مَضَوْاthey departed تِبَاعاًin succession وَهَذَاand this يَوْمُthe day of مَسْعُودِMas‘ud
مَضَوْا تِبَاعاً وَهَذَا يَوْمُ مَسْعُودِ
هَلْis there فِيin الكِنَانَةKinana (Egypt) قَلْبٌa heart غَيْرُnot مَكمُودِgrief-stricken
هَلْ فِي الكِنَانَة قَلْبٌ غَيْرُ مَكمُودِ
They departed one after another, and this is Mas‘ud's day.
They passed in succession, and this is a blessed day
Is there in Kinana a heart not stricken with grief?
Is there in existence a heart other than applauded?
نَوَابِغٌbrilliant minds مَلأُواthey filled بِالفَخْرِwith pride عَصْرَهُمُtheir age
نَوَابِغٌ مَلأُوا بِالفَخْرِ عَصْرَهُمُ
وَجَدَّدُواand they renewed المَجْدَglory فِيهِin it كُلَّcomplete تَجْديدِrenewal
وَجَدَّدُوا المَجْدَ فِيهِ كُلَّ تَجْديدِ
Brilliant minds filled their age with pride,
Geniuses who filled their era with pride
And renewed its glory to the full.
And renewed glory in it with every renewal
عَادَتْreturned بِهthrough him لِفُحُولِto the masters of الشِّعرِpoetry دَوْلَتُهُمْtheir reign
عَادَتْ بِه لِفُحُولِ الشِّعرِ دَوْلَتُهُمْ
وَدَوْلَةٌand a reign لِلنَّحارِيرِfor the learned masters المَجَاوِيدِthe generous
وَدَوْلَةٌ لِلنَّحارِيرِ المَجَاوِيدِ
Through him the master poets' reign returned,
With it the state of eminent poets returned
And the reign of the learned and generous masters.
And a state for the outstanding writers
أَلكَاتِبُthe writer الفَذُّthe peerless قَدْindeed أَلْقَىlaid aside بَرَاعَتَهُhis mastery
أَلكَاتِبُ الفَذُّ قَدْ أَلْقَى بَرَاعَتَهُ
بَعْدَafter اصْطِحَابٍcompanionship طَوِيلِlong العَهْدِduration مَحْمُودِpraiseworthy
بَعْدَ اصْطِحَابٍ طَوِيلِ العَهْدِ مَحْمُودِ
The peerless writer has laid aside his mastery,
The superb scribe has displayed his skill
After a long and praiseworthy companionship.
After a long, commendable companionship
بَحْرٌa sea مِنَof الأَدَبِliterary learning الزَّخَّارِoverflowing مُصْطَفِقٌsurging
بَحْرٌ مِنَ الأَدَبِ الزَّخَّارِ مُصْطَفِقٌ
بِصَدْرِin the breast of أَرْوَعَa splendid man فِيهin him حِشْمَةُthe modesty of الرُّودِgentle maidens
بِصَدْرِ أَرْوَعَ فِيه حِشْمَةُ الرُّودِ
A surging sea of copious learning,
A sea of abundant literature
In a splendid man's breast, where gentle maidens' modesty dwells.
With the most magnificent dignity in it
تَرَاهُyou see him فِيin وَجْهِthe face of مسْتَحْيٍa bashful man وَتُخْبِرُهُand you test him
تَرَاهُ فِي وَجْهِ مسْتَحْيٍ وَتُخْبِرُهُ
فَلَسْتَso you do not تَخْبُرُexperience غَيْرَanything but النُّبلِnobility وَالجُودِand generosity
فَلَسْتَ تَخْبُرُ غَيْرَ النُّبلِ وَالجُودِ
You see him with a bashful man's face and put him to the test,
You see him with a shy face and he tells you
So you find nothing but nobility and generosity.
