سَليمSalim الكاتبthe writer املقصوفfelled ظلماًunjustly
سَليم الكاتب املقصوف ظلماً
بايديby the hands of البينparting فيin شرخthe bloom of الشبابِyouth
بايدي البين في شرخ الشبابِ
Salim the writer, unjustly felled
Salim the writer was unjustly slain
by the hands of parting, in the bloom of youth.
By the hands of fate in the prime of his youth
اتاهُcame to him البينparting فيat العشرينtwenty لكنyet
اتاهُ البين في العشرين لكن
عليهِfor him الحزنgrief ليسis not بذيpossessed of حسابِreckoning
عليهِ الحزن ليس بذي حسابِ
Parting came to him at twenty, yet
Fate took him at twenty, yet
grief for him is beyond reckoning.
Upon him was sorrow beyond all measure
لَقَدtruly ارضىhe pleased بتقواهُthrough his piety الهاًGod
لَقَد ارضى بتقواهُ الهاً
لديهِin His presence قدalready تمتَّعhe enjoyed بالثَوابِthe reward
لديهِ قد تمتَّع بالثَوابِ
Truly, through his piety he pleased God;
He was content with his piety to God
in His presence he has enjoyed the reward.
For him reward was assured
تَنوحlament لِفقدهِfor his loss الآدابthe literary arts حزناًin sorrow
تَنوح لِفقدهِ الآداب حزناً
وَتَبكيهِand weeps for him المعارفlearning بانتحابِwith sobbing
وَتَبكيهِ المعارف بانتحابِ
The literary arts lament his loss in sorrow,
Literature mourns him, that he is lost
and learning weeps for him with sobs.
His circle of friends weep for him bitterly
غرسناwe planted فيin الضريحthe tomb لهُfor him قواماًan upright form
غرسنا في الضريح لهُ قواماً
نؤَرّخهُwe date it كغصنٍlike a branch فيin الترابِthe earth
نؤَرّخهُ كغصنٍ في الترابِ
We planted an upright form for him in the tomb;
We have planted on his grave a monument
we date it: “Like a branch in the earth.”
We date it like a branch in the dust