يَاO آيَةَmarvel of العَصْرِthe age حَقِيقٌfitting بِناfor us
يَا آيَةَ العَصْرِ حَقِيقٌ بِنا
تجْدِيدُrenewing ذِكْرَاكِremembrance of you عَلَىthrough الدَّهْرِall time
تجْدِيدُ ذِكْرَاكِ عَلَى الدَّهْرِ
O marvel of the age, it befits us
O sign of the age, it is our duty
To renew remembrance of you through all time.
To renew your memory through time
جَاهَدْتِyou strove لَكِنَّbut النَّجاحَthe success الَّذِيthat
جَاهَدْتِ لَكِنَّ النَّجاحَ الَّذِي
أَدْرَكْتِهِyou attained it أَغْلَىmore precious مِنَthan النَّصرِvictory
أَدْرَكْتِهِ أَغْلَى مِنَ النَّصرِ
You strove, but the success that
You struggled, but the success you achieved
You attained is more precious than victory.
Was more precious than victory
بَدَتْappeared تَبَاشِيرُthe first signs of الْحيَاةِlife الَّتِيthat
بَدَتْ تَبَاشِيرُ الْحيَاةِ الَّتِي
جَدَّتْhas arisen anew فحَيِّيso greet طَلْعَةَthe appearance of الفجْرِthe dawn
جَدَّتْ فحَيِّي طَلْعَةَ الفجْرِ
The first signs have appeared of the life that
The first glimpses of the life appeared
Has arisen anew; so greet the dawn's first light!
That vigorously brought the dawn
قدْindeed أَثْبَتَتْshe has shown يَقْظتَهَاher awakening لِلعُلَىto lofty aims
قدْ أَثْبَتَتْ يَقْظتَهَا لِلعُلَى
بَعْدَكِafter you ذَاتُthe woman of الخِدْرِthe secluded chamber فِيin مِصْرِEgypt
بَعْدَكِ ذَاتُ الخِدْرِ فِي مِصْرِ
She has shown her awakening to lofty aims—
Your vigilance established its ascendance
The secluded woman in Egypt, in your wake.
After the drowsiness in Egypt
فَبَرَزَتْso she emerged مِنْهُfrom it وَلَكِنَّهاand yet she
فَبَرَزَتْ مِنْهُ وَلَكِنَّها
مَاnot بَرَزَتْshe stepped outside عَنْbeyond أَدَبِthe decorum of الخِدْرِthe secluded chamber
مَا بَرَزَتْ عَنْ أَدَبِ الخِدْرِ
So she emerged from it, yet she
So it emerged from slumber
Did not abandon her chamber's decorum.
But it did not emerge from the etiquette of sleepiness
تَعْفَوshe pardons عَنِfor المُخْطِيءthe wrongdoer فِيagainst حقِّهَاher rights
تَعْفَو عَنِ المُخْطِيء فِي حقِّهَا
حِلْماًout of forbearance وَتسْتعْفِيand seeks to be spared مِنَfrom النكْرِwrongdoing
حِلْماً وَتسْتعْفِي مِنَ النكْرِ
She pardons whoever wrongs her,
It forgives the mistaken regarding its right
Out of forbearance, and seeks to be spared wrongdoing.
With forbearance, and seeks to avoid hostility
مَكانُهَاher place أَصْبَحَhas become مِنْrelative to زَوْجِهاher husband
مَكانُهَا أَصْبَحَ مِنْ زَوْجِها
مَكَانَthe place of تِمِّthe complement of الشِّطرِone half بِالشَّطرِwith the other half
مَكَانَ تِمِّ الشِّطرِ بِالشَّطرِ
Her place beside her husband has become
Its place became equal to its counterpart
That of one half completing the other.
Like two halves of a whole
لهَاshe has عَلَىin الوَاجِبِduty صَبْرpatience وَإِنْand even if
لهَا عَلَى الوَاجِبِ صَبْر وَإِنْ
شَقَّتbecame arduous وَمَرَّتْand grew bitter شِرْعَةُthe path of الصَّبرِpatience
شَقَّت وَمَرَّتْ شِرْعَةُ الصَّبرِ
She has patience in duty, even if
It has patience in duty
Patience's path grows harsh and bitter.