For you tell nothing but nobility and generosity
تُبْديreveal ظَوَاهِرُهُhis outward traits مَاwhat فِيin سَرَائِرِهِhis inner secrets
تُبْدي ظَوَاهِرُهُ مَا فِي سَرَائِرِهِ
وَقَدْand perhaps تَشِعُّshine نُفُوسٌsouls فِيthrough التَّجالِيدِbodily coverings
وَقَدْ تَشِعُّ نُفُوسٌ فِي التَّجالِيدِ
His outward ways reveal what lies within him,
His appearances show what is in his mysteries
And souls may shine through their bodily coverings.
And souls can shine in wrapping sheets
يَحْيَاhe lives وَدُوداًloving وَمَوْدُوداًand beloved كَأَحْسَنِas the best of مَاwhat
يَحْيَا وَدُوداً وَمَوْدُوداً كَأَحْسَنِ مَا
يَرْجُوhe hopes for وَهَلْand is there مِنْany وَدُودٍa loving person غَيْرِnot مَوْجُودِpresent
يَرْجُو وَهَلْ مِنْ وَدُودٍ غَيْرِ مَوْجُودِ
He lives loving and beloved, in the finest way
He lives affectionately and affectionately as the best that
He could hope for—and is a loving soul ever absent?
He hopes, and is there an affectionate other than present?
وَلَمْand not يَكُنْhe was مَعَdespite لِينِthe gentleness of الطَّبعِtemperament وَاهِيَهُweak in it
وَلَمْ يَكُنْ مَعَ لِينِ الطَّبعِ وَاهِيَهُ
وَلَمْand not يَكُنْhe was بِمُدَاجٍa dissembler أَوْor بِرِعْديدِa coward
وَلَمْ يَكُنْ بِمُدَاجٍ أَوْ بِرِعْديدِ
And despite his gentle nature, he was not weak,
He was neither soft in nature nor feeble
Nor was he a dissembler or a coward.
Nor was he stubborn or thunderous
وَرُبَّماand sometimes صَالَhe charged ذَوْداًin defense عَنْof حَقِيقَتهhis honor
وَرُبَّما صَالَ ذَوْداً عَنْ حَقِيقَته
فَجَالَso he ranged فِيthrough الشَّوْطِthe course جَوْلاَتِthe forays of الصَّنادِيدِthe mighty champions
فَجَالَ فِي الشَّوْطِ جَوْلاَتِ الصَّنادِيدِ
And sometimes he charged in defense of his honor,
And sometimes he defended his truth
So he ranged the course with the forays of champions.
So he walked in the field, strides of the giants
جَارَىhe kept pace with صِحَافَةَthe press of مِصْرٍEgypt مُنْذُsince نَشْأَتِهَاits inception
جَارَى صِحَافَةَ مِصْرٍ مُنْذُ نَشْأَتِهَا
وَعِبْئُهَاand its burden مُرْهِقٌtaxing فِيin نَضْرَةِthe freshness of العُودِthe bough
وَعِبْئُهَا مُرْهِقٌ فِي نَضْرَةِ العُودِ
He kept pace with Egypt's press from its beginnings,
He emulated the press of Egypt since its inception
And its burden was taxing while the bough was still green.
And its burden is exhausting in the freshness of the branch
بِالعَزْمِwith resolve وَالحَزْمِand prudence يَسْتَوْفِيhe fulfills مَطَالِبَهَاits demands
بِالعَزْمِ وَالحَزْمِ يَسْتَوْفِي مَطَالِبَهَا
وَهَلْand is there بِغَيْرِهِمَاwithout the two of them إِدْرَاكُattainment of مَنْشُودِa desired goal
وَهَلْ بِغَيْرِهِمَا إِدْرَاكُ مَنْشُودِ
With resolve and prudence he fulfills its demands;
With determination and composure he attains its demands
And can any desired goal be attained without these two?
And is its desired attained without them?
