خانَناbetrayed us فيكَin your case حادثُcalamity الأَيامِthe days
خانَنا فيكَ حادثُ الأَيامِ
فَاِحتَكَمناso we appealed for judgment إِلىto الدُموعِthe tears السِّجامِcopiously flowing
فَاِحتَكَمنا إِلى الدُموعِ السِّجامِ
Time's calamity has betrayed us by taking you,
Our house has been afflicted by the vicissitudes of time,
So we appealed to tears pouring down.
So we appeal to copious tears, however unavailing,
تِلكَthose أَوفىmore faithful فيin النازِلاتِcalamities وَإِنand even if لَمnot
تِلكَ أَوفى في النازِلاتِ وَإِن لَم
تَكُbe أَشفىmore healing لِلوعةٍfor burning grief وَأَوامِand burning thirst
تَكُ أَشفى لِلوعةٍ وَأَوامِ
Those are more faithful in calamities, even if they are not
For they are the most faithful in disasters, though they cannot
More healing for burning grief and thirst.
Relieve the anguish of grief and sorrow.
وَقَليلٌand little مِنfrom بَعدafter مَصرَعِكَyour death الدَمthe tears (first part)
وَقَليلٌ مِن بَعد مَصرَعِكَ الدَم
عُtears (completion) وَلَوand even if سالَflowed مِنfrom جُفونِeyelids الغَمامِthe clouds
عُ وَلَو سالَ مِن جُفونِ الغَمامِ
Tears are little enough after your death,
After your death, my tears flow scantily,
Even were they to flow from the eyelids of clouds.
Though poured from the clouds of my eyes.
وَلَعَمريand by my life لَيسَis not البُكاءُweeping بِمُغنٍof any avail
وَلَعَمري لَيسَ البُكاءُ بِمُغنٍ
مِنagainst فَواتٍirretrievable loss قَدalready عُدَّhas been counted فيamong الأَحلامِdreams
مِن فَواتٍ قَد عُدَّ في الأَحلامِ
By my life, weeping is of no avail
By my life! Weeping cannot make good
Against a loss now counted among dreams.
What is lost and gone in dreams.
إِنَّماonly تِلكَthat سُنَّةٌa custom لِلمَآقيfor the inner eye corners
إِنَّما تِلكَ سُنَّةٌ لِلمَآقي
سَنَّهاestablished it العَجزُhelplessness فيin الخَطوبِthe calamities العِظامِmighty
سَنَّها العَجزُ في الخَطوبِ العِظامِ
This is only a custom of the eye corners,
Rather, that is the law of dire events
Established by helplessness amid mighty calamities.
Ordained for helpless men in great calamities.
جَلَّis grave خَطبٌa calamity نَفِرُّwe flee مِنهُfrom it لِخَطبٍto a calamity
جَلَّ خَطبٌ نَفِرُّ مِنهُ لِخَطبٍ
وَسَقامٌand a sickness نَطبّهُwe treat it بِسِقامِwith a sickness
وَسَقامٌ نَطبّهُ بِسِقامِ
Grave is a calamity we flee for another calamity,
One fate is worse than another, yet O man –
And a sickness we treat with another sickness.
Patience and despair are the utmost of efforts.
قَدرٌfate أَنفَعmore useful السِلاحينthe two weapons فَياso, O (text unclear) الthe (prefix of 'patience')
قَدرٌ أَنفَع السِلاحين فَيا ال
صَبرpatience وَاليَأسand despair غايةthe furthest limit الأَقدامthe steps
صَبر وَاليَأس غاية الأَقدام
Fate—the more useful of the two weapons [against it is]
For Time in events has a way
Patience; despair is the furthest our steps can reach.
Other than weeping or smiling.
إِنindeed لِلدَّهرِfor time فيin الحَوادثevents شَأناًa way of acting
إِن لِلدَّهرِ في الحَوادث شَأناً
غَيرَother than شَأنthe way البُكاءِweeping وَالابتِسامِand smiling
غَيرَ شَأن البُكاءِ وَالابتِسامِ
Time has its own way with events,
Misery in it and happiness are matters
Unlike the way of weeping and smiling.
Of the disposition of souls and bodies.
