دَمعُ العيون على ترابكَ سائِلُ

دَمعُ العيون على ترابكَ سائِلُ

يا أَيُّها الغصنُ الرَطيبُ الذابِلُ

يا أَيُّها الغصنُ الرَطيبُ الذابِلُ

Tears from eyes stream upon your dust,

Tears fall on your soil, O tender withering branch,

O tender branch, now withered!

Alas! Tears cannot quench the burning anguish for you,

هيهاتِ ما تُطفي المَدامِعُ لوعةً

هيهاتِ ما تُطفي المَدامِعُ لوعةً

لكَ لَيسَ يطفيها السَحابُ الهاطِلُ

لكَ لَيسَ يطفيها السَحابُ الهاطِلُ

In vain! Tears cannot quench a burning grief

Nor can pouring rainclouds,

For you that even pouring rainclouds cannot quench.

A sadness that melts bodies out of grief,

حزنٌ تَذوبُ لَهُ الجُسومُ كآبَةً

حزنٌ تَذوبُ لَهُ الجُسومُ كآبَةً

فميا ههنَّ من العيونِ هوامِلُ

فميا ههنَّ من العيونِ هوامِلُ

A grief for which bodies melt in sorrow,

For from eyes here are ever-flowing tears.

So their waters pour forth from the eyes.

O branch leaning aslant, the morning breeze tilted you,

يا غُصنَ بانٍ مال في شَرخٍ الصبا

يا غُصنَ بانٍ مال في شَرخٍ الصبا

فَعَليهِ حزناً كل غصنٍ مائِلُ

فَعَليهِ حزناً كل غصنٍ مائِلُ

O bān branch that drooped in the bloom of youth,

So every leaning branch now grieves for you.

So every branch bends over him in sorrow.

God is Greatest! What a terrible calamity!

اللَهُ أَكبَرُ تلكَ شَرُّ مُصيبَةٍ

اللَهُ أَكبَرُ تلكَ شَرُّ مُصيبَةٍ

جُلُّ اِعتِدآءِ الهر فيها نازِلُ

جُلُّ اِعتِدآءِ الهر فيها نازِلُ

God is greatest! That is the worst calamity;

In it the evilest of harms was inflicted.

The greater part of Time's violence descends in it.

The deaf heard its wailing,

صَمّآءُ قد سَمعَ الأَصَمُّ نواحها

صَمّآءُ قد سَمعَ الأَصَمُّ نواحها

وَغَدا عَذيراً في اساها العاذِلُ

وَغَدا عَذيراً في اساها العاذِلُ

Deaf and unyielding, yet even the deaf have heard its wailing;

And the blind was guided by its echoes.

And the reproacher came to excuse mourning for it.

If time takes pride in one calamity,

ان كانَ يَفتخر الزَمان بنكبةٍ

ان كانَ يَفتخر الزَمان بنكبةٍ

فَلَهُ بها الفَخر العَظيم الشامِلُ

فَلَهُ بها الفَخر العَظيم الشامِلُ

If Time takes pride in a calamity,

In this it has vast, all-encompassing pride.

Then in this it has great, all-encompassing pride.

Tears mingled with blood poured down,

فيها المَدامِعُ بالدِمآءِ تحدَّرت

فيها المَدامِعُ بالدِمآءِ تحدَّرت

وَعلت بها للنائحاتِ ولاولُ

وَعلت بها للنائحاتِ ولاولُ

In it, tears streamed down with blood,

As did lamentations and first wailings.

And because of it the mourning women's wails rose.

On the morn of a darkened day, though its sun had set

في صبحِ يومٍ اسوَدٍ لو شَمسُهُ

في صبحِ يومٍ اسوَدٍ لو شَمسُهُ

غابَت لما ازدادَ الظَلامُ السادِلُ

غابَت لما ازدادَ الظَلامُ السادِلُ

On the morning of a black day, had its sun

The darkness would not have increased.

Vanished, the shrouding darkness would not have deepened.

