منwho صاحcried out بالدينto faith والدنياand the world إلاexcept (apparently intended as ‘heed!’) اعتبراtake heed, both of you
من صاح بالدين والدنيا إلا اعتبرا
جرىcame to pass المقدرthe ordained محتوماinevitably خذاtake, both of you وذراand leave, both of you
جرى المقدر محتوما خذا وذرا
Who cried to faith and the world, ‘Take heed, both of you!’?
He who censured religion and worldly affairs except as a lesson
The ordained came to pass, inevitable: take and leave, both of you.
Fate ran its destined course, so take and leave
منwho قالَsaid للفلكِto the celestial sphere العلويthe lofty مجترأًdaringly
من قالَ للفلكِ العلوي مجترأً
إنindeed القضاءfate علىupon مجريthe dispenser of القضاءjudgment جرىcame to pass
إن القضاء على مجري القضاء جرى
Who dared say to the lofty celestial sphere,
He who insolently said to the highest orbit:
‘Fate has overtaken the one who dispensed judgment’?
"Surely fate follows the course of fate"
منغالwho struck down منfrom هاشمHashim البطحاءal-Batha سيدهاits lord
منغال من هاشم البطحاء سيدها
البحرthe sea والبدرand the full moon الضرغامةthe lion الهصراthe crusher
البحر والبدر الضرغامة الهصرا
Who struck down al-Batha’s lord, of Hashim’s line,
The one depressed from Hashim, the lord of Bat'ha
The sea, the full moon, the crushing lion?
The sea, the moon, the Pleiades and Cancer
تنفسbreathed الصبحdawn حزناin sorrow حالvanished منهfrom it ضحىmorning radiance
تنفس الصبح حزنا حال منه ضحى
وجهٍa face نفستenvied عليهit الشمسthe sun والقمراand the moon
وجهٍ نفست عليه الشمس والقمرا
Dawn sighed in sorrow; gone from it was the radiance
The dawn sighed sorrowfully when it shone upon him
Of a face that the sun and moon envied.
A face which the sun and moon breathed upon
إنif عرّسhalted for the night الركبthe caravan ليلاat night فيat معرسهhis lodging
إن عرّس الركب ليلا في معرسه
لاnot ينحرslaughters البدنthe sacrificial camels حتىuntil ينحرslaughters البُدَراthe money-purses
لا ينحر البدن حتى ينحر البُدَرا
If the caravan halts by night at his lodging,
If the riding party camped at night in its campsite
He slaughters no sacrificial camels before slaughtering purses of money.
The body isn’t slaughtered until the full moon is slaughtered
القاتلthe slayer of المحلdrought فيin الأزمانthe seasons إنif دثرتthey fell to ruin
القاتل المحل في الأزمان إن دثرت
والمحييand the reviver منfrom أزماتِthe afflictions of الدهرtime ماwhat دثراfell to ruin
والمحيي من أزماتِ الدهر ما دثرا
Slayer of drought when the seasons fall to ruin,
The killer of eras, if they are clothed
And reviver of what time’s afflictions have laid waste.
And the reviver from the calamities of time, whatever is clothed
ياO عثرةًa fall لمnot تقلwas remedied منfrom بعدafter عاثرهاthe one who stumbled in it
يا عثرةً لم تقل من بعد عاثرها
ياO لالعاًno ‘rise again!’ بعدهاafter it للدهرfor time إنif عثراit stumbled
يا لالعاً بعدها للدهر إن عثرا
O fall that was never remedied after its victim fell!
O downfall that did not say after its downfall
O, no ‘Rise again!’ for time after this, should it stumble!
O brilliance for time if it stumbles
كمhow often قلتُI said حينwhen نعىannounced a death الناعيthe death-announcer عجمتmay you be struck dumb فماًin speech
كم قلتُ حين نعى الناعي عجمت فماً
أكففdesist نعيتyou announced the death of نزارNizar العربthe Arabs بلُnay مضراMudar
أكفف نعيت نزار العرب بلُ مضرا
How often I said, when the herald announced your death, ‘May your mouth fall dumb!
How often I said when the mourner mourned, my mouth silenced
Desist! You have announced the death of Arab Nizar—nay, Mudar!’