وَالشَقاand misery فيهِin it وَالسَعادةand happiness مِنamong أَحstates (first part)
وَالشَقا فيهِ وَالسَعادة مِن أَح
وَالِstates (completion) هَذيthese النُفوسِsouls وَالأَجسامِand bodies
وَالِ هَذي النُفوسِ وَالأَجسامِ
And misery and happiness in it are among the states
And decrepitude, like existence, is not for man
Of these souls and bodies.
To choose, and was not according to his wishes.
وَالرَّدىand death كَالوجودِlike existence ماnot فيهِin it للمَرfor a person (first part)
وَالرَّدى كَالوجودِ ما فيهِ للمَر
ءِperson (completion) اِختيارٌchoice وَلَمand not يَكُنbe عَنfrom مَرامِa wish
ءِ اِختيارٌ وَلَم يَكُن عَن مَرامِ
And death, like existence, affords a person no
Man is born into life by compulsion
Choice, nor does it arise from a wish.
And by compulsion tastes the cup of death.
يُولَدُis born المَرءُa person لِلحَياةِinto life اِضطِراراًby compulsion
يُولَدُ المَرءُ لِلحَياةِ اِضطِراراً
وَاِضطِراراًand by compulsion يَذوقُtastes كاسَthe cup الحِمامِdeath
وَاِضطِراراً يَذوقُ كاسَ الحِمامِ
A person is born into life by compulsion,
O you who hurry away! Go gently
And by compulsion tastes the cup of death.
And give us some words of company.
أَيُّهاO الراحِلُdeparting one الحَثيثُswift رُويداًslowly
أَيُّها الراحِلُ الحَثيثُ رُويداً
وَأَصحَبنَّاand keep us company وَلَوand even if بِبَعضِwith some كَلامِwords
وَأَصحَبنَّا وَلَو بِبَعضِ كَلامِ
O swiftly departing one, slow down,
Grant my eyes a farewell glance -
And keep us company, if only with a few words.
Alas! After it how far from greetings!
وَاِمنَحِand grant العَينَthe eye نَظرةًa glance مِنof وَداعٍfarewell
وَاِمنَحِ العَينَ نَظرةً مِن وَداعٍ
لَكَto you هَيهاتَfar beyond reach بَعدَهُafter it مِنany سَلامِgreeting
لَكَ هَيهاتَ بَعدَهُ مِن سَلامِ
And grant the eye a glance of farewell
Woe for him who laments you, what a terrible lament,
To you—far beyond reach is any greeting afterward.
How wildly his tongue raves!
وَيحَalas for ناعيكَthe bearer of your death-news وَهوَand it is أَهولthe most dreadful نَعيٍdeath announcement
وَيحَ ناعيكَ وَهوَ أَهول نَعيٍ
كَيفَhow أَجرىmade flow لِسانَهُhis tongue بِالضَّرامِwith blazing fire
كَيفَ أَجرى لِسانَهُ بِالضَّرامِ
Alas for the bearer of your death-news—news most dreadful!
News that darkened the morn with gloom
How could he set his tongue flowing with flame?
And banished the sweet dreams into the gloom.
نَبأnews بَرقَعَveiled الضُحىthe bright morning بِظَلامٍin darkness
نَبأ بَرقَعَ الضُحى بِظَلامٍ
وَنَفىand banished فيin الظَلامthe darkness طِيبَthe sweetness المَنامِsleep
وَنَفى في الظَلام طِيبَ المَنامِ
News that veiled the bright morning in darkness,
Neither East nor West was aware, with the least
And in darkness banished the sweetness of sleep.
Sorrow in the hearts of Syria’s people,
لَمnot يَكُwas الشَرقthe East فيهِin it أَدرىmore aware مِنthan الغَرthe West (first part)
لَم يَكُ الشَرق فيهِ أَدرى مِن الغَر
بWest (completion) بِزلزالof an earthquake رَجفةٍa shudder وَاهِتِزامِand crashing
ب بِزلزال رَجفةٍ وَاهِتِزامِ
The East was no more aware than the West
Of an earthquake shock whereby everything shook and trembled.
Of its earthquake of shuddering and crashing.
Universal mourning! Virtues weeping
لاno وَلاand not مِصرEgypt وَالعِراقَand Iraq بِأَدنىwith less
لا وَلا مِصر وَالعِراقَ بِأَدنى
لَوعةٍanguish منthan صُدورِthe breasts أَهلِthe people الشآمِal-Sham
لَوعةٍ من صُدورِ أَهلِ الشآمِ
No—nor did Egypt and Iraq feel less
With smiles’ tears,
Anguish than the breasts of the people of al-Sham.