A day when hearts were severed, as though

يَومٌ تقطَّعتِ القُلوبُ بِهِ كَما

يَومٌ تقطَّعتِ القُلوبُ بِهِ كَما

أَدمى المحاجرَ دمعُها المتواصِلُ

أَدمى المحاجرَ دمعُها المتواصِلُ

A day on which hearts were torn apart, just as

Their constant flowing tears cut them to pieces.

Their ceaseless tears made the eye sockets bleed.

O traveler who took hearts as pledges

يا راحِلاً اخَذَ القُلوبَ وَدائعاً

يا راحِلاً اخَذَ القُلوبَ وَدائعاً

وَلَهُ الوَفا الّا بهنَّ شمائِلُ

وَلَهُ الوَفا الّا بهنَّ شمائِلُ

O departed one, who took hearts as trusts,

And was loyal to them, his only misdeed.

And fidelity was his nature—except toward those hearts.

You frightened a land you brought comfort to,

اوخشتَ رَبعاً كنتَ تؤنسهُ فَما

اوخشتَ رَبعاً كنتَ تؤنسهُ فَما

هُوَ بعدَ بُعدِكَ عن حماهُ آهِلُ

هُوَ بعدَ بُعدِكَ عن حماهُ آهِلُ

You made desolate a dwelling you once enlivened; no longer

After you left it was not guarded by a protector.

Is it inhabited, since you left its precincts.

Your loss saddened hearts as though

لك وَحشَةٌ طيَّ القُلوبِ كأَنَّما

لك وَحشَةٌ طيَّ القُلوبِ كأَنَّما

لكَ في قلوبِ العالمين منازِلُ

لكَ في قلوبِ العالمين منازِلُ

Your absence leaves loneliness in the folds of hearts, as though

Within people’s hearts you have homes.

You had homes in the hearts of all the world.

Your family named you Safe, hopefully,

سَمّاكَ أَهلُكَ بالسَليم تَفاؤُلاً

سَمّاكَ أَهلُكَ بالسَليم تَفاؤُلاً

وَالدَهرُ يَصرُخُ خِبتَ يا مُتفائِلُ

وَالدَهرُ يَصرُخُ خِبتَ يا مُتفائِلُ

Your family named you al-Salīm as a hopeful omen,

While fate cries out you were unlucky, O hopeful one!

And Time cries, 'You hoped in vain, O hopeful one!'

Efforts were to no avail,

لَم يُغنِ منَ الوَسائل جُهدُها

لَم يُغنِ منَ الوَسائل جُهدُها

اذ غالبتها للمنون وسائلُ

اذ غالبتها للمنون وسائلُ

The utmost effort of those means availed nothing,

As death’s means overcame their means.

When the means of Death overpowered them.

When fate wants something done to a man,

وَإِذا الزَمان أَرادَ أَمراً بامرئٍ

وَإِذا الزَمان أَرادَ أَمراً بامرئٍ

فَجَميعُ سعيكَ واجتهادكَ باطلُ

فَجَميعُ سعيكَ واجتهادكَ باطلُ

And when Time wills something for a person,

All your efforts and striving are fruitless.

Then all your striving and exertion are futile.

Many a wise grandchild dies of it,

وَلَكم يَموت بِهِ حَفيدٌ عاقِلٌ

وَلَكم يَموت بِهِ حَفيدٌ عاقِلٌ

اسفاً وَيَبقى فيهِ جد جاهلُ

اسفاً وَيَبقى فيهِ جد جاهلُ

And how often a wise grandson dies through it,

While in it remains an ignorant grandfather.

Alas, while an ignorant grandfather lives on in it.

May God guard you, O traveler,

فاذهب رَعاكَ اللَهُ من مُتَرَحِّلٍ

فاذهب رَعاكَ اللَهُ من مُتَرَحِّلٍ

وَلَهُ القلوبُ ركائبٌ ورواحلُ

وَلَهُ القلوبُ ركائبٌ ورواحلُ

Go, then—may God guard you, departing traveler,

Whose bier the hearts are, and mourners.

For whom hearts are riding beasts and mounts.

You made your life a ladder,

قد كنتَ مُتَخذاً حَياتَك سلَّماً

قد كنتَ مُتَخذاً حَياتَك سلَّماً

تَبغي التراقي في الوَرى وَتُحاولُ

تَبغي التراقي في الوَرى وَتُحاولُ

You had made your life a ladder,

Seeking to rise in the world, and you struggled,

Seeking to rise among humankind, and striving.