I will restrain my mourning, the Arabs' mourning for Al-Mudar
ينعاكmourns your death نعيthe mourning of ذبابthe point of السيفthe sword قائمهits hilt
ينعاك نعي ذباب السيف قائمه
والكفand the hand ساعدهاits forearm والساعدand the forearm الظفراvictory
والكف ساعدها والساعد الظفرا
Your death is mourned as a sword’s point mourns its hilt,
Your mourning is mourned by the wailing of the sword looming
And a hand its forearm, and a forearm victory.
And the palm its handle, and the forearm the fingers
ينعاكmourns your death نعيthe mourning of قناةa spear of الخظal-Khatt (apparent reading) فقرتهاits joint
ينعاك نعي قناة الخظ فقرتها
والقوسand the bow حنوتهاits curve والمعجسand the bow’s grip الوتراthe bowstring
والقوس حنوتها والمعجس الوترا
Your death is mourned as a spear of al-Khatt mourns its joint,
Your mourning is mourned by the bow's curvature
And a bow its curve, and the bow’s grip its string.
And the bow bent, and the taut string
ينعاكmourns your death نعيthe mourning of فتاةa maiden of الحيthe tribe واحدهاher only loved one
ينعاك نعي فتاة الحي واحدها
ولهيdistraught عليهfor him تذيلlets trail الدمعthe tears منهمراpouring down
ولهي عليه تذيل الدمع منهمرا
You are mourned as a maiden of the tribe mourns her only loved one,
Your mourning is mourned by the maiden of the tribe on her own
Distraught for him, letting her tears trail down in torrents.
As she trails her flowing tears upon it
ينعاكannounces your death لليلto the night إذwhen تحييهyou enliven it مبتهلاin supplication
ينعاك لليل إذ تحييه مبتهلا
حتىuntil تميتyou put to death بهwithin it آناءهits hours سهراkeeping vigil
حتى تميت به آناءه سهرا
Your death is told to the night, which you enlivened in supplication,
Your mourning for the night when you supplicated it
Till, keeping vigil within it, you put its hours to death.
Until you died by its hours of vigil
ينعاكannounces your death للصبحto dawn ردّdrove back الليلthe night حاجبهits brow
ينعاك للصبح ردّ الليل حاجبه
حتىuntil تمنطقgirded itself بالظلماءwith darkness واتزراand donned a waistcloth
حتى تمنطق بالظلماء واتزرا
Your death is told to dawn, whose brow the night drove back,
Your mourning for the dawn, returning the night’s frown
Till it girded itself with darkness and wrapped it about its waist.
Until it loosened its darkness and unveiled
ياO صفقةbargain of الدينfaith قدindeed قلَّتhas dwindled بضاعتهits merchandise
يا صفقة الدين قد قلَّت بضاعته
لكfor you الأنامall creation فدىًa ransom إنwhether قلَّwas few أوor كثراwas many
لك الأنام فدىً إن قلَّ أو كثرا
O bargain of faith, whose merchandise has dwindled!
O deal of the religion, its goods have diminished
May all creation be your ransom, whether few or many.
You are ransom for the people if few or plenty
غادرتyou left سفرthe caravan of ذويthose possessing الامالhopes أعينهits eyes
غادرت سفر ذوي الامال أعينه
صورturned إليكtoward you يرىsees وجدانهits inward awareness صوراimages
صور إليك يرى وجدانه صورا
You left the caravan of hopeful seekers, its eyes
You left the journey of the hopeful, their eyes weeping
Turned toward you, its inward awareness seeing images.
Your image appears to them, they see their fervor
إنif صاخlistened للناسfor people سمعan ear أوor رناgazed بصرٌan eye
إن صاخ للناس سمع أو رنا بصرٌ
فأنتthen you للناسfor people كنتyou were السمعhearing والبصراand sight
فأنت للناس كنت السمع والبصرا
If people possess a listening ear or a gazing eye,
If he appealed to the people, a hearing or a seeing glance
Then you were their hearing and their sight.
You were to the people both hearing and sight
ماno بعدafter محياكyour living face للمهديfor the giver محبرةa richly patterned robe
ما بعد محياك للمهدي محبرة
لمنfor whom ينيرweaves on the loom ويسديand lays the warp بعكafter you (apparent reading) الحبراpatterned cloths
لمن ينير ويسدي بعك الحبرا
With your living face gone, the giver has no richly patterned robe;
After your erasure, what use are the ink wells
For whom shall he weave and lay the warp of rich cloth after you?
