هَيْهَاتِfar from possible! ماnot تُغْنِيavail القَنَابِلُthe squadrons والقَنَاand the spears
هَيْهَاتِ ما تُغْنِي القَنَابِلُ والقَنَا
والمَشْرَفِيَّةُand Mashrafi swords فيin مُلاقاةِconfronting المَنَىdeath
والمَشْرَفِيَّةُ في مُلاقاةِ المَنَى
In vain! Squadrons and spears avail nothing,
Alas! Bombs and cannons are of no avail,
nor do Mashrafi swords, when facing death.
Nor palatial dwellings, against death's assail;
فَعَلاَمَthen why تُسْتَاقُare driven العِتَاقُthe noble steeds وإنْand if جَرَىit races
فَعَلاَمَ تُسْتَاقُ العِتَاقُ وإنْ جَرَى
وَجَرَيْنَand they race جَاهِدَةًstraining وَنَيْنَthey tire وماand not وَنَىit tires
وَجَرَيْنَ جَاهِدَةً وَنَيْنَ وما وَنَى
Why, then, are noble steeds driven? If death races
Why long for freedom, though with zeal we toil,
and they race with all their might, they tire, while it does not.
When fate irresistible the weak and mighty foil?
وعَلاَمَand why تُجْتَابُare donned الدِّلاصُsmooth coats of mail فإنَّهاfor indeed they
وعَلاَمَ تُجْتَابُ الدِّلاصُ فإنَّها
لَيْسَتare not مَوانِعَbarriers سُمْرِهِits dusky spears أَنْthat تُطْعَنَاbe pierced
لَيْسَت مَوانِعَ سُمْرِهِ أَنْ تُطْعَنَا
And why don smooth coats of mail? They
Why seek deliverance from death's bitter cup?
cannot keep you from being pierced by death's dusky spears.
No fortress strong his poison'd shaft can keep out.
إنَّindeed المَنِيَّةَdeath ليسnot يُدْرَكُis grasped كُنْهُهَاits essence
إنَّ المَنِيَّةَ ليس يُدْرَكُ كُنْهُهَا
فَنَوَافِذُso the penetrating powers الأَفْهَامِof understanding قدindeed وَقَفَتْhave halted هُنَاhere
فَنَوَافِذُ الأَفْهَامِ قد وَقَفَتْ هُنَا
Indeed, death's essence cannot be grasped;
Death's nature is beyond all thought's ken;
so even penetrating minds have halted here.
Minds loftiest here must pause, their limits then.
فيin كلِّevery شيءٍthing للأَنَامِfor humankind مُحَذِّرٌa warner
في كلِّ شيءٍ للأَنَامِ مُحَذِّرٌ
ماwhat كانَhad حَذَرَهُwarned against it شُعَيْبٌShuʿayb مَدِيَنَاMidian
ما كانَ حَذَرَهُ شُعَيْبٌ مَدِيَنَا
In everything there is a warning for humankind
In everything a warning voice to man,
of what Shuʿayb once warned Midian against.
Like Shu'aib's to sinful Midian's tribe began:
وَحَيَاتُنَاand our life سِفَرٌa journey وَمَوْطِنُنَاand our homeland الرَّدَىdeath
وَحَيَاتُنَا سِفَرٌ وَمَوْطِنُنَا الرَّدَى
لَكِنْbut كَرِهْنَاwe disliked أَنْto نُحِلَّsettle in المَوْطِنَاthe homeland
لَكِنْ كَرِهْنَا أَنْ نُحِلَّ المَوْطِنَا
Our life is a journey, and death our homeland;
Our life's a journey, and death is our home;
but we have hated settling in that homeland.
Yet leaving it we sorrow and mourn.
