'hope' وَلِلعُفاةِand for those seeking gifts السُؤَّلِwho ask
ءِ وَلِلعُفاةِ السُؤَّلِ
How I mourn them, for hope's sake,
He did not become stingy when called
and for the needy who ask!
Nor pretend to be lowly.
ياO قَبرُgrave ضَيفُكَyour guest بَينَناamong us
يا قَبرُ ضَيفُكَ بَينَنا
قَدindeed كانَwas خَيرَthe best مُؤَمَّلِone in whom hope is placed
قَد كانَ خَيرَ مُؤَمَّلِ
O grave, your guest, while among us,
I made his abode my own,
was the best in whom to place our hopes.
So I lodged in the best lodging.
لَمnot يَنقَبِضhe withdrew كِبراًout of pride بِناin the assembly (continued)
لَم يَنقَبِض كِبراً بِنا
ديهِcompletion of 'his assembly' وَلَمand not يَتَبَذَّلِhe demeaned himself
ديهِ وَلَم يَتَبَذَّلِ
He was not aloof with pride in his
And I drank from his character,
assembly, nor did he demean himself.
So I attained the sweetest spring.
إِنّيindeed I حَلَلتُentered رِحابَهُhis spacious courtyards
إِنّي حَلَلتُ رِحابَهُ
فَنَزَلتُso I alighted أَكرَمَthe most gracious مَنزِلِabode
فَنَزَلتُ أَكرَمَ مَنزِلِ
I entered his spacious courtyards,
and alighted at the most gracious abode.
وَنَهِلتُand I drank my fill مِنfrom أَخلاقِهِhis virtues
وَنَهِلتُ مِن أَخلاقِهِ
فَوَرَدتُso I came to drink أَعذَبَthe sweetest مَنهَلِwatering place
فَوَرَدتُ أَعذَبَ مَنهَلِ
And I drank my fill of his virtues,
and so came to the sweetest watering place.
Partial English translation: 74 of 78 Arabic lines translated.