لَقَدindeed أَعقَبَتit brought in its wake بِالبُؤسِwith misery مِنكَfrom you وَبِالنُعمىand with blessing
لَقَد أَعقَبَت بِالبُؤسِ مِنكَ وَبِالنُعمى
وَأَصبَحَand became طَرفاًan eye لاnot أَراكَI see you بِهِwith it أَعمىblind
وَأَصبَحَ طَرفاً لا أَراكَ بِهِ أَعمى
Indeed, it has brought misery from you, and blessing,
After prosperity she brought you woe, after sight blindness.
And an eye through which I do not see you has gone blind.
You were quenched with the drafts of parting's sorrow.
سُقيتَmay you be watered الحَياrain مِنas a ظاعِنِdeparted one الثُكلِbereavement قَدindeed ثَوىhe has lain at rest
سُقيتَ الحَيا مِن ظاعِنِ الثُكلِ قَد ثَوى
وَأَبقىand he left رُبوعَthe dwellings of المَجدِglory موحِشَةًdesolate عُتماdark
وَأَبقى رُبوعَ المَجدِ موحِشَةً عُتما
May rain water you—a departed one whose loss bereaves, now at rest,
The realms of glory she left waste and dark.
And who has left the dwellings of glory desolate and dark.
I plighted it my troth, fed its renown my fame,
وَقَدand indeed كُنتُI used to أُمضيهِI wield him عَلىagainst الخَطبِcalamity مُنصُلاًas a blade
وَقَد كُنتُ أُمضيهِ عَلى الخَطبِ مُنصُلاً
وَآويand I seek refuge لَهُto him رُكناًas a pillar وَأَسريand I journey by night بِهِby him نَجماas a star
وَآوي لَهُ رُكناً وَأَسري بِهِ نَجما
And I used to wield him as a blade against calamity,
Till in fulness of fame it parted from me,
And seek shelter in him as a pillar, and journey by him as a star at night.
As the moon at her full seeks a cloud to veil her.
تَرَحَّلَhe departed لَمّاwhen أَنthat تَكامَلَreached perfection مَجدُهُhis glory
تَرَحَّلَ لَمّا أَن تَكامَلَ مَجدُهُ
وَلَيسَand is not كُسوفُthe eclipse of البَدرِthe full moon إِلّاexcept إِذاwhen تَمّاit became full
وَلَيسَ كُسوفُ البَدرِ إِلّا إِذا تَمّا
He departed when his glory had reached perfection,
Long in despite of envier and hater he lived.
And the full moon is eclipsed only when it is complete.
He died; to live for ever in guidance and bounty.
لَقَدindeed عاشَhe lived رَغماًin defiance لِلحَواسِدِof the envious وَالعِداand the foes
لَقَد عاشَ رَغماً لِلحَواسِدِ وَالعِدا
وَماتَand he died عَلىupon أَنفِthe nose of النَدىgenerosity وَالهُدىand guidance رَغماin defiance
وَماتَ عَلى أَنفِ النَدى وَالهُدى رَغما
Indeed, he lived in defiance of the envious and his foes,
While he lived, life shone white near him.
And died against the will of generosity and guidance.
Now that he is dead our days are become gloom.
وَكانَتand were لَياليthe nights of العَيشِlife بيضاًwhite بِقُربِهِnear him
وَكانَت لَيالي العَيشِ بيضاً بِقُربِهِ
فَقَدso indeed أَصبَحَتhave become أَيامُناour days بَعدَهُafter him دُهماblack
فَقَد أَصبَحَت أَيامُنا بَعدَهُ دُهما
And life's nights were white in his presence,
He gave the sword its right in the death-shudder.
And now our days after him have turned black.
He was well pleased if he saw it flash midst the host.
وَقَدand indeed كانَhe used to يُعطيgive السَيفَthe sword فيin الرَوعِterror حَقَّهُits due
وَقَد كانَ يُعطي السَيفَ في الرَوعِ حَقَّهُ
وَيَرضىand he is content إِذاwhen أَرواهُhe slaked it فيamid الشِركِidolatry أَنto يَظماgo thirsty
وَيَرضى إِذا أَرواهُ في الشِركِ أَن يَظما
And he would give the sword its due amid terror,
The cheek of dread shone bright at his laugh in all fight.
And was content to thirst himself when he had slaked it amid idolatry.