والعَيْشُand life أَضْنَكُmore straitened إنْif تَعَذَّرَproves unattainable مَطْلَبٌa goal
والعَيْشُ أَضْنَكُ إنْ تَعَذَّرَ مَطْلَبٌ
كمhow many مِنْa ضِنَاكٍstout man فيin مَطَالِبِهِhis pursuits ضَنَىhas wasted away
كم مِنْ ضِنَاكٍ في مَطَالِبِهِ ضَنَى
Life grows harder when a goal proves unattainable;
Grievous is life if wishes denied,
how many a stout man has wasted away in his pursuits!
And many through fruitless cravings have died.
وَلَرُبَّماand often أَعْطَىyielded الزَّمانُtime مَقَادَهُits reins
وَلَرُبَّما أَعْطَى الزَّمانُ مَقَادَهُ
لاdo not تَيْأَسَنَّdespair فَرُبَّfor many a صَعْبٍdifficulty أَمْكَنَاbecame manageable
لا تَيْأَسَنَّ فَرُبَّ صَعْبٍ أَمْكَنَا
And time has often yielded its reins;
Perchance stern fate may yet some solace provide.
never despair: many a difficulty has become manageable.
Despair not, for the difficult hath been made easy.
لاno بُدَّescape أَنْthat تَتْلُوfollows الحياةَlife مَنِيَّةٌa death
لا بُدَّ أَنْ تَتْلُو الحياةَ مَنِيَّةٌ
مَنْwho شَكَّdoubts أَنَّthat اليومَday يُزْجِيbrings on المَوْهِنَاlate night
مَنْ شَكَّ أَنَّ اليومَ يُزْجِي المَوْهِنَا
Death must follow life;
Death must ensue; who doubts the dying day
who doubts that day brings on the night?
Will sweep all human grandeur away?
لاdo not تَرْجُhope for إبقاءَsparing البَقَاءِcontinued existence علىfor امرئٍanyone
لا تَرْجُ إبقاءَ البَقَاءِ على امرئٍ
كُلُّall النُّفُوْسِsouls تَحِلُّlodge in أَفْنيةَthe courtyards الفَنَاof annihilation
كُلُّ النُّفُوْسِ تَحِلُّ أَفْنيةَ الفَنَا
Do not expect continued existence to spare anyone;
Hope not for any to escape death's rule;
every soul lodges in annihilation's courtyards.
All souls must taste mortality's doom full.
تَجِدُyou find الحياةَlife نفيسةًprecious ونُفُوْسُنَاand our souls
تَجِدُ الحياةَ نفيسةً ونُفُوْسُنَا
غُرَباءُstrangers تَرْغَبُlong for عندهاwith it مُتَوَطَّنَاa home
غُرَباءُ تَرْغَبُ عندها مُتَوَطَّنَا
You find life precious, yet our souls
Though life looks fair, strangers to it are we,
are strangers longing for a home within it.
Who fain would make it our home, could it lasting be.
لَوْif أَنَّهَاthat they شَعَرَتْbecame aware لهاfor themselves وَسَقَتْgathered themselves دَرَتْwould know
لَوْ أَنَّهَا شَعَرَتْ لها وَسَقَتْ دَرَتْ
أنَّthat الوَفَاةَdeath هيis itself الحَيَاةُlife تَيَقُّنَاwith certainty
أنَّ الوَفَاةَ هي الحَيَاةُ تَيَقُّنَا
If they became aware and gathered themselves, they would know
Could life but feel, it then would surely know
that death is life itself, beyond all doubt.
Death is true life, did it but see this, I trow.
لكنَّهاbut they عَمِيَتْbecame blind ولمand did not تَرَsee رُشْدَهَاtheir right course
لكنَّها عَمِيَتْ ولم تَرَ رُشْدَهَا
ماnot كُلُّevery مَنْone who لَحَظَobserved الأمورَmatters تَبَيَّنَاdiscerned clearly
ما كُلُّ مَنْ لَحَظَ الأمورَ تَبَيَّنَا
But they have gone blind and have not seen their right course;
But blind is life; not all who see are wise,
not everyone who observes affairs understands them.
