ياO اِبنَson of عَبدِAbd (servant of) السَلامِal-Salam (Peace) لاmay not كانَhave existed يَومٌa day
يا اِبنَ عَبدِ السَلامِ لا كانَ يَومٌ
غِبتَyou were absent فيهِon it عَنfrom هالَةِthe halo of الأَحرارِfree men
غِبتَ فيهِ عَن هالَةِ الأَحرارِ
O son of Abd al-Salam, would that the day had never come
when you vanished from the halo of free men.
كُنتَyou were فيهِمamong them كَالرُمحِlike a spear بَأساًin strength وَليناًand suppleness
كُنتَ فيهِم كَالرُمحِ بَأساً وَليناً
كُنتَyou were فيهِمamong them كَالكَوكَبِlike a star السَيّارِwandering
كُنتَ فيهِم كَالكَوكَبِ السَيّارِ
You were among them like a spear in strength and suppleness;
you were among them like a wandering star.
ياO عَريقَdeep-rooted in الأُصولِancestry وَالحَسَبِand lineage الوَthe— (begins 'illustrious')
يا عَريقَ الأُصولِ وَالحَسَبِ الوَ
ضاحِ—illustrious (completes preceding word) وَالنُبلِand nobility ياO كَريمَgenerous in الجِوارِneighborliness
ضاحِ وَالنُبلِ يا كَريمَ الجِوارِ
O you of deep-rooted ancestry and lineage
illustrious, and nobility—O gracious neighbor!
كُنتَyou were فَرعاًa branch بِدَوحَةِin the great tree of العِزِّhonor تَأويtake shelter
كُنتَ فَرعاً بِدَوحَةِ العِزِّ تَأوي
تَحتَbeneath أَفنانِهِits boughs عُفاةُseekers of bounty الدِيارِthe land
تَحتَ أَفنانِهِ عُفاةُ الدِيارِ
You were a branch on the great tree of honor, sheltering
beneath its boughs the land's seekers of bounty.
قَصَفَتهُsnapped it المَنونُdeath وَهوَwhile it was نَضيرٌflourishing
قَصَفَتهُ المَنونُ وَهوَ نَضيرٌ
مورِقٌleafy عودُهُits stem جَنِيُّripe for picking الثِمارِfruit
مورِقٌ عودُهُ جَنِيُّ الثِمارِ
Death snapped it while it was still flourishing,
its stem leafy, its fruit ripe for picking.
كُنتَyou used to تَأسوheal جِراحَهُمtheir wounds وَتَقيهِمand protect them
كُنتَ تَأسو جِراحَهُم وَتَقيهِم
وَتُقيلُand pardon العِثارَmissteps عِندَat the time of العِثارِstumbling
وَتُقيلُ العِثارَ عِندَ العِثارِ
You used to heal their wounds and protect them,
and pardon their missteps whenever they stumbled.
خانَbetrayed نُطقيmy speech وَلَمand did not تَخُنّيbetray me دُموعيmy tears
خانَ نُطقي وَلَم تَخُنّي دُموعي
لَهفَanguish of نَفسيmy soul فَقَصَّرَتso fell short أَشعاريmy verses
لَهفَ نَفسي فَقَصَّرَت أَشعاري
My speech betrayed me, but my tears did not;
my soul's anguish left my verses falling short.
غَيرُnot بِدعٍa strange thing إِذاif نَظَمتُI compose رِثائيmy elegy
غَيرُ بِدعٍ إِذا نَظَمتُ رِثائي
فيabout صَديقيmy friend مِنَfrom الدُموعِtears الجَواريflowing
في صَديقي مِنَ الدُموعِ الجَواري
It is no wonder if I weave my elegy
for my friend from flowing tears.
فَمِنَfor, among الحُزنِgrief ماthat which يَدُكُّcrushes الرَواسيthe firmly rooted mountains
فَمِنَ الحُزنِ ما يَدُكُّ الرَواسي
وَمِنَand among الحُزنِgrief ماthat which يَهُدُّlays low الضَواريferocious beasts
وَمِنَ الحُزنِ ما يَهُدُّ الضَواري
For some grief crushes the firmly rooted mountains,
and some grief lays low ferocious beasts.
Translation model: Sol 6.1