For one who illuminates and donates ink through you
أوor بعدafter جدواكyour bounty للراجعينfor those returning غيثrain جدىًgenerosity
أو بعد جدواك للراجعين غيث جدىً
أوor بعدafter علياكyour eminence للاجينfor those seeking refuge ليثa lion of شرىShara
أو بعد علياك للاجين ليث شرى
Nor after your bounty, any rain of generosity for those returning;
Or after your striving, a useful downpour
Nor after your eminence, a lion of Shara for those seeking refuge.
Or after your ascent, a fierce lion for the seekers
ياO معلقone who fastens النابthe fang فيin قلبthe heart of الردىdeath عجباًhow strange!
يا معلق الناب في قلب الردى عجباً
هلquestion marker كيفhow أعلقfastened فيكin you النابthe fang والظفراand the claw
هل كيف أعلق فيك الناب والظفرا
O you who fastened your fang in death’s heart—how strange!
O you who hung the muzzle in the hearts of the hostile, how strange!
How could it fasten fang and claw in you?
How can I hang the muzzle and fingers upon you?
لوif كانwere يحميprotects منagainst الأقدارfate’s decrees مقتدرa mighty one
لو كان يحمي من الأقدار مقتدر
لردَّwould surely have repelled باسكyour might عنكfrom you الحتمthe inevitable والقدراand destiny
لردَّ باسك عنك الحتم والقدرا
If any mighty one could protect against fate’s decrees,
If one powerful over fates could protect
Your might would have repelled inevitability and destiny from you.
He would have averted destiny and fate from you
ياO مزجرdriver of النضوthe exhausted camel فيهthrough it قاطعاcrossing شققاًlong stretches
يا مزجر النضو فيه قاطعا شققاً
لمnot يحتفلpaid heed بعيافto the omens of الطيرthe birds أنwhen (apparent reading) زجراwere startled
لم يحتفل بعياف الطير أن زجرا
O driver of the spent camel, crossing long stretches through it,
O reprover of evil wherein he cut paths
Who paid no heed to bird-omens when the birds were startled,
Not celebrating the cawing of birds when reproving
عرجturn aside لمكةtoward Mecca والبيتand the House العتيقthe Ancient وقفand halt
عرج لمكة والبيت العتيق وقف
لوثwind about yourself الأزارthe waistcloth وعزconsole الركنthe Corner والحجراand the Stone
لوث الأزار وعز الركن والحجرا
Turn toward Mecca and the Ancient House, and halt;
Make pilgrimage to Mecca and the Ancient House, stop
Wind your waistcloth about you, and console the Corner and the Stone.
Defile the loincloth, honor the cornerstone and stones
قفstand موقفin the stance of الفاقدthe bereaved الحرانburning with grief فيهthere وقلand say
قف موقف الفاقد الحران فيه وقل
ماno بعدafter فقدthe loss of أبيthe father of المصرينthe two cities أمّa mother of قرىtowns
ما بعد فقد أبي المصرين أمّ قرى
Stand there like one bereaved and burning with grief, and say:
Stop with the sorrow of the bereft therein and say
‘After losing the father of the two cities, there is no Mother of Towns.’
After the loss of the father of the two holy sites
واثنand turn العنانthe reins لسامراءtoward Samarra ننشدهاwe ask her
واثن العنان لسامراء ننشدها
منwho كبَّpoured out للحسنfor Hasan الزاكيthe Pure جفانlarge bowls of قرىhospitality
من كبَّ للحسن الزاكي جفان قرى
And turn the reins toward Samarra, that we may ask her:
Restrain toward Samarra, we chant it
‘Who poured out bowls of hospitality for Hasan the Pure?’
The one who bridled the radiant, pure Hassan
بالهونin abasement تصبحgreets the morning سامراءSamarra سامرهاher night companion
بالهون تصبح سامراء سامرها
يطارحshares الهمّanxiety والأحزاand sorrows (apparent reading) والكدراand distress
يطارح الهمّ والأحزا والكدرا
Samarra wakes in abasement; her night companion
Samarra by grief becomes its own grief
Shares anxiety, sorrows, and distress.
