بِنَفْسِيwith my life as ransom عَلَىdespite قُرْبِهِhis nearness النَّازِحُthe distant one
بِنَفْسِي عَلَى قُرْبِهِ النَّازِحُ
وَإِنْand even though غالَنِيoverwhelmed me خَطْبُهُhis calamity الْفادِحُgrievous
وَإِنْ غالَنِي خَطْبُهُ الْفادِحُ
My life as ransom for him, distant though near,
With my soul, I approach his tomb,
even though his grievous loss has overwhelmed me.
Though his terrible fate has overwhelmed me.
تَصافَحَclasped hands تُرْبَتُهُhis grave's earth وَالْنَّسِيمُand the breeze
تَصافَحَ تُرْبَتُهُ وَالْنَّسِيمُ
فَنَشْرُso the fragrance of الصَّباthe east wind عَطِرٌfragrant فائِحُwafting
فَنَشْرُ الصَّبا عَطِرٌ فائِحُ
His grave's earth and the breeze have clasped hands,
His soil mingles with the breeze,
so the east wind's sweet fragrance wafts abroad.
And the morning fragrance is diffused.
كَأَنَّas though الْمُغَرِّدَthe singing bird فِيin مَسْمَعِيmy hearing
كَأَنَّ الْمُغَرِّدَ فِي مَسْمَعِي
لِفَرْطِbecause of the depth of اكْتِئابِيmy sorrow لَهُfor him نائِحُa mourner
لِفَرْطِ اكْتِئابِي لَهُ نائِحُ
It is as though the singing bird in my hearing
It is as if the songbird in my hearing
were mourning him, so deep is my sorrow.
Is wailing for me in extreme melancholy.
أَياO نازِلاًone dwelling حَيْثُwhere يَبْلىwears away الْجَديدُthe new
أَيا نازِلاً حَيْثُ يَبْلى الْجَديدُ
وَيَذْوِيand withers أَخُوthe possessor of الْبَهْجةِsplendor الْواضِحُradiant
وَيَذْوِي أَخُو الْبَهْجةِ الْواضِحُ
O you who dwell where all that is new decays,
O you who settled where the new decays,
and the radiant bearer of splendor withers!
And the evident delight has withered.
ذَكَرْتُكَI remembered you ذِكْرىthe remembrance of الْمُحِبِّthe lover الْحَبِيبَthe beloved
ذَكَرْتُكَ ذِكْرى الْمُحِبِّ الْحَبِيبَ
هَيَّجَهاstirred it الطَّلَلُthe ruined dwelling الْماصِحُfaded
هَيَّجَها الطَّلَلُ الْماصِحُ
I remembered you as a lover remembers the beloved,
I recalled you as the lover recalls the beloved,
a remembrance stirred by the faded ruins.
Stirred by the ruins that speak plainly.
فَماso not عَزَّنِيwas lacking to me كَبِدٌa liver تَلْتَظِيblazing
فَما عَزَّنِي كَبِدٌ تَلْتَظِي
وَلاnor خانَنِيbetrayed me مَدْمَعٌa tearful eye سافِحُstreaming
وَلا خانَنِي مَدْمَعٌ سافِحُ
So I lacked no liver aflame,
Neither a burning liver has saddened me,
nor did a streaming eye betray me.
Nor a flowing tear has disappointed me.
مُقِيمٌdwelling بِحَيْثُwhere يَصَمُgrows deaf السَّمِيعُthe keen of hearing
مُقِيمٌ بِحَيْثُ يَصَمُ السَّمِيعُ
وَيَعْمىand goes blind عَنِto النَّظَرِsight الطّامِحُthe far-gazing one
وَيَعْمى عَنِ النَّظَرِ الطّامِحُ
You dwell where the keen of hearing grows deaf,
Remaining where the keen of hearing is deaf,
and the far-gazing one loses his sight.
And the ambitious of sight is blind.
يَرِقُّfeels pity عَلَيْكَfor you الْعَدُوُّthe enemy الْمُبِينُavowed
يَرِقُّ عَلَيْكَ الْعَدُوُّ الْمُبِينُ
وَيَرْثِيand laments لَكَfor you الْحاسِدُthe envier الْكاشِحُspiteful
وَيَرْثِي لَكَ الْحاسِدُ الْكاشِحُ
The avowed enemy pities you,
The manifest enemy grieves for you,
and the spiteful envier mourns for you.
And the envious slanderer laments you.
