جَاءَcame الكِتَابُthe letter وَأَصْدِقْand how truthful!
جَاءَ الكِتَابُ وَأَصْدِقْ
بِهِit is رَسُولاًas a messenger أَمِينَاtrustworthy
بِهِ رَسُولاً أَمِينَا
The letter came—and how truthful
The Book came with a truthful
it was, a trustworthy messenger!
Messenger conveying,
أدَّىdelivered الْبَلاَغَthe message وأَبْدَىand revealed
أدَّى الْبَلاَغَ وأَبْدَى
مِنَof الْحَدِيثِthe tale شُجُونَاinterwoven threads
مِنَ الْحَدِيثِ شُجُونَا
It delivered the message and revealed
He delivered the message and showed
many threads of the tale.
The sorrows of the narration,
لَكِنْbut شَجَانِيgrieved me خَطْبٌa calamity
لَكِنْ شَجَانِي خَطْبٌ
وَصَفْتَهُyou described it لِيto me مُبِينَاplainly
وَصَفْتَهُ لِي مُبِينَا
But a calamity grieved me,
But what grieves me is news
which you described to me plainly,
That you described to me clearly,
وَصْفاًa description تَنَاهَيْتَyou reached the utmost فِيهِin it
وَصْفاً تَنَاهَيْتَ فِيهِ
بَرَاعَةًskill وَفُنُونَاand artistry
بَرَاعَةً وَفُنُونَا
in a description where you excelled
A description in which you went to lengths
in skill and artistry.
With eloquence and artistry,
فَيَاso, oh! لَهُfor it مِنْof مُصَابٍa calamity
فَيَا لَهُ مِنْ مُصَابٍ
أجْرَىmade flow الْفُؤَادَthe heart شُؤُونَاstreams of tears
أجْرَى الْفُؤَادَ شُؤُونَا
Oh, what a calamity it was,
Oh what a calamity,
making the heart stream with tears!
That made hearts grieve,
أتِلْكَis that سَارَاSara الَّتِيwhose كَاwas (word begins)
أتِلْكَ سَارَا الَّتِي كَا
نَwas (word ends) حُسْنُهَاher beauty يَسْبِينَاcaptivates us
نَ حُسْنُهَا يَسْبِينَا
Is that Sara, whose
Was that Sarah whose beauty
beauty used to captivate us?
Used to captivate us,
وَكَانَand was لِلعَقْلِfor reason تَاجٌa crown
وَكَانَ لِلعَقْلِ تَاجٌ
يَزِينُadorns مِنْهَاof her الْجَبِينَاthe brow
يَزِينُ مِنْهَا الْجَبِينَا
And reason had a crown
And reason was a crown,
that adorned her brow,
Adorning her forehead,
وَلِلْحَيَاءِand for modesty شُعَاعٌa ray
وَلِلْحَيَاءِ شُعَاعٌ
يَغُضُّlowers عَنْهَاaway from her الْجُفُونَاthe eyelids
يَغُضُّ عَنْهَا الْجُفُونَا
and modesty had a radiance
And modesty was a glow,
that made eyes lower before her.
Veiling her eyes,
وَكَانَand was كُلُّevery اْبتِسَامٍsmile
وَكَانَ كُلُّ اْبتِسَامٍ
مِنْهَاfrom her عَطَاءًa gift ثَمِينَاprecious
مِنْهَا عَطَاءً ثَمِينَا
And every smile
And every smile of hers
from her was a precious gift,
Was a precious gift,
وَكُلُّand every لَفْظٍword كَدُرٍّlike a pearl
وَكُلُّ لَفْظٍ كَدُرٍّ
يَصِيدُهُcatch it السَّامِعُونَاthe listeners
يَصِيدُهُ السَّامِعُونَا
and every word was like a pearl
And any harsh word,
that listeners would catch.