Else would it Myriam's fate philosophize.
فَتَبَصَّرَنَّso contemplate carefully مُصَابَthe loss سَيِّدَةِof the lady الوَرَىof humankind
فَتَبَصَّرَنَّ مُصَابَ سَيِّدَةِ الوَرَى
تُبْصِرْyou will see دَنَاءَةَthe baseness ذيof this الحياةِlife وذيand of these الدُّنَىworlds
تُبْصِرْ دَنَاءَةَ ذي الحياةِ وذي الدُّنَى
So contemplate the loss of the lady of humankind;
Consider well her glory's overthrow,
you will see the baseness of this life and these worlds.
The nothingness of life and pomp below.
أَعْظِمْhow immense بهit is مِنْa حادثٍcalamity جَبُنُواthey quailed لهbefore it
أَعْظِمْ به مِنْ حادثٍ جَبُنُوا له
ماnot ظَنَّthought قَبْلُpreviously شُجَاعُهُمْtheir brave man أنْthat يَجْبُنَاhe would quail
ما ظَنَّ قَبْلُ شُجَاعُهُمْ أنْ يَجْبُنَا
What a mighty calamity, before which they quailed!
Mightier than aught they dreaded hath been sent;
Their brave man had never before imagined he would quail.
E'en boldest hearts are now with terror rent.
وَتَرُواthey were bereaved وماand not عَلِمُواhad known بِوِتْرٍof a blood-debt ضَائِعٍunavenged
وَتَرُوا وما عَلِمُوا بِوِتْرٍ ضَائِعٍ
مَنْwho ذاis there يُطَالِبُdemands بالتِّرَاتِfor blood-debts الأزْمُنَاfrom the ages
مَنْ ذا يُطَالِبُ بالتِّرَاتِ الأزْمُنَا
They were bereaved, though they had never known an unavenged wrong;
They've cast away their arms, nor further care
who can demand blood-vengeance from the ages?
To seek midst future's ruins the arms they bare.
ذَابَتْmelted سُيُوفُهُمُtheir swords أَسىًwith grief فَظُبَاتُهاso their edges
ذَابَتْ سُيُوفُهُمُ أَسىً فَظُبَاتُها
تَحْكِيresemble المَدَامِعَtear ducts والجُفُوْنُand the scabbards الأجْفُنَاeyelids
تَحْكِي المَدَامِعَ والجُفُوْنُ الأجْفُنَا
Their swords melted in grief: their edges
Gone are the swords that flashed so bright of yore,
resemble tear ducts, and their scabbards eyelids.
Their sheaths now tell of grief and anguish sore.
وَتَقَصَّدَتْand splintered أَرْمَاحُهُمْtheir spears إنْif لمnot تَكُنْthey were
وَتَقَصَّدَتْ أَرْمَاحُهُمْ إنْ لم تَكُنْ
شَجَراًtrees وَشِيْكُswift المَوْتِdeath منهfrom them يُجْتَنَىis harvested
شَجَراً وَشِيْكُ المَوْتِ منه يُجْتَنَى
And their spears splintered—if they were not
Their spears are turned to rods, or soon will be
trees from which swift death was harvested.
Like some dead tree whose branches fuel may see.
لمdid not يَذْكُرُواmention إحْسَانَهَاher kindness إلاَّexcept that نَسُواthey forgot
لم يَذْكُرُوا إحْسَانَهَا إلاَّ نَسُوا
حُسْنَthe grace العَزَاءِof consolation وبَعْدَهَاand after her لَنْnever يَحْسُنَاwill be graceful
حُسْنَ العَزَاءِ وبَعْدَهَا لَنْ يَحْسُنَا
They never recalled her kindness without forgetting
They think not of her gracious deeds, but forget
the grace of consolation; after her, it will never be graceful.
Sweet solace; after her none shall comfort get.