كَأَنْas though لَمْnot يَطُلْhad risen high بِكَwith you يَوْمَthe day of الْفخَارِglory
كَأَنْ لَمْ يَطُلْ بِكَ يَوْمَ الْفخَارِ
سَرِيرٌa throne وَلاnor أَجْرَدٌa sleek steed سابِحُswimming in its stride
سَرِيرٌ وَلا أَجْرَدٌ سابِحُ
As though, on the day of glory, you had not been borne aloft by
As if no glorious throne has supported you,
a throne, or a sleek steed swimming in its stride,
Nor a smooth couched has carried you swimming.
وَلَمْand not تَقْتَحِمْyou plunged into غَمَراتِthe depths of الْخُطُوبِcalamities
وَلَمْ تَقْتَحِمْ غَمَراتِ الْخُطُوبِ
فَيُغْرِقَهاso it drowns them قَطْرُكَyour rain النّاضِحُgushing
فَيُغْرِقَها قَطْرُكَ النّاضِحُ
and had not plunged into the depths of calamities,
And you have not plunged into deep sorrows,
so that your gushing rain might drown them.
Where your pouring rain would drown them.
سَقاكَmay it water you كَجُودِكَlike your generosity غادٍone coming at dawn عَلَىupon
سَقاكَ كَجُودِكَ غادٍ عَلَى
ثَراكَyour grave's earth بِوابِلِهِwith its downpour رائحُone coming at dusk
ثَراكَ بِوابِلِهِ رائحُ
May a cloud, lavish as your giving, come at dawn to water
The rain has quenched your generosity, pouring
your grave's earth, returning at dusk with its downpour,
On your grave, a pouring shower.
يُدَبِّجُembroiders فِيin ساحَتَيْكَyour two precincts الرِّياضَgardens
يُدَبِّجُ فِي ساحَتَيْكَ الرِّياضَ
كَماas نَمَّقَembellished الْكَلِمَwords الْمادِحُthe poet of praise
كَما نَمَّقَ الْكَلِمَ الْمادِحُ
embroidering gardens in your two precincts,
It embroiders rhymes in your domain,
as the poet of praise adorned his words.
As the praising poet embroidered the ode.
أَرىI see كُلَّevery يوْمٍday لَناfor us رَوْعَةًa fright
أَرى كُلَّ يوْمٍ لَنا رَوْعَةً
كَماas ذُعِرَwas startled النَّعَمُthe livestock السّارِحُgrazing freely
كَما ذُعِرَ النَّعَمُ السّارِحُ
Each day I see a fright befall us,
Everyday I see a new horror for us,
as grazing livestock are startled.
Like frightened cattle gone astray.
نُفاجاwe are startled بِجِدٍّby seriousness مِنَof الْمُعْضِلاتِintractable afflictions
نُفاجا بِجِدٍّ مِنَ الْمُعْضِلاتِ
كَأَنَّas though الزَّمانَTime بِهِwith it مازِحُjesting
كَأَنَّ الزَّمانَ بِهِ مازِحُ
We are startled by the grim reality of afflictions,
Surprised by serious problems,
as though Time were jesting with it.
As if time was joking with us.
نُعَلِّلُwe console أَنْفُسَناourselves بِالْمُقامِwith staying on
نُعَلِّلُ أَنْفُسَنا بِالْمُقامِ
وَفِيand within طَيِّهِits folds السَّفَرُthe journey النَّازِحُfar away
وَفِي طَيِّهِ السَّفَرُ النَّازِحُ
We console ourselves with staying on,
We justify ourselves with our position,
yet a distant journey lies folded within it.
While travel urges us in its folds.
حَياةٌa life غَدَتْhas become لاقِحاًpregnant بِالْحمِامِwith death
حَياةٌ غَدَتْ لاقِحاً بِالْحمِامِ
وَلاand no بُدَّescape أَنْthat تُنْتَجَbe delivered اللاّقِحُthe pregnant one
وَلا بُدَّ أَنْ تُنْتَجَ اللاّقِحُ
Life has become pregnant with death,
A life made fertile with doves,
and the pregnant one must give birth.
Must give birth to one who shoots them down.
وَكُلُّand every تَمادٍonward course إِلىtoward غايَةٍan end
وَكُلُّ تَمادٍ إِلى غايَةٍ
وَإِنْand even if جَرَّdrags أَرْسانَهُits reins الْجامِحُthe bolting horse
وَإِنْ جَرَّ أَرْسانَهُ الْجامِحُ
And every onward course leads to an end,
Every excess leads to an end,
even if the bolting horse drags its reins.
Though the violent one drags his reins.