That listeners would catch,
مَاتَتْshe died قَتِيلَslain by هَوَاهَاher passion
مَاتَتْ قَتِيلَ هَوَاهَا
لَمْnot تَبْلُغِshe reached الْعِشْرِينَاtwenty
لَمْ تَبْلُغِ الْعِشْرِينَا
She died, slain by her passion,
She died a victim of her passion
before she had reached twenty;
Before reaching twenty,
وَلَمْand not تُزَفَّbe led in procession عَرُوساًa bride
وَلَمْ تُزَفَّ عَرُوساً
مَرْجُوَّةًhoped for لِلْبَنِينَاfor sons
مَرْجُوَّةً لِلْبَنِينَا
and she was never led forth as a bride,
She wasn't wed as a bride,
hoped to bear sons;
Longed for by suitors,
وَلَمْand not تُخَضَّبْbe dyed with henna وَلَمْand not يَشْsing (word begins)
وَلَمْ تُخَضَّبْ وَلَمْ يَشْ
دُsing (word ends) حَوْلَهَاaround her الشَّادُونَاthe singers
دُ حَوْلَهَا الشَّادُونَا
nor was she henna-dyed, nor did
She wasn't adorned, and no poets
singers sing around her;
Gathered around her,
وَلَمْand not تَنَلْshe attained مُلْكَthe sovereignty of يَوْمٍone day
وَلَمْ تَنَلْ مُلْكَ يَوْمٍ
بِهِthrough it تَقَرُّfind delight عُيُونَاeyes
بِهِ تَقَرُّ عُيُونَا
nor did she gain a single day's reign
She didn't attain a day's rule
in which eyes would find delight.
In which eyes would rest,
جَلَّwas too great المُصَابُthe calamity مُلِمَّاbefalling
جَلَّ المُصَابُ مُلِمَّا
بِمِثْلِهَاupon one like her أَنْto يَهُونَاbe taken lightly
بِمِثْلِهَا أَنْ يَهُونَا
Too grievous is a calamity befalling
The calamity was too grave,
one like her to be taken lightly.
To be softened by one like her,
فَكَيْفَhow then وَهْوَwhile it is مُزِيلٌtaking away
فَكَيْفَ وَهْوَ مُزِيلٌ
نُوراًlight ومُبْقٍand leaving behind طِينَاclay
نُوراً ومُبْقٍ طِينَا
How, then, when it takes away
And it was removing light
light and leaves clay behind?
And leaving behind clay,
دَبَّcrept الْفَسَادُcorruption إلَيْهَاtoward her
دَبَّ الْفَسَادُ إلَيْهَا
خَفِيفَlight of وَطْءِtread كَمِينَاlurking
خَفِيفَ وَطْءِ كَمِينَا
Corruption crept toward her,
Corruption crept upon her
soft-footed and lurking,
With the tread of an ambush,
وَعَالَجَand worked upon الرُّوحَthe soul حَتَّىuntil
وَعَالَجَ الرُّوحَ حَتَّى
أبَاحَlaid open عِرْضاًhonor مَصُونَاsafeguarded
أبَاحَ عِرْضاً مَصُونَا
and worked upon her soul until
And it treated the soul until
it laid her guarded honor open.
It made lawful a protected honor,
فَكَانَthus it was أفْدَحَthe most grievous رُزْءاًloss
فَكَانَ أفْدَحَ رُزْءاً
وَكَانَand it was شَراًan evil مًنُونَاdeadly
وَكَانَ شَراً مًنُونَا
Thus it was the heaviest loss,
So it was the vilest disgrace,
and it was a deadly evil;
And the evilest shame,
وَهَوَّنَand made slight العُمْرَlife خُسْراًas a loss
وَهَوَّنَ العُمْرَ خُسْراً
وَعَظَّمَand exalted العِرْضَhonor دينَاas a creed
وَعَظَّمَ العِرْضَ دينَا
and it made life's loss seem slight
It made life a loss,
and exalted honor as a creed.
And honor a debt,
يَاoh لَيْتَهَاif only she فِيin سَبِيلِthe cause of الْthe
يَا لَيْتَهَا فِي سَبِيلِ الْ
عَفَافِchastity مَاتَتْshe died طَعِينَاpierced through
عَفَافِ مَاتَتْ طَعِينَا
Oh, if only she had, for the sake of
If only she had died protecting
chastity, died pierced through!