But it joined with another in the above,

وإِذا بها اِتصلت بأُخرى في العُلى

وإِذا بها اِتصلت بأُخرى في العُلى

من حيثُ أَنتَ بها لربك واصلُ

من حيثُ أَنتَ بها لربك واصلُ

And behold, it became joined to another life on high,

From where you reached your Lord, and met Him.

From where, through it, you reach your Lord.

You attained in the bloom of youth what

أَدرَكتَ في سنّ الشبيبة ما بِهِ

أَدرَكتَ في سنّ الشبيبة ما بِهِ

وَهَم الزَمانُ بانَّ عمرَكَ كامِلُ

وَهَم الزَمانُ بانَّ عمرَكَ كامِلُ

In your youthful years you attained that which

Time imagined your life had fulfilled.

Made Time imagine your lifespan was complete.

It is as though I see time biting its fingertips,

وكأَنَّني بالدهر عضَّ بنانهُ

وكأَنَّني بالدهر عضَّ بنانهُ

نَدَماً وحزناً للَّذي هُوَ فاعِلُ

نَدَماً وحزناً للَّذي هُوَ فاعِلُ

And I seem to see Time biting its fingertips,

Regretting and saddened by what it had done.

In remorse and sorrow for what it has done.

It suffices the victim, so immense was his tragedy,

وَكَفى القَتيلَ جَسامةً لمُصابِهِ

وَكَفى القَتيلَ جَسامةً لمُصابِهِ

في الناس أَن يأسى عليهِ القاتِلُ

في الناس أَن يأسى عليهِ القاتِلُ

Enough to show how grievous the slain one's loss is

That even his killer would mourn him.

Among people is that his killer mourns him.

You were like a mature, experienced elder,

قد كنتَ كالكهل المحنَّكِ بالِغاً

قد كنتَ كالكهل المحنَّكِ بالِغاً

في العقل افضلَ ما يَنالُ النائلُ

في العقل افضلَ ما يَنالُ النائلُ

Like a seasoned man of mature years, you had reached

Excelling in mind above all who seek.

In intellect the best that anyone can attain.

That knowledge and learning entirely -

تلك المعارف وَالدروس بأَسرها

تلك المعارف وَالدروس بأَسرها

واحسَرتا زالت وكُلٌّ زائِلُ

واحسَرتا زالت وكُلٌّ زائِلُ

All that learning and all those lessons—

Alas! It vanished, all transient.

Alas, they vanished, and everything passes away.

Vanished, but leaving the worst remembrance,

زالَت وابقت شرَّ تذكارٍ لَها

زالَت وابقت شرَّ تذكارٍ لَها

كُلُّ الجوارِحِ في أَساهُ مقاتلُ

كُلُّ الجوارِحِ في أَساهُ مقاتلُ

They vanished, leaving their bitterest remembrance:

Every limb fighting against it.

In grief for it, every limb is open to a deathblow.

Since childhood you did not weary

منذُ الطفولة لم تكن تألو بها

منذُ الطفولة لم تكن تألو بها

جُهداً ولا عنهنَّ صدَّكَ حائِلُ

جُهداً ولا عنهنَّ صدَّكَ حائِلُ

Since childhood, you never spared, in their pursuit,

Of striving for it, nor did any obstacle bar you,

Any effort, nor did any obstacle turn you away from them.

And in a few years you reached

فبلغتَ منها في سنينَ قَلائِلٍ

فبلغتَ منها في سنينَ قَلائِلٍ

قَدراً يقصّرُ دونهُ المُتناولُ

قَدراً يقصّرُ دونهُ المُتناولُ

So, in a few short years, you reached through them

A level few gaining knowledge attain.

A rank that a seeker falls short of reaching.

It claimed your body wherever you went,

أَودَت بجسمكَ حيثُ رحتَ شهيدَها

أَودَت بجسمكَ حيثُ رحتَ شهيدَها

وَبمعرك الاعمال راحَ العاملُ

وَبمعرك الاعمال راحَ العاملُ

They destroyed your body, as you departed their martyr,

And the field of action lost its worker.