And elegy among pulpits, horses and pens!
مأْتمٌa mourning gathering باتتِspent the night الفَضائلُthe virtues فيهِin it
مأْتمٌ باتتِ الفَضائلُ فيهِ
باكياتٍweeping بِأَدمُعِwith tears الاِبتِسامِsmiling
باكياتٍ بِأَدمُعِ الاِبتِسامِ
A mourning in which the virtues spent the night
Blessed are you who have left among us someone
Weeping with the tears of smiles.
To manage grave events with resolution and contract.
وَنُواحٌand lamentation بَينَamong المَنابرِthe pulpits وَالحَشand the throng (first part)
وَنُواحٌ بَينَ المَنابرِ وَالحَش
دِthrong (completion) وَبَينَand among الطُروسِwritten pages وَالأَقلامِand pens
دِ وَبَينَ الطُروسِ وَالأَقلامِ
And lamentation among pulpits and the throng,
You were a pillar for us, so when it collapsed,
And among written pages and pens.
Glory and sublimity proclaimed its fall.
ياO لَكَfor you الخَيرُgoodness وَالمَراحمُand mercies مَنwhom أَبleft behind (first part)
يا لَكَ الخَيرُ وَالمَراحمُ مَن أَب
قيَتَyou left behind (completion) فيناamong us لِلحادِثاتِfor calamities الجِسامِmighty
قيَتَ فينا لِلحادِثاتِ الجِسامِ
O you, may goodness and mercy be yours—whom have you left
You opposed misfortunes with a zeal
Among us to face the mighty calamities?
That was like fire, and a resolve that nothing could cleave.
وَإِلىand to مَنwhom عَهدتَyou entrusted فيin الحَزمprudence وَالعزْand resolve (first part)
وَإِلى مَن عَهدتَ في الحَزم وَالعزْ
مِresolve (completion) وَنَقضِand undoing الأُمورِaffairs وَالإِبرامِand firm settlement
مِ وَنَقضِ الأُمورِ وَالإِبرامِ
And to whom have you entrusted prudence and resolve,
Misfortunes attacked you for ages but you did not
And the unraveling and firm settling of affairs?
Give way save to overwhelm them in ruin.
كُنتَyou were رُكناًa pillar لَناfor us فَلَماso when تَداعَىit crumbled
كُنتَ رُكناً لَنا فَلَما تَداعَى
آذنَheralded العزُّglory وَالعُلىand eminence بِاِنهِدامِof collapse
آذنَ العزُّ وَالعُلى بِاِنهِدامِ
You were a pillar for us; when it crumbled,
This disaster is the first of calamities
Glory and eminence heralded their collapse.
In which you have surrendered us to the days.
غَيرةٌzeal مِثلُهاits like اللَهيبُflame وَعَزمٌand resolve
غَيرةٌ مِثلُها اللَهيبُ وَعَزمٌ
دونَهُbelow it فيin المضاءِkeenness حَدُّthe edge الحُسامِthe sword
دونَهُ في المضاءِ حَدُّ الحُسامِ
A zeal like flame, and a resolve
We shun patience lest it turn the scalding
More piercing than the cutting edge of a sword.
Tears into cool life-giving water.
قارَعتْكَbattled you الخَطوبُcalamities دَهراًfor an age فَماso never وُلْwere turned back (first part)
قارَعتْكَ الخَطوبُ دَهراً فَما وُلْ
لِيتَyou were turned back (completion) إِلاّexcept وَغَربَهاand their edge فيin اِنثِلامِbeing chipped
لِيتَ إِلاّ وَغَربَها في اِنثِلامِ
Calamities battled you for an age; you were never turned back
And we refuse solace for you, for it makes
Except with their edge left chipped.
A thousand memories rise up with a thousand stabs.
إِنindeed هَذاthis المُصابُbereavement أَولُّthe first خَطبٍcalamity
إِن هَذا المُصابُ أَولُّ خَطبٍ
فيهِin it أَسلَمتَناyou surrendered us إِلىto الأَيامِthe days
فيهِ أَسلَمتَنا إِلى الأَيامِ
This bereavement is the first calamity
I wonder what man hopes for in his life
In which you have surrendered us to time.