Though the path of patience was difficult and bitter
مَخَايِلُsigns العَزْمِof resolve تِريreveal وَرْيَهَاtheir fire
مَخَايِلُ العَزْمِ تِري وَرْيَهَا
مُؤْتَلِقاًshining فِيin وَجْهِهَاher face النَّضرِradiant
مُؤْتَلِقاً فِي وَجْهِهَا النَّضرِ
Signs of resolve reveal their fire,
The harbors of determination see its watering place
Shining in her radiant face.
Smiling in its blossoming face
وَتَلْمَحُand glimpses العَيْنُthe eye حُلَىthe adornments of نَفْسِهَاher soul
وَتَلْمَحُ العَيْنُ حُلَى نَفْسِهَا
أَزهَىmore radiant وَأَبْهَىand more splendid مِنْthan حُلَىornaments of التِّبرِgold
أَزهَى وَأَبْهَى مِنْ حُلَى التِّبرِ
And the eye glimpses the adornments of her soul,
And the eye glimpses the adornments of its soul
More radiant and splendid than ornaments of gold.
More vivid and brilliant than adornments of gold
فِيin أَيِّwhich عَصرٍage كانَwas عِرْفَانهَاher understanding
فِي أَيِّ عَصرٍ كانَ عِرْفَانهَا
أَوْor خبْرُهَاher experience مَاwhat هُوَit فِيin العَصْرِthis age
أَوْ خبْرُهَا مَا هُوَ فِي العَصْرِ
In what age was her understanding,
In what era was its discernment
Or her experience, what it is in this age?
Or news of it, ever absent?
قَدْindeed عِلمَتْshe has learned أَنَّthat المزَايَاmerits وَإِنْand even if
قَدْ عِلمَتْ أَنَّ المزَايَا وَإِنْ
جَلَلْنَthey are great لاَnot يُغْنِينَthey suffice مِنْin place of طُهْرِpurity
جَلَلْنَ لاَ يُغْنِينَ مِنْ طُهْرِ
She has learned that merits, though
It knew that merits, though majestic
Great, are no substitute for purity.
Cannot suffice for purity
لوif جُمعَتْwere gathered فِيin نَسَقٍan arrangement بَارِعٍskillful
لو جُمعَتْ فِي نَسَقٍ بَارِعٍ
كَرِيمَةُthe choicest of الأَحْجَارِstones وَالدُّرِّand pearls
كَرِيمَةُ الأَحْجَارِ وَالدُّرِّ
If there were gathered in a skillful arrangement
If collected in a skillful composition
The choicest stones and pearls,
Precious stones and pearls
وَلمْand did not تُصِبْthey obtain نُوراًlight فَتُبْدِيso they reveal بِهِby it
وَلمْ تُصِبْ نُوراً فَتُبْدِي بِهِ
زِينَتَنهَاtheir adornment الخلاَّبَةَbewitching الفِكْرِthe mind
زِينَتَنهَا الخلاَّبَةَ الفِكْرِ
And they caught no light by which to reveal
And they produced no light to reveal through it
Their splendor that bewitches the mind,
Their deceptive beautiful thoughts
أَلاَwould not يَكونُbe الفحْمُcoal وَالمَاسُand diamond فِيin
أَلاَ يَكونُ الفحْمُ وَالمَاسُ فِي
مُنْجَمِهِits mine سِيَّينِalike فِيin القَدْرِworth
مُنْجَمِهِ سِيَّينِ فِي القَدْرِ
Would not coal and diamond be, in
Are not coal and diamond in their mines
Their mine, equal in worth?
Equal in worth?
يَاO مَنْyou who ذوَتwithered فِيin زَهْرَةِthe bloom of العُمْرِlife مَاhow
يَا مَنْ ذوَت فِي زَهْرَةِ العُمْرِ مَا
أَقْسَىcruel الرَّدَىdeath فِيin زهْرَةِthe bloom of العُمْرِlife
أَقْسَى الرَّدَى فِي زهْرَةِ العُمْرِ
O you who withered in life's bloom, how
O you who lost in the bloom of youth
Cruel is death in the bloom of life!