حَتَّىuntil إِذَاwhen آبَhe returned مِنْamong أَقْطَابِthe leading figures of نَهْضَتِهَاits revival
حَتَّى إِذَا آبَ مِنْ أَقْطَابِ نَهْضَتِهَا
وَسَدَّدَand he set right الرَّأْيَopinion فِيهِin it كُلَّcomplete تَسْدِيدِguidance
وَسَدَّدَ الرَّأْيَ فِيهِ كُلَّ تَسْدِيدِ
Until, when he returned as one of the pillars of its revival,
Until when he came from the poles of its renaissance
And had guided opinion there unerringly,
And directed opinion in it every guidance
أَجْرَىhe made flow بِمَاwith what يُخْصِبُenriches الأَلْبَابَminds أَنْهُرَهَاits rivers
أَجْرَى بِمَا يُخْصِبُ الأَلْبَابَ أَنْهُرَهَا
كَالنِّيلِlike the Nile بِالخِصْبِwith fertility يَجْرِيflows فِيthrough الأَخَاديدِthe channels
كَالنِّيلِ بِالخِصْبِ يَجْرِي فِي الأَخَاديدِ
He set its rivers flowing with what enriches minds,
He made flow with what enriches minds its rivers
Like the Nile flowing with fertility through the channels.
Like the Nile, flowing in the valleys
وَعَلَّمَand he taught الطَّيرَthe birds فِيin أَفْنَانِthe branches of رَوْضَتِهَاits garden
وَعَلَّمَ الطَّيرَ فِي أَفْنَانِ رَوْضَتِهَا
شَتَّىvaried الأَفَانِينِstyles مِنْof شَدْوٍsong وَتَغْرِيدِand warbling
شَتَّى الأَفَانِينِ مِنْ شَدْوٍ وَتَغْرِيدِ
And taught the birds in the branches of its garden
And he taught the birds in the courts of its garden
The many arts of song and warbling.
Various melodies of song and chirping
إِنَّindeed الصِّحافَةَthe press مَوْسُوعَاتُencyclopedias of مَعْرِفَةٍknowledge
إِنَّ الصِّحافَةَ مَوْسُوعَاتُ مَعْرِفَةٍ
يُزَوَّدُis furnished العَقْلُthe mind مِنْهَاfrom it خَيْرَthe best تَزْوِيدِprovision
يُزَوَّدُ العَقْلُ مِنْهَا خَيْرَ تَزْوِيدِ
Indeed, newspapers are encyclopedias of knowledge,
Indeed, the press is encyclopedias of knowledge
From them the mind receives the finest provisions.
From which the mind is provided the best provision
تَزِيدُincrease أَخْبَارُهَاits reports بِالنَّاسِof people خِبْرَتَهُits knowledge
تَزِيدُ أَخْبَارُهَا بِالنَّاسِ خِبْرَتَهُ
حَتَّىuntil تُقَوِّمstraighten مِنْهُwithin it كُلَّevery تَأْوِيدِcrookedness
حَتَّى تُقَوِّم مِنْهُ كُلَّ تَأْوِيدِ
Their reports deepen the mind's knowledge of people,
Its news increases people’s knowledge
Until they straighten every crookedness within it.
Until it corrects from it every belief
مَسْعُودُMas‘ud مَهَّدَpaved فِيin مِصْرَEgypt السَّبيلَthe way لَهَاfor it
مَسْعُودُ مَهَّدَ فِي مِصْرَ السَّبيلَ لَهَا
فَحازَso he earned فَضْلَيْنِtwo merits مِنْof سَبْقٍprecedence وَتَمْهِيدِand paving the way
فَحازَ فَضْلَيْنِ مِنْ سَبْقٍ وَتَمْهِيدِ
Mas‘ud paved the way for the press in Egypt,
Mas’ud paved in Egypt the way for it
Thus winning the twin merits of pioneering and preparing the way.
Thus he gained two merits of precedence and preparation
ثُمَّthen انْتَحَىhe turned مُرْصِداًdedicating لِلعِلمِto learning همَّتهُhis resolve
ثُمَّ انْتَحَى مُرْصِداً لِلعِلمِ همَّتهُ
مُتَابِعاًfollowing كُلَّevery مَجْهْودٍeffort بِمَجْهُودِwith effort
مُتَابِعاً كُلَّ مَجْهْودٍ بِمَجْهُودِ
Then he turned, dedicating his resolve to learning,
Then he took as a position for knowledge his determination
Following each effort with another effort.