Her chastity, how she would have been carried,
إذَنْthen لَزُفَّتْshe would be borne in procession عَزِيزاًgrievous
إذَنْ لَزُفَّتْ عَزِيزاً
عَلَىto الْوَرَىall mankind أنthat تَبِينَاshe should depart
عَلَى الْوَرَى أن تَبِينَا
Then she would have been borne forth—how grievous
As precious to mankind,
to all mankind her departure would be—
That eyes turn to her,
فِيin مَشْهَدٍa scene يَسْتَدِرُّdraws forth
فِي مَشْهَدٍ يَسْتَدِرُّ
الصَّفَاthe smooth rocks عَلَيْهَاfor her عُيُونَاsprings
الصَّفَا عَلَيْهَا عُيُونَا
in a scene that would draw
Her friends would weep for her,
springs from the rocks in grief for her;
And singers would lament,
تَبْكِيweep الصَّوَاحِبُthe women companions فِيهِin it
تَبْكِي الصَّوَاحِبُ فِيهِ
وَيَنْدُبُand lament المُنْشِدُونَاthe reciters
وَيَنْدُبُ المُنْشِدُونَا
her women friends would weep there,
And everyone would raise their voices
and the reciters would lament;
Eulogizing her,
وَيَرْفَعُand raises الصَّوْتَthe voice كُلٌّeveryone
وَيَرْفَعُ الصَّوْتَ كُلٌّ
بِذِكْرِهَاin remembrance of her تَأْبِينَاin eulogy
بِذِكْرِهَا تَأْبِينَا
and everyone would raise their voice
But today she is not
in remembrance of her, in eulogy.
One for us to bewail,
لَكِنَّهَاbut she اليَوْمَtoday لَيْسَتْis not
لَكِنَّهَا اليَوْمَ لَيْسَتْ
بِمَيْتَةٍa dead woman تُبْكِينَاmakes us weep
بِمَيْتَةٍ تُبْكِينَا
But today she is not
Nor a bride aspired to
a dead woman who makes us weep,
By clans and families,
وَلاَnor مُرَجَّاةَhoped for بَعْسلٍa husband (probable reading)
وَلاَ مُرَجَّاةَ بَعْسلٍ
وَعَيْلَةٍand a family صَالِحيناvirtuous
وَعَيْلَةٍ صَالِحينا
nor one expected to have a husband
She has become a tomb,
and a family, both virtuous.
In which chastity lies buried,
أمْسَتْshe became ضَريحاًa tomb وَأمْسَىand became
أمْسَتْ ضَريحاً وَأمْسَى
فِيهَاwithin her الْعَفَافُchastity دَفِينَاburied
فِيهَا الْعَفَافُ دَفِينَا
She has become a tomb, and
She sold beauty for money,
chastity lies buried within her.
A losing business,
بَاعَتْshe sold جَمَالاًbeauty بِمَالِfor money
بَاعَتْ جَمَالاً بِمَالِ
وَكَانَand it was بَيْعاًa sale غَبِينَاdisadvantageous
وَكَانَ بَيْعاً غَبِينَا
She sold beauty for money,
And money remains enslaving
and it was a losing bargain.
Mankind,
وَالمَالُand money مَاnot زَالَceased to be رَبَّاa master
وَالمَالُ مَا زَالَ رَبَّا
يَسْتَعْبِدُenslaves الْعَالَمِينَاall peoples
يَسْتَعْبِدُ الْعَالَمِينَا
And money has remained a master
It misguided her, and it had misguided
that enslaves all peoples.
The rightly-guided before,
أضَلَّهَاit led her astray وَقَدِيمٌand long-standing
أضَلَّهَا وَقَدِيمٌ
إضْلاَلُهُits leading astray الرَّاشِدِينَاthe rightly guided
إضْلاَلُهُ الرَّاشِدِينَا
It led her astray, and long has it
So look to what remains
led the rightly guided astray.