What the harshest decay lost in the bloom of youth
إِنْif تبْعَدِيyou depart مَاnot بَعُدَتْhas grown distant نَفْحَةٌa fragrant waft
إِنْ تبْعَدِي مَا بَعُدَتْ نَفْحَةٌ
تَرَكْتِهَاyou left it مِنْof خَالِصِpure العِطْرِperfume
تَرَكْتِهَا مِنْ خَالِصِ العِطْرِ
Though you are far away, a fragrant waft remains
If you move away, no scent has moved away
Of the pure perfume you left behind,
That left such pure fragrance
فِيin كُتبٍbooks مَأثورَةٍcelebrated كلُّهَاall of them
فِي كُتبٍ مَأثورَةٍ كلُّهَا
كالرَّوْضَةِlike a garden الدَّائِمَةِeverlasting الزَّهْرِbloom
كالرَّوْضَةِ الدَّائِمَةِ الزَّهْرِ
In celebrated books, all of them
In books filled with tradition like
Like a garden forever in bloom.
An eternal blossoming garden
وَلاَand not نَأَىhas grown distant عَنْfrom مَسْمَعِthe hearing of القَوْمِthe people مَاwhat
وَلاَ نَأَى عَنْ مَسْمَعِ القَوْمِ مَا
غنَّيتِyou sang مِنْof أُنْشُودَةٍa song بِكْرِoriginal
غنَّيتِ مِنْ أُنْشُودَةٍ بِكْرِ
Nor has faded from the people's hearing what
Nor did any song you sang recede
You sang—a maiden song,
From people's hearing, O virgin song
خَالِدَةِeverlasting التَّرْدِيدِrepetition فِيin مِصْرَEgypt عَنfrom
خَالِدَةِ التَّرْدِيدِ فِي مِصْرَ عَن
نابِغَةٍa woman of genius خَالِدَةِeverlasting الذكْرِremembrance
نابِغَةٍ خَالِدَةِ الذكْرِ
Forever repeated in Egypt, from
Immortal in its repetition in Egypt
A woman of genius, forever remembered.
From an immortal eminent woman
بِشَدْوِهَاthrough her singing المُؤْلِمِpainful فِيin أَسْرِهَاher captivity
بِشَدْوِهَا المُؤْلِمِ فِي أَسْرِهَا
أَطْلَقتِyou freed الطَّيرُthe birds مِنَfrom الأَسْرِcaptivity
أَطْلَقتِ الطَّيرُ مِنَ الأَسْرِ
Through her anguished singing in her captivity,
With her painful desire in captivity
You freed the birds from captivity.
She freed the birds from captivity
مَاwhat الوِزْرُsin أَنْthat تَبْدُوَshe appears ذَاتَa woman with الحُلىjewels
مَا الوِزْرُ أَنْ تَبْدُوَ ذَاتَ الحُلى
وَسَيْرُهَاand her conduct خِلوٌfree مِنَfrom الوِزْرِsin
وَسَيْرُهَا خِلوٌ مِنَ الوِزْرِ
What sin is there if a jeweled woman appears,
What burden is it for the adorned one to appear
When her conduct is free from sin?
While her conduct is free from burden?
أَيُّwhat كَمَالٍperfection وَجَمَالٍand beauty يُرَىis seen
أَيُّ كَمَالٍ وَجَمَالٍ يُرَى
كَمَاas يُرَىis seen فِيin طَالِعِthe emergence of الزَّهْرِblossoms
كَمَا يُرَى فِي طَالِعِ الزَّهْرِ
What perfection and beauty can be seen
What perfection and beauty is seen
Like those seen in a flower's first bloom?
As is seen in the rising of a flower?