Casting off worries, distress and gloom
منwho حافظa guardian للملوكfor the kings الأرضthe earth سلطنةsovereignty
من حافظ للملوك الأرض سلطنة
قدindeed ضاعwas lost منfrom يدهاher hand منthe one who يمنعwards off الخطراdanger
قد ضاع من يدها من يمنع الخطرا
Who will preserve the kings’ sovereignty over the earth?
The one who protected the kings’ authority
Lost from her grasp is the one who warded off danger.
Whose hand it escaped from, preventing harm
منwho للمالكfor the ruler يرعاهاguards her رعايتهhis guarding
من للمالك يرعاها رعايته
بناظرwith an eye فيinto خفاياthe hidden depths of السرthe secret قدalready نظراlooked
بناظر في خفايا السر قد نظرا
Who, for the ruler, will guard her as he guarded her,
The one who tended it with his care
With an eye that peered into the hidden depths of secrets?
Looking into the secrets of the mysterious matter
هيهاتnever! مثلكlike you فيin الدنياthe world يُرىis seen بشرa mortal
هيهات مثلك في الدنيا يُرى بشر
ياO معوزاone who leaves wanting سعةthe vastness of الدنياthe world بهاin it بشراa mortal
يا معوزا سعة الدنيا بها بشرا
Never shall a mortal like you be seen in this world!
Alas, the like of you is not seen in the world
O you who left the world’s vastness bereft of such a man!
O you who filled the world with good news and glad tidings
نقلّwe bear منكof you علىupon قدسsacredness لوif انتدباthe two undertook
نقلّ منك على قدس لو انتدبا
قدسQuds ويذبلand Yadhbul نهضاًlifting فيهit ماnot قدراthe two could
قدس ويذبل نهضاً فيه ما قدرا
We bear in you a sacred weight; were the two to undertake it—
Were you carried from it to Jerusalem, it would have withered
Quds and Yadhbul—they could not rise to shoulder it.
Not bearing your body, soul, and frame upon its shoulders
سلask حامليهthose bearing him علىupon الأعناقthe necks هلwhether حملواthey carried
سل حامليه على الأعناق هل حملوا
علىupon العواتقthe shoulders جسمthe body of الروحthe spirit والزبراand the scriptures
على العواتق جسم الروح والزبرا
Ask those who bore him on their necks whether they carried
Ask its bearers on their necks, did they carry
Upon their shoulders the body of the spirit and the scriptures?
The scrolls of Abraham and the surahs?
هذاthis is محمدُMuhammad محمولcarried لهhe has جسدa body
هذا محمدُ محمول له جسد
وأرواand buried (apparent reading) بهwith him صحفthe scrolls of إبراهيمAbraham والسوراand the suras
وأروا به صحف إبراهيم والسورا
This is Muhammad, borne aloft in bodily form;
At your tomb they bent the spearheads in devotion
And they buried with him Abraham’s scrolls and the suras.
Muting the flutes and the remembrance of dhikr
ثنواthey bent بقبركat your grave صدرthe forefront of الرمحthe spear منأطراbowed
ثنوا بقبرك صدر الرمح منأطرا
صمsolid الأنابيبthe shaft-joints والصمصامةand the keen sword الذكراthe well-tempered
صم الأنابيب والصمصامة الذكرا
At your grave they bent the spear’s forefront, bowed low—
O you who secluded the remaining group in its loneliness
Solid in its shaft-joints—and the keen-tempered sword.
And gathered the departed group around you in camaraderie
ياO موحشone who leaves desolate النفرthe company الباقيremaining لوحدتهin its solitude
يا موحش النفر الباقي لوحدته
ومونسand one who comforts النفرthe company الماضيdeparted لهfor it سمراin nightly conversation
ومونس النفر الماضي له سمرا
O you who leave the remaining company desolate in its solitude,
Surely knowledge, when it surveys the valleys
And comfort the departed company with your nightly companionship!
God made the flowers and breasts barren therein
إنindeed العلومthe sciences إذاwhen لاحظتyou contemplate أوديةvalleys
إن العلوم إذا لاحظت أودية
أحلهgranted him a place اللَهGod منهاamong them الوردthe coming to water والصدراand the return from water
أحله اللَه منها الورد والصدرا
Indeed, the sciences, when you contemplate them, are valleys;
God granted him access to their waters, to drink and return.
Partial English translation: 66 of 68 Arabic lines translated.