Of her beauty, making itself seen,
فَنْظُرْso look لِمَاat what هُوَit نَاجٍsurviving
فَنْظُرْ لِمَا هُوَ نَاجٍ
مِنْof حُسْنِهَاher beauty مُسْتَبِينَاclearly visible
مِنْ حُسْنِهَا مُسْتَبِينَا
So look at what survives
It is only what we do not want
of her beauty, plainly visible;
To have been,
فَإنَّمَاfor only هَوَit مَاwhat لاَnot
فَإنَّمَا هَوَ مَا لاَ
نَوَدُّهُwe wish it أَنْto يَكُونَاbe
نَوَدُّهُ أَنْ يَكُونَا
for it is only what we do not
A rose that turned to embers
wish it to be:
At the touch of the corrupt,
وَرْدٌa rose تَحَوَّلَturned into جَمْراًembers
وَرْدٌ تَحَوَّلَ جَمْراً
بِمَلمَسِby the touch of الْفَاسِقِينَاthe wicked
بِمَلمَسِ الْفَاسِقِينَا
a rose turned into embers
A perfume that poison makes
by the touch of the wicked;
For sniffing souls,
طِيبٌperfume يُحَلِّبُcauses to ooze سُمّاًpoison
طِيبٌ يُحَلِّبُ سُمّاً
فِيinto أنْفُسِthe souls of الْنَّاشِقِينَاthose who inhale
فِي أنْفُسِ الْنَّاشِقِينَا
a perfume that exudes poison
A light that hands a lantern
into the souls of those who inhale it;
To discerning eyes,
نُورٌa light يَمُدُّstretches جِرَاباًa pouch
نُورٌ يَمُدُّ جِرَاباً
فِيin أعْيُنِthe eyes of المُبْصِرِينَاthose who see
فِي أعْيُنِ المُبْصِرِينَا
a light that stretches a pouch
A mirror of chaste nature
over the eyes of those who see;
That represents the sinful,
مِرْآةُa mirror of خُلْقٍcharacter عَفِيفٍchaste
مِرْآةُ خُلْقٍ عَفِيفٍ
تُمَثِّلُreflects المُجْرِمِينَاthe criminals
تُمَثِّلُ المُجْرِمِينَا
a mirror of chaste character
A cup whose wine makes my verse
that reflects criminals;
Intoxicated with its drinkers,
كَأسٌa cup تُرِيبُdisquiets فَنُظْمِيso we make thirsty (unclear form)
كَأسٌ تُرِيبُ فَنُظْمِي
بِخَمْرِهَاwith its wine الشَّارِبِينَاthe drinkers
بِخَمْرِهَا الشَّارِبِينَا
a cup that disquiets, so we leave
A memory of sorrow for beauty
the drinkers thirsty with its wine;
That once contained virtues,
ذِكْرَىa memory أسًىof sorrow لِجَمَالٍfor beauty
ذِكْرَى أسًى لِجَمَالٍ
حَوَىheld الْفَضَائِلَthe virtues حِيناfor a time
حَوَى الْفَضَائِلَ حِينا
a sorrowful memory of beauty
Then it transgressed and became -
that once held the virtues,
In the eyes of onlookers - empty,
ثُمَّthen اغْتَدَىbecame وَهْوَwhile it was خَالٍdevoid
ثُمَّ اغْتَدَى وَهْوَ خَالٍ
مِنْهَاof them لَدَىbefore النَّاظِرِينَاthe beholders
مِنْهَا لَدَى النَّاظِرِينَا
then came to be devoid
Like a garden in which
of them in the eyes of beholders;
Dear ones once settled,
كَجَنَّةٍlike a garden كَانَthere were فِيهَاin it
كَجَنَّةٍ كَانَ فِيهَا
أحِبَّةٌbeloved ones آهِلُونَاdwelling
أحِبَّةٌ آهِلُونَا
like a garden where
Then they left it, and it remained
beloved ones once dwelt;
Halting the grieving.
فَفَارَقُوهَاthen they left it وَظَلَّتْand it remained
فَفَارَقُوهَا وَظَلَّتْ
تَسْتَوَقِفُmakes pause الآسِفِينَاthe sorrowful
تَسْتَوَقِفُ الآسِفِينَا
then they left it, and it remained,
making the sorrowful pause.
Partial English translation: 82 of 84 Arabic lines translated.