فبِاسْمِso in the name of طُلاَّبِthose seeking رُقِيِّthe advancement of الحِمَىthe homeland
فبِاسْمِ طُلاَّبِ رُقِيِّ الحِمَى
وَبِاسْمِand in the name of أَهْلِpeople of الخُلقِcharacter الحُرِّnoble
وَبِاسْمِ أَهْلِ الخُلقِ الحُرِّ
So in the name of those seeking the homeland's advancement,
So in the name of students of high ambition
And in the name of people of noble character,
And in the name of people of noble character
أُهْدِيI offer إِلىto رُوحِكِyour spirit فِيin عَدُنِهَاits Eden
أُهْدِي إِلى رُوحِكِ فِي عَدُنِهَا
أَنْفَسَthe most precious مَاwhat يُهْدَىis offered مِنَof الشُّكرِgratitude
أَنْفَسَ مَا يُهْدَى مِنَ الشُّكرِ
I offer to your spirit in its Eden
I present to your soul in its eternity
The most precious gratitude that can be offered.
The most precious gift of gratitude
هَلْwhether كُنْتِyou were إِلاَّanything but كَوْكَباًa star آخِذاًdrawing
هَلْ كُنْتِ إِلاَّ كَوْكَباً آخِذاً
فِيin أُفُقِthe horizon of العَلْيَاءِglory مِنْfrom بَدْرِa full moon
فِي أُفُقِ العَلْيَاءِ مِنْ بَدْرِ
Were you anything but a star drawing light
Were you not but a rising star
On the horizon of glory, from a full moon?
In the horizon of the full moon?
فضْلُكِyour excellence مِنْfrom فَضْلِthe excellence of أَبِيكِyour father الَّذِيwho
فضْلُكِ مِنْ فَضْلِ أَبِيكِ الَّذِي
كَانwas أَبَاthe father of الآدَابِletters فِيin القطْرِthe land
كَان أَبَا الآدَابِ فِي القطْرِ
Your excellence comes from your father's excellence, who
Your merit is from the merit of your father
Was the father of letters in the land.
Who was the father of literature in this country
أَبْرَعُthe most skillful مِنْof those who جَوَّدَexcelled فِيin مُرْسَلٍprose
أَبْرَعُ مِنْ جَوَّدَ فِي مُرْسَلٍ
وَخَيْرُand the best مَنْof those who جَدَّدَrenewed فِيin شِعْرَpoetry
وَخَيْرُ مَنْ جَدَّدَ فِي شِعْرَ
The most skillful of those who excelled in prose,
Most eloquent of those who gave generously
And the best of those who renewed poetry.
And best of those who renewed in poetry
قَصَّرْتَI fell short فِيin إِيفَائِهِgiving him حَقَّهُhis due
قَصَّرْتَ فِي إِيفَائِهِ حَقَّهُ
تَقْصِيرَthe failing of مَغْلُوبٍa helpless person عَلَىover أَمْرِيmy affairs
تَقْصِيرَ مَغْلُوبٍ عَلَى أَمْرِي
I fell short in giving him his due,
You fell short in fulfilling his right
As one powerless over my own affairs.
Like one overpowered, unable to act
وَكانَand was مِنْamong عُذْرِthe excuses of الأُولَىthose who أُرْجَأُواthey postponed
وَكانَ مِنْ عُذْرِ الأُولَى أُرْجَأُوا
تَأْبِينَهُhis eulogy مَاwhat كَانَwas مِنْof عذْرِيmy excuse
تَأْبِينَهُ مَا كَانَ مِنْ عذْرِي
And among the excuses of those who postponed
The foremost excuse was that we postponed
His eulogy was the excuse that I too had.
His elegy, which was not my excuse
شُلَّتْmay be paralyzed يَدُthe hand of البَيْنِparting الَّذِيwhich سَاءَنَاgrieved us
شُلَّتْ يَدُ البَيْنِ الَّذِي سَاءَنَا
بِفَقْدِwith the loss of ذَاكَthat العَالِمِthe scholar الحَبْرِerudite
بِفَقْدِ ذَاكَ العَالِمِ الحَبْرِ
May the hand of parting be paralyzed, for it grieved us
The hand of separation that saddened us was paralyzed
With the loss of that erudite scholar,
With the loss of that scholarly master
أَلْعَامِلُthe worker الثَّبتُsteadfast الَّذِيwho إِنْif يُفِضْhe discourses
أَلْعَامِلُ الثَّبتُ الَّذِي إِنْ يُفِضْ
فِيon مَبْحَثٍa subject حَدِّثْspeak عَنِof البَحْرِthe sea
فِي مَبْحَثٍ حَدِّثْ عَنِ البَحْرِ
The steadfast worker who, if he discourses
That steadfast scholar who if he delved
On a subject—speak then of the sea!