And on the battlefield of toil, the toiler was gone.

You journeyed at twenty, leaving behind sorrow

فرحلتَ في العشرين مُعقِبَ حسرةٍ

فرحلتَ في العشرين مُعقِبَ حسرةٍ

لكَ لا يُعَدُّ لها المدى المُتَطاولُ

لكَ لا يُعَدُّ لها المدى المُتَطاولُ

So you departed at twenty, leaving behind a sorrow

That cannot be measured however long.

For you—its long duration cannot be reckoned.

A branch was expected to bear fruit,

غُصناً نضيراً كانَ يُنتَظَرُ الجنى

غُصناً نضيراً كانَ يُنتَظَرُ الجنى

منهُ فسابقنا القضاءُ العاجلُ

منهُ فسابقنا القضاءُ العاجلُ

A flourishing branch: fruit had been awaited

But destiny hurried it to ripen early.

From it, but swift fate forestalled us.

I guess when that happened it turned its face

واظنُّهُ اذ ذاك حوَّل وجهَهُ

واظنُّهُ اذ ذاك حوَّل وجهَهُ

كَي لا يرقَّ لاجل ما هوَ حاصلُ

كَي لا يرقَّ لاجل ما هوَ حاصلُ

And I think it then turned away its face,

Lest it show pity for what would soon occur.

Lest it soften at what was happening.

Never had he needed a teacher’s care -

ما احتاج قطُّ الى اِعتِنآءِ مُثَقِّفٍ

ما احتاج قطُّ الى اِعتِنآءِ مُثَقِّفٍ

كلّا ولا تعبت عليهِ أَناملُ

كلّا ولا تعبت عليهِ أَناملُ

He never once needed a tutor's care,

Far from it! Nor did fingers toil over him.

No indeed, nor did fingers weary over him.

Upright from his earliest days, intelligent and wise,

مُنَقوِمٌ من عهدِهِ متثقفٌ

مُنَقوِمٌ من عهدِهِ متثقفٌ

في مهدِهِ فطنٌ أَديبٌ عاقلُ

في مهدِهِ فطنٌ أَديبٌ عاقلُ

Upright from his earliest days, cultivated

A poet, rational, composed.

In his cradle, perceptive, refined, and wise.

Clinging to religion’s bond, robed

متمسِكٌ بِعُرى التُقى مَتسَربلٌ

متمسِكٌ بِعُرى التُقى مَتسَربلٌ

بحلى الصلاحِ وَبالمحامدِ رافلُ

بحلى الصلاحِ وَبالمحامدِ رافلُ

Holding fast to piety's bonds, clothed

In the garment of righteousness and praised qualities.

In righteousness's ornaments, robed in praiseworthy virtues.

He bore afflictions but never knew weariness,

حمل البلا لم يَشكُ من سأمٍ وَلا

حمل البلا لم يَشكُ من سأمٍ وَلا

شَغَلَتهُ عن تَقوى الالهِ شواغلُ

شَغَلَتهُ عن تَقوى الالهِ شواغلُ

He bore affliction, never complaining of weariness, nor

Nor did worldly cares distract him from fearing God.

Did distractions divert him from reverence for God.

His mounts were piety and his company

فَمَضى رواحلُهُ التُقى وَحُدآؤُهُ

فَمَضى رواحلُهُ التُقى وَحُدآؤُهُ

ذكرُ الالهِ فنال ما هوَ آملُ

ذكرُ الالهِ فنال ما هوَ آملُ

So he went; his mounts were piety, and his camel-driving chant

Remembrance of God. Thus he gained what he hoped for,

Was remembrance of God; he attained what he hoped for.

In a Paradise where no ending led

في جَنَّةٍ من لم تَقُدهُ أَواخِرٌ

في جَنَّةٍ من لم تَقُدهُ أَواخِرٌ

للفوز فيها لم تُفِدهُ اوائلُ

للفوز فيها لم تُفِدهُ اوائلُ

In Paradise: whoever is not led by his latter days

Him, which first efforts cannot bring.

To triumph there gains nothing from his earlier days.