وَماand not الْعُمْرُa lifetime إِلاّexcept كَمَهْوىlike the fall of الرِّشاءِthe well-rope
وَما الْعُمْرُ إِلاّ كَمَهْوى الرِّشاءِ
إِلىto حَيْثُwhere أَسْلَمَهُreleased it الْماتِحُthe water-drawer
إِلى حَيْثُ أَسْلَمَهُ الْماتِحُ
And a lifetime is only like the fall of a well-rope
Life is but a swoop of feathers
to where the water-drawer has released it.
To where the shooter has let it drop.
لَقَدْindeed نَصَحَgave counsel الدَّهْرُTime مَنْthe one whom غَرَّهُit deceived him
لَقَدْ نَصَحَ الدَّهْرُ مَنْ غَرَّهُ
فَحَتّامَso how long يُتَّهَمُis distrusted النّاصِحُthe counselor
فَحَتّامَ يُتَّهَمُ النّاصِحُ
Time has indeed counseled those it deceived;
Time has advised those it has deceived,
how long, then, will the counselor be distrusted?
Yet the advisor is blamed.
حَمىmay he protect اللهُGod أَرْوَعًa splendid man يَحْمِيprotects الْبِلادَthe lands
حَمى اللهُ أَرْوَعً يَحْمِي الْبِلادَ
مِنَfrom الْجَدْبِdrought مَعْرُوفُهُhis bounty السّائِحُflowing
مِنَ الْجَدْبِ مَعْرُوفُهُ السّائِحُ
May God protect a splendid man who shields the lands
God has protected a most wondrous protector of the country
from drought with his flowing bounty.
Whose outstanding doing is wandering.
أَغَرُّa radiant man يَزِينُadorns التُّقىpiety مَجْدَهُhis glory
أَغَرُّ يَزِينُ التُّقى مَجْدَهُ
وَيُنْجِدُهُand supports him الْحَسَبُancestral honor الْواضِحُmanifest
وَيُنْجِدُهُ الْحَسَبُ الْواضِحُ
A radiant man whose glory piety adorns,
Most noble is he who adorns his glory with piety,
and whom illustrious ancestral honor sustains.
And is supported by his clear nobility.
أياO ذاpossessor of الْمَكارِمِnoble virtues لاnot رُوِّعَتْwere alarmed
أيا ذا الْمَكارِمِ لا رُوِّعَتْ
بِفَقْدِكَby your loss ماas long as هَدْهَدَcoos الصّادِحُthe songbird
بِفَقْدِكَ ما هَدْهَدَ الصّادِحُ
O possessor of noble virtues, may they never be alarmed
O you of bounties - no hoopoe was startled
by your loss, as long as the songbird coos.
By your loss however much it has trilled.
فَماfor no سُدَّwas shut بابٌa gate مِنَof الْمَكْرُماتِnoble deeds
فَما سُدَّ بابٌ مِنَ الْمَكْرُماتِ
إِلاّexcept وَأَنْتَand you لَهُfor it فاتِحُan opener
إِلاّ وَأَنْتَ لَهُ فاتِحُ
For no gate of noble deeds is closed
No door of favors is shut
without you being the one to open it.
Unless you have opened it.
أَبىrefused ثِقَةُthe trusted confidant of الْمُلْكِthe realm إِلاّexcept حِماكَyour protection
أَبى ثِقَةُ الْمُلْكِ إِلاّ حِماكَ
حِمىًas a refuge وَالزَّمانُwhile Time بِهِwith him طائِحُcasting down
حِمىً وَالزَّمانُ بِهِ طائِحُ
Thiqat al-Mulk would accept only your protection
The confidence of the kingdom insisted none guard it
as a refuge, while Time was sweeping him away.
Except you, while time assails it.
وَماand not كُلُّevery ظِلٍّshade بِهِbeneath it يَسْتَظِلُّtakes shelter
وَما كُلُّ ظِلٍّ بِهِ يَسْتَظِلُّ
مَنْone whom شَفَّهُwore him thin الرَّمَضُground-heat اللاّفِحُscorching
مَنْ شَفَّهُ الرَّمَضُ اللاّفِحُ
And not every shade affords shelter
Not every shade shelters
to one worn down by the ground's scorching heat.
Those scorched by the blazing sun.
طَوىtraversed الْبَحْرَthe sea يَنْشَدُseeks بَحْرَthe sea of السَّماحِgenerosity
طَوى الْبَحْرَ يَنْشَدُ بَحْرَ السَّماحِ
إِلىto الْعَذْبِsweet water يُقْتَحَمُis braved الْمالِحُsalt water
إِلى الْعَذْبِ يُقْتَحَمُ الْمالِحُ
He crossed the sea, seeking the sea of generosity;
He crossed the sea seeking the water of generosity,
salt water is braved to reach the sweet.
While the salty is plunged into.