Into an issue, he reported on the sea
رَبُّmaster of المَعَانِيmeanings وَالبَيَانِand eloquence الذِيwho
رَبُّ المَعَانِي وَالبَيَانِ الذِي
علَّمَنَاtaught us مَاwhat لَمْnot نَكُنْwe were نَدْرِيwe know
علَّمَنَا مَا لَمْ نَكُنْ نَدْرِي
The master of meaning and eloquence, who
Lord of meanings and eloquence, who
Taught us what we did not know.
Taught us what we did not know
أَلبَاذِلُthe giver of العِلْمَknowledge لطُلاَّبِهِto his students
أَلبَاذِلُ العِلْمَ لطُلاَّبِهِ
بَذْلاًgiving freely وَمَاand not كَانَwas مِنَof التَّجرِtrade
بَذْلاً وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ التَّجرِ
The giver of knowledge to his students,
That generous disseminator of knowledge to students
Giving freely, never as a trade.
With a generosity that was not business
يُثَقِّفhe educates النَّشءَthe young عَلَىalthough أَنَّهُthat he
يُثَقِّف النَّشءَ عَلَى أَنَّهُ
أَعْلَىthe highest مَنارٍbeacon لأُولِيfor people of الذِّكْرِlearning
أَعْلَى مَنارٍ لأُولِي الذِّكْرِ
He educates the young, though he
He educated the youth that he
Is the highest beacon for the learned.
Was the highest beacon for those of wisdom
فِيin صَدْرِهِhis breast الرِّفْقُgentleness جَمِيعاًentirely وَمَاand not
فِي صَدْرِهِ الرِّفْقُ جَمِيعاً وَمَا
مِنْany رِيبَةٍsuspicion فِيin ذلِكَthat الصَّدْرِbreast
مِنْ رِيبَةٍ فِي ذلِكَ الصَّدْرِ
In his breast dwells all gentleness, and there is
In his heart was kindness altogether and no
No suspicion within that breast.
Suspicion was in that heart
أَخْلَصُthe most sincere شَيءٍthing لأَوِدَّائِهِtoward his dear friends
أَخْلَصُ شَيءٍ لأَوِدَّائِهِ
نِيَّتهُhis intention فِيin السِّرِّsecrecy وَالجَهْرِand openness
نِيَّتهُ فِي السِّرِّ وَالجَهْرِ
The most sincere thing toward his dear friends
The purest thing for his loved ones
Is his intention, in private and in public.
Was his intention, in private and public
فَرَحْمَةُso the mercy of اللهِGod وَرِضْوَانُهُand His favor
فَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَرِضْوَانُهُ
عَلَىupon فَقِيدَتْنَاour departed woman إِلىuntil الحَشْرِthe Resurrection
عَلَى فَقِيدَتْنَا إِلى الحَشْرِ
So may God's mercy and His favor
So may God's mercy and pleasure
Be upon our departed until the Resurrection—
Be upon our deceased until the Gathering
مِنْof وَالِدٍa father بَرٍّkindly وَمِنْand of بِضْعَةِa fragment of
مِنْ وَالِدٍ بَرٍّ وَمِنْ بِضْعَةِ
طُهْرٍpurity أَنَارَاthey both illuminated ظُلْمَةَthe darkness of القَبْرِthe grave
طُهْرٍ أَنَارَا ظُلْمَةَ القَبْرِ
A kindly father and a fragment
From a righteous father and from a chaste daughter
Of purity, who both lit the darkness of the grave.
Who illuminated the darkness of the grave
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.