When to seekers of gifts the glooms gathered swirling,
وَيُضحِكُand he makes smile ثَغرَthe mouth of النَصرِvictory فيin كُلِّevery مَعرَكٍbattle
وَيُضحِكُ ثَغرَ النَصرِ في كُلِّ مَعرَكٍ
يُرىis seen وَسطَهُin its midst وَجهُthe face of الرَدىdeath عابِساًfrowning جَهماgrim
يُرى وَسطَهُ وَجهُ الرَدى عابِساً جَهما
And made the mouth of victory smile in every battle,
He would give, when the slaves of ambition stood niggard,
In whose midst death's face was seen, frowning and grim.
Or the brand of refusal those gatherings were burning.
وَكانَand he was إِذاwhen الأَمجادُthe illustrious ظَنّواthey thought نَوالَهُمtheir bounty
وَكانَ إِذا الأَمجادُ ظَنّوا نَوالَهُم
لِمُستَمنَحٍto one seeking bounty غُرماًa loss رَأىhe considered بَذلَهُhis giving غُنماa gain
لِمُستَمنَحٍ غُرماً رَأى بَذلَهُ غُنما
And whenever the illustrious thought their gifts
Ho for Leyla's undulant meadow, a tomb fit to house
To one seeking bounty a loss, he deemed his giving a gain.
The knight of munificence, might and forbearance!
إِذاwhen بَخَلواthey withheld أَعطىhe gave وَإِنand if أَحجَمواthey drew back مَضىhe advanced
إِذا بَخَلوا أَعطى وَإِن أَحجَموا مَضى
وَإِنand if أَصلَدواthey struck no spark أَورىhe kindled fire وَنارُand fire عَماspread (uncertain reading)
وَإِن أَصلَدوا أَورى وَنارُ عَما
When they withheld, he gave; and if they drew back, he advanced;
May its dust-clouds refresh where they rise, for they carry
And if they struck no spark, he kindled fire, and fire spread [uncertain reading].
The scent of musk, could but perception attain them!
أَلاtake heed فَأتِياthen come, you two بَطحاءَthe pebbly plain of لَبلَةَLabla فَاِندُباthen lament, you two
أَلا فَأتِيا بَطحاءَ لَبلَةَ فَاِندُبا
بِهاthere مَصرَعاًa death غالَsnatched away الشَجاعَةَcourage وَالحِلماand forbearance
بِها مَصرَعاً غالَ الشَجاعَةَ وَالحِلما
Take heed: come, you two, to Labla's pebbly plain, and lament
What blame to a land if it yield for its fruitage
There a death that snatched away courage and forbearance.
No wit and no wisdom, when watered with blood such as his!
وَأَجوَدُهاand its most generous one تَندىgrow moist الصِلادُthe hard stones غَضارَةًlushness
وَأَجوَدُها تَندى الصِلادُ غَضارَةً
بِهِthrough him وَيَفوحُand gives off fragrance التُربُthe soil مِسكاًmusk إِذاwhen شُمّاit was smelled
بِهِ وَيَفوحُ التُربُ مِسكاً إِذا شُمّا
And its most generous one—the hard stones grow moist and lush
O house of illustrious sons, ye are left in the day
Through him, and the soil gives off musk when smelled.
Of his doom as stars robbed of their beacon in blackness.
وَماand what عُذرُthe excuse of أَرضٍa land أُشرِبَتهُwas made to drink him فَأَنبَتَتthen sprouted
وَما عُذرُ أَرضٍ أُشرِبَتهُ فَأَنبَتَت
نَباتاًvegetation وَلَمand did not تُنبِتsprout ذَكاءًbrilliance وَلاnor حَزماresolve
نَباتاً وَلَم تُنبِت ذَكاءً وَلا حَزما
And what excuse has earth that was made to drink him, then sprouted
Gone art thou, O father of braves, yet hast rid us of dule.
Vegetation, but did not sprout brilliance or resolve?
Living thou mad'st us renown; dead thou leavest us glory.
بَنيsons of فاخِرٍFakhir أَمسَيتُمُyou became يَومَon the day of فَقدِهِhis loss
بَني فاخِرٍ أَمسَيتُمُ يَومَ فَقدِهِ
كَأَنجُمِlike stars of أُفقٍa horizon فارَقَتparted from بَدرَهاtheir full moon التِمّاperfect
كَأَنجُمِ أُفقٍ فارَقَت بَدرَها التِمّا
Sons of Fakhir, on the day of his loss you became
Thy bounty encompassed all souls, even as now
Like stars on a horizon, parted from their perfect full moon.
