أمطرواrain down الدمعthe tears عليهupon him لاnot الندىthe dew
أمطروا الدمع عليه لا الندى
وانثرواand scatter الشعرthe poetry عليهupon him لاnot الزهورthe flowers
وانثروا الشعر عليه لا الزهور
Rain tears upon him, not dew,
Shower tears upon him, not dew,
And scatter poetry upon him, not flowers.
Scatter poetry over him, not flowers,
وأجنوهand bury him وإنand even if كانhe is صدىan echo
وأجنوه وإن كان صدى
فسحةvastness الآبادthe endless ages لاnot ضيقnarrowness القبورthe graves
فسحة الآباد لا ضيق القبور
And bury him, even if he is an echo,
Mourn him, though he is but an echo,
In the vastness of endless ages, not the narrowness of graves.
In the vastness of life, not the narrowness of tombs.
ألوحيthe inspiration قدindeed كانwas مولودa child الصباحthe morning
ألوحي قد كان مولود الصباح
ينسخeffaces الليلthe night بآياتwith verses فصاحeloquent
ينسخ الليل بآيات فصاح
Inspiration was indeed a child of morning,
Alwahee was born at dawn,
Effacing the night with eloquent verses.
Transcribing the night with eloquent verses.
فاحملواso carry النعشthe bier وشقواand cleave بالرياحwith the winds
فاحملوا النعش وشقوا بالرياح
كبدthe heart of الليلthe night إلىtoward قبرthe grave of الأبدeternity
كبد الليل إلى قبر الأبد
So carry the bier and, with the winds, cleave
Bear the coffin and cleave the winds
The heart of night toward the grave of eternity.
To the night's heart, to the grave of eternity.