Following every effort with effort
يُوعِيhe stores up مَعَارِفَknowledge أَلْوَاناًof diverse kinds وَيُخْرِجُهَاand he brings it forth
يُوعِي مَعَارِفَ أَلْوَاناً وَيُخْرِجُهَا
لَفْظاًin wording وَمَعْنىًand in meaning بِإِتْقَانٍwith precision وَتَجْوِيدِand refinement
لَفْظاً وَمَعْنىً بِإِتْقَانٍ وَتَجْوِيدِ
He stores up knowledge of many kinds and brings it forth,
He comprehends knowledge of diverse forms and brings it out
In words and meaning, with precision and refinement.
In diction and meaning with perfection and excellent delivery
فَمِنْso among تَآلِيفَwritings لاَnot تُحْصَىcan be counted فَوَائِدُهَاtheir benefits
فَمِنْ تَآلِيفَ لاَ تُحْصَى فَوَائِدُهَا
مَحْدُودَةٍlimited وَمَدَاهَاand their reach غَيْرُnot مَحْدُودlimited
مَحْدُودَةٍ وَمَدَاهَا غَيْرُ مَحْدُود
So there are writings whose benefits cannot be counted,
Of compositions whose benefits cannot be counted
Limited themselves, yet boundless in their reach;
Limited, and its horizons are unlimited
وَمِنْand among رَسَائِلَtreatises فِيon فَنٍّan art وفِيand on لُغَةٍa language
وَمِنْ رَسَائِلَ فِي فَنٍّ وفِي لُغَةٍ
سِيقَتْwere set forth لإِقْرَارِto affirm رَأْيٍan opinion أَوْor لِتَفْنِيدِfor refutation
سِيقَتْ لإِقْرَارِ رَأْيٍ أَوْ لِتَفْنِيدِ
And treatises on art and language,
And of messages in art and in language
Set forth to affirm an opinion or refute it;
Forwarded to establish an opinion or refute
وَمِنْand among مَبَاحِثَstudies فِيon التَّارِيخِhistory شَائِقَةٍengaging
وَمِنْ مَبَاحِثَ فِي التَّارِيخِ شَائِقَةٍ
وَفِيand on البِحَارِthe seas وَفِيand on الأَمْصَارِthe cities وَالبِيدِand the deserts
وَفِي البِحَارِ وَفِي الأَمْصَارِ وَالبِيدِ
And engaging studies of history,
And of alluring discussions in history
And of seas, cities, and deserts;
And in seas, cities and deserts
وَفِيand on صِفَاتِthe traits of بَنِيthe children of الدُّنْيَاthis world وَمَاand what اصْطَلَحُواthey agreed
وَفِي صِفَاتِ بَنِي الدُّنْيَا وَمَا اصْطَلَحُوا
عَلَيْهِupon it فِيin عَهْدِهِمْtheir age مِنْof غَيْرِnot مَعْهُودِpreviously known
عَلَيْهِ فِي عَهْدِهِمْ مِنْ غَيْرِ مَعْهُودِ
And of the traits of this world's children, and what they agreed
And in the qualities of the people of the world and what they agreed
Upon in their age, of things not known before;
Upon in their time of the unprecedented
وَفِيand on عَوَالِمِworlds of أَفْلاَكٍcelestial spheres تُحِيطُencircle بِنَاabout us
وَفِي عَوَالِمِ أَفْلاَكٍ تُحِيطُ بِنَا
مَاwhat is بَيْنَbetween مُحْتَجِبٍhidden مِنْهَاamong them وَمَرْصُودِand observed
مَا بَيْنَ مُحْتَجِبٍ مِنْهَا وَمَرْصُودِ
And of