فَبادَرْتَso you hastened تَخْسَأْto drive away عَنْهُfrom him الْخُطُوبَcalamities
فَبادَرْتَ تَخْسَأْ عَنْهُ الْخُطُوبَ
دِفاعاًin repelling كَماas يَخْسَأُrecoils النَّابِحُthe barking dog
دِفاعاً كَما يَخْسَأُ النَّابِحُ
So you hastened to drive calamities away from him,
You rush to relieve it of sorrows
driving them back as a barking dog slinks away.
As the wailer relieves his wailing.
تَرُوعُyou terrify الرَّدىdeath وَالْعِدىand foes دُونَهُin his defense
تَرُوعُ الرَّدى وَالْعِدى دُونَهُ
كَماas رَوَّعَterrified الأَعْزَلَthe unarmed man الرَّامِحُthe spearman
كَما رَوَّعَ الأَعْزَلَ الرَّامِحُ
You terrify death and foes in his defense,
Mayhem and injustice cower before it,
as a spearman terrifies an unarmed man.
As the barren she-camel cowers before the virile male.
عَطَفْتَyou bent عَلَيْهِtoward him أَبِيَّthe stubborn among الْحُظُوظِfortunes
عَطَفْتَ عَلَيْهِ أَبِيَّ الْحُظُوظِ
قَسْراًby force كَماas يُورَدُis led to water الْقامِحُthe water-refusing camel
قَسْراً كَما يُورَدُ الْقامِحُ
You bent stubborn fortune toward him,
You have inclined with compassion toward one most wretched,
by force, as a water-refusing camel is driven to water.
As the fertile camel inclines to the barren.
وَباتَand became كَفِيلاًa guarantor لَهُfor him بِالثَّراءِof wealth
وَباتَ كَفِيلاً لَهُ بِالثَّراءِ
وَالْعِزِّand honor طائِرُكَyour bird السّانِحُauspicious
وَالْعِزِّ طائِرُكَ السّانِحُ
And his guarantor of wealth
And your soaring generosity has guaranteed it,
and honor was your bird of good omen.
Prosperity and glory.
صَنائِعُbenefactions لاnot وابِلُthe downpour of الْمُعْصِراتِrainclouds
صَنائِعُ لا وابِلُ الْمُعْصِراتِ
نَداهاtheir bounty وَلاnor طَلُّهاtheir drizzle الرّاشِحُseeping
نَداها وَلا طَلُّها الرّاشِحُ
Benefactions: no downpour from rainclouds
Deeds - not downpours of heavy rain -
is their bounty, nor the clouds' trickling drizzle.
Have surpassed them, nor their trailing clouds.
وَأُقْسِمُand I swear لُوْif أَنَّthat عِزّاًmight حَمىprotected
وَأُقْسِمُ لُوْ أَنَّ عِزّاً حَمى
مِنَfrom الْمَوْتِdeath ماnot اجْتاحَهُswept him away جائحُa ravager
مِنَ الْمَوْتِ ما اجْتاحَهُ جائحُ
And I swear: had might afforded protection
And I swear, had a protector guarded
from death, no ravager would have swept him away.
A glory from death’s incursion.
وَلكِنَّbut أَنْفُسَthe souls of هذاthis الأَنامِhumankind
وَلكِنَّ أَنْفُسَ هذا الأَنامِ
مَنائِحُgifts on loan يَرْتَدُّهاreclaims them الْمانِحُthe giver
مَنائِحُ يَرْتَدُّها الْمانِحُ
But the souls of these people
But the souls of people
are gifts on loan, which the giver reclaims.
Are lamentations which the comforter rejects.
وَأَيُّand what فَتىًyoung man ساوَرَتْهُassailed him الْمَنُونُDeath
وَأَيُّ فَتىً ساوَرَتْهُ الْمَنُونُ
فَلَمْthen did not يردهlay him low رَوْقُهاher horn النّاطِحُbutting
فَلَمْ يرده رَوْقُها النّاطِحُ
And what young man has Death assailed
And which gallant lad has the fate
without her butting horn laying him low?
Approached without craving its intimacy?
سَبَقْتَyou outstripped إِلىtoward الْمَجدِglory شُوسَthe haughty among الْمُلُوكِkings
سَبَقْتَ إِلى الْمَجدِ شُوسَ الْمُلُوكِ
كَماas سَبَقَoutstripped الْجَذَعَthe young colt الْقارِحُthe mature steed
كَما سَبَقَ الْجَذَعَ الْقارِحُ
You outstripped the haughty kings in reaching glory,
You have preceded the steeds of kings to glory,
as a mature steed outstrips a colt.
As the strong palm tree precedes the slender.
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.