Between morn and dark!
نَتَوَخَّىwe seek عَنكfor your loss اِصطِباراًsteadfast patience فَيغدوso it becomes الصْthe (beginning of 'patience')
نَتَوَخَّى عَنك اِصطِباراً فَيغدو الصْ
صَبرُpatience ماءًwater مِنfrom المَاجرِthe eye sockets (text unclear) هاميstreaming
صَبرُ ماءً مِن المَاجرِ هامي
We seek fortitude in your loss, but patience becomes
Death has mixed with his blood
Water streaming from the [eye sockets].
And dwelt between his flesh and bones.
وَنَرومُand we seek العَزاءَconsolation عَنكَfor your loss فتَبدوthen there appear
وَنَرومُ العَزاءَ عَنكَ فتَبدو
أَلفa thousand ذِكرىmemories تَأتيcome بِأَلفِwith a thousand ذِمامِbonds of duty
أَلف ذِكرى تَأتي بِأَلفِ ذِمامِ
And we seek consolation for your loss, but there appear
We live in a castle that has no permanence
A thousand memories, bearing a thousand bonds of duty.
And endures not.
لَيتَwould that شِعريmy knowledge ماwhat يَرتَجيhopes for المَرءُa person فيin دُنworld (first part)
لَيتَ شِعري ما يَرتَجي المَرءُ في دُن
ياهُhis world (completion) ماthe interval بَينَbetween صُبحِهِhis morning وَالظَلامِand darkness
ياهُ ما بَينَ صُبحِهِ وَالظَلامِ
Would that I knew what a person hopes for in his
People of the desert whom the winds of calamity
World, between his morning and the darkness.
Have succeeded each other under a tent of decay.
خالطَmingled with المَوتَdeath مُنذُsince كانَhe came to be دمِاهُhis blood
خالطَ المَوتَ مُنذُ كانَ دمِاهُ
وَثَوىand dwelt بَينَbetween لَحمِهِhis flesh وَالعِظامِand bones
وَثَوى بَينَ لَحمِهِ وَالعِظامِ
His blood has mingled with death since he came to be,
Rather, it is a road we pass along, so choose
Which has lodged between his flesh and bones.
From it provision for the abode of eternity.
نَحنُwe فيin دارِan abode قَلعةٍtransience ليسَthere is not فيهاin it
نَحنُ في دارِ قَلعةٍ ليسَ فيها
مِنany دَوامٍpermanence وَلاand not لَهاfor it مِنany دَوامِpermanence
مِن دَوامٍ وَلا لَها مِن دَوامِ
We are in a transient abode, where there is
It is, if you wish, the road of desolation.
No permanence, nor does it itself endure.
And if you wish, it is the road of peace.
أَهلdwellers قَفرٍa wilderness تَناوَبتَهُswept it in turn رِياحُwinds الْthe (prefix of 'separation')
أَهل قَفرٍ تَناوَبتَهُ رِياحُ الْ
بينِseparation فيin ظلِّthe shade خَيمةٍa tent مِنof ثُمامِthumam grass
بينِ في ظلِّ خَيمةٍ مِن ثُمامِ
Dwellers in a wilderness swept in turn by the winds
Of separation, in the shade of a tent of thumam grass.
بَلrather طَريقٌa road نَجوزُهاwe traverse it فَتَخَيرso choose
بَل طَريقٌ نَجوزُها فَتَخَير
لَكَfor yourself مِنهاfrom it زاداًprovisions لِدارِfor the abode المُقامِlasting residence
لَكَ مِنها زاداً لِدارِ المُقامِ
Rather, it is a road we traverse; so choose
For yourself provisions from it for the abiding home.
فَهْيَfor it is إِنif شئتَهاyou wish it طَريقُa road بوارٍruin
فَهْيَ إِن شئتَها طَريقُ بوارٍ
وَهيَand it is إِنif شئتَهاyou wish it طَريقُa road سَلامِpeace
وَهيَ إِن شئتَها طَريقُ سَلامِ
For, if you wish it so, it is a road to ruin,
And, if you wish it so, it is a road to peace.
Partial English translation: 60 of 66 Arabic lines translated.