Thy good sword encompasseth fame.
ذَهَبتَyou departed أَباO father of الحَجّاجِal-Hajjaj لَمnot تُبقِyou left ذِلَّةًhumiliation
ذَهَبتَ أَبا الحَجّاجِ لَم تُبقِ ذِلَّةً
وَأَبقَيتَand you left فيناamong us المَجدَglory وَالسُؤدَدَand eminence الضَخماmighty
وَأَبقَيتَ فينا المَجدَ وَالسُؤدَدَ الضَخما
You departed, Abu al-Hajjaj, leaving no humiliation,
For how many billows of care hast thou broken in souls!
And left among us glory and mighty eminence.
How many redoubts of misfortune thy give has unmanned!
فَرِزؤُكَfor the loss of you قَدindeed عَمَّhas encompassed البَرِيَّةَcreation كُلَّهُمall of them
فَرِزؤُكَ قَد عَمَّ البَرِيَّةَ كُلَّهُم
كَماjust as كانَhad فيهِمamong them جودُthe generosity of يُمناكَyour right hand قَدindeed عَمّاspread throughout
كَما كانَ فيهِم جودُ يُمناكَ قَد عَمّا
For the loss of you has afflicted all creation, every one,
Thou art gone and thine orphan unceasing must weep.
Just as your right hand's bounty had reached them all.
Keen yearning devours her; her pilgrim must roam unavail.
فَكَمso how much حَلَّhas lodged فيin أَحشائِهِمtheir entrails مِنكَfrom you مِنof جَوىًburning grief
فَكَم حَلَّ في أَحشائِهِم مِنكَ مِن جَوىً
وَكَمand how much حَلَّhad come فيinto أَيديهِمُtheir hands لَكَof yours مِنof نُعمىbounty
وَكَم حَلَّ في أَيديهِمُ لَكَ مِن نُعمى
So how much burning grief for you has lodged in their entrails,
The doves in the thicket for sorrow-thy sorrow-must moan,
And how much bounty of yours had come into their hands.
And the rain-clouds of heaven their torrents of sympathy pour.
وَخَلَّفتَand you left behind ثَكلىa bereaved woman لاnot تَكُفُّcease جُفونُهاher eyelids
وَخَلَّفتَ ثَكلى لا تَكُفُّ جُفونُها
بُكاءًweeping وَلاnor تَندىgrow moist جَوانِحُهاher inner ribs غَمّاfrom grief
بُكاءً وَلا تَندى جَوانِحُها غَمّا
And you left a bereaved woman whose eyelids never cease
Upon thee be God's peace! 'Gainst thy fate was no refuge,
Weeping, while her inner ribs remain parched with grief.
But with us may thy name be a buckler, thy glory a guard!
تَنوحُlament لَهاfor her الأَطيارُthe birds فيamong القُضبِthe boughs رِقَّةًin tenderness
تَنوحُ لَها الأَطيارُ في القُضبِ رِقَّةً
وَيُذريand scatters عَلَيهاupon her المُزنُthe rainclouds أَدمُعَهُits tears رَحماin compassion
وَيُذري عَلَيها المُزنُ أَدمُعَهُ رَحما
The birds lament for her among the boughs in tenderness,
Now are the days after thee pallid and life but a phantom,
And the rainclouds scatter their tears upon her in compassion.
And the zephyr that breatheth thy life in the wold is but pain.
عَلَيكَupon you سَلامُthe peace of اللَهِGod مِنَfrom الرَدىdeath
عَلَيكَ سَلامُ اللَهِ مِنَ الرَدى
وَمادامَand as long as فيكَfor you الدَمعُtears دونَbarring العَزاconsolation خَصماan adversary
وَمادامَ فيكَ الدَمعُ دونَ العَزا خَصما
May God's peace be upon you from death onward,
And as long as tears for you remain a foe barring consolation,
وَلاحَand appeared أَصيلُthe late afternoon of اليَومِthe day بَعدَكَafter you شاحِباpale
وَلاحَ أَصيلُ اليَومِ بَعدَكَ شاحِبا
وَريحُand the wind of الصَباthe east wind مُعتَلَّةًailing تَشتَكيcomplains of السُقماsickness
وَريحُ الصَبا مُعتَلَّةً تَشتَكي السُقما
And the day's late afternoon appears pale after you,
And the east wind, ailing, complains of sickness.
Partial English translation: 38 of 42 Arabic lines translated.