فكأنَّماso it is as though أنفاسُهُمْtheir breaths وَمَقَالُهُمْand their speech
فكأنَّما أنفاسُهُمْ وَمَقَالُهُمْ
نارٌfire تُحَرِّقُburns بَيْنَهُمْamong them عُوْدَthe incense wood الثَّنَاof praise
نارٌ تُحَرِّقُ بَيْنَهُمْ عُوْدَ الثَّنَا
So it is as though their breaths and their speech
Their speech and breath like fire between them rage,
were fire burning among them the incense wood of praise.
Consuming friendly bonds in passion's furnace.
وماand not جَفَّdried مِنْof دَمْعٍtears عليهاfor her مَدْمَعٌa tear duct
وما جَفَّ مِنْ دَمْعٍ عليها مَدْمَعٌ
الحُزْنُgrief ماthat which وَالَىkept flowing الدَّمُوْعَthe tears الهُتَّنَاstreaming
الحُزْنُ ما وَالَى الدَّمُوْعَ الهُتَّنَا
No tear duct has dried of tears for her;
No tears in pity o'er her loss are shed,
grief is what keeps the streaming tears flowing.
Grief brooks no sympathy, its eyes are lead.
أَعَقِيْلَةَO noble lady الأَمْلاَكِof kings والمَلْكِand of the king الذيwho
أَعَقِيْلَةَ الأَمْلاَكِ والمَلْكِ الذي
لَبِسَdonned السَّناءُglory بهthrough him جَلابِيْبَrobes السَّنَاof radiance
لَبِسَ السَّناءُ به جَلابِيْبَ السَّنَا
O noble lady of kings and of the king through whom
Peerless queen of angels and on earth,
glory donned the robes of radiance!
With glory-robes the years for her gave birth.
فَسَقَاكِso may it water you مِثْلَlike نَدَاكِyour bounty أَوْor كَدُمُوْعِنَاlike our tears
فَسَقَاكِ مِثْلَ نَدَاكِ أَوْ كَدُمُوْعِنَا
مُزْنٌclouds يُعِيْدُrestore ثَرَاكِyour earth رَوْضَاًa meadow مُحْزَنَاgrief-stricken
مُزْنٌ يُعِيْدُ ثَرَاكِ رَوْضَاً مُحْزَنَا
So may you be watered with rain like your bounty or our tears,
Oh, may showers like your bounty, or our tears,
by clouds that turn your earth into a grief-stricken meadow.
Give to your tomb an ever-verdant place!
إنْif كُنْتِyou have مِتِّdied فَذَاthen here is ابنُكِyour son المَلِكُthe king الذيwho
إنْ كُنْتِ مِتِّ فَذَا ابنُكِ المَلِكُ الذي
يُحْييrevives البَرَايَاhumankind والعَطَايَاand gifts والمُنىand hopes
يُحْيي البَرَايَا والعَطَايَا والمُنى
If you have died, here is your son, the king who
Sadness your garden make bloom again,
revives humankind, largesse, and hopes.
Should you be dead; else live, oh precious queen!
كَثُرَتْmultiplied مَحَامِدُهُhis praiseworthy deeds فَحَقَّso was justified بهاby them اسمُهُhis name
كَثُرَتْ مَحَامِدُهُ فَحَقَّ بها اسمُهُ
وَأَدامَand sustained إحْياءَthe revival المَكَارِمِof noble deeds فاكتَنَىso he took a byname
وَأَدامَ إحْياءَ المَكَارِمِ فاكتَنَى
His praiseworthy deeds multiplied, justifying his name;
Your son, the king, whom praises fail to tell,
and he kept noble deeds alive, thus earning his byname.
Quickens dead wastes, and with good deeds doth excel.
فإذاso when بَنىbuild الأعداءُthe enemies هَدَّمَhe demolishes ماwhat بَنَواthey built
فإذا بَنى الأعداءُ هَدَّمَ ما بَنَوا
والدَّهْرُand time لاnot يَسْطِيعُcan يَهْدِمُdemolish ماwhat بَنَىhe built
والدَّهْرُ لا يَسْطِيعُ يَهْدِمُ ما بَنَى
So when the enemies build, he demolishes what they build;
Lauded by all, worthy he of his name,
yet time cannot demolish what he has built.
Noble deeds e'er performing, he lives in fame.
ياO أيُّهاyou المَلِكُthe king الذيwhose أوْصافُهُhis qualities
يا أيُّها المَلِكُ الذي أوْصافُهُ
تُعْييexhaust البليغَthe eloquent ولاand do not تُطِيْعُobey الألْسُنَاtongues
تُعْيي البليغَ ولا تُطِيْعُ الألْسُنَا
O king, whose qualities
Foes build in hate, he demolishes all,
exhaust the eloquent and will not obey tongues,
Time itself fails his structures great to appall.
إنْif كانhas عُظْمُthe enormity الرُّزْءِof loss أَصْبَحَdawned كافِراًunbelieving
إنْ كان عُظْمُ الرُّزْءِ أَصْبَحَ كافِراً
بِتَجَلُّدٍin fortitude لاdo not تُمْسِreach evening إلاَّexcept as مُؤْمِنَاa believer
بِتَجَلُّدٍ لا تُمْسِ إلاَّ مُؤْمِنَا
if the enormity of loss has dawned unbelieving
O king, your virtues no eloquence paint!
in fortitude, let evening find you only a believer.
Our tongues their limit here must represent.
صَبْراًpatience وإنْand though جَلَّis great المُصَابُthe calamity وَسَلْوَةًand solace
صَبْراً وإنْ جَلَّ المُصَابُ وَسَلْوَةً
فَإِلَيْهِمَاso toward both of them حَكَمَdecreed الحِجَىreason أنْthat تَركُنَاyou should lean
فَإِلَيْهِمَا حَكَمَ الحِجَى أنْ تَركُنَا
Be patient, however great the loss, and take solace;
If grief now seems of faithlessness the sign,
for reason decrees that you should lean on both.
Meet it with patience, longsuffering divine.
والدَّهْرُand time أَهْوَنُtoo petty أنْto يَجيْءَbring بحادثٍwith a calamity
والدَّهْرُ أَهْوَنُ أنْ يَجيْءَ بحادثٍ
لمdid not يَثْنِهِturn it حُسْنُthe excellence التَّجَلُّدِof fortitude أَهْوَنَاlighter
لم يَثْنِهِ حُسْنُ التَّجَلُّدِ أَهْوَنَا
Time is too petty to bring a calamity
To these the wise their solace recommend;
that noble fortitude cannot turn into something lighter.
Griefs far more bitter time may yet send.
والبِرُand filial devotion يَقْضِيrequires أنْthat تكونَyou be مُعَظِّماًmagnifying
والبِرُ يَقْضِي أنْ تكونَ مُعَظِّماً
والحِجْرُand reason يقضِيrequires أنthat تكونَyou be مُهَوِّنَاmaking light
والحِجْرُ يقضِي أن تكونَ مُهَوِّنَا
Filial devotion bids you magnify the loss;
Justice enjoins you should glory increase;
while reason bids you make it light.
While sorrow whispers, Give away to grief's peace.
فَلَئِنْso if indeed صَبَرْتَyou are patient فإنَّthen indeed فضَْلَكَyour excellence باهِرٌis radiant
فَلَئِنْ صَبَرْتَ فإنَّ فضَْلَكَ باهِرٌ
ولَئِنْand if indeed حَزِنْتَyou grieve فَحُكْمُهُthen its judgment أنْthat تَحْزَنَاyou should grieve
ولَئِنْ حَزِنْتَ فَحُكْمُهُ أنْ تَحْزَنَا
So if you are patient, your excellence is radiant;
Great is your merit if you patient prove;
and if you grieve, your excellence decrees that you should grieve.
Grief too may claim you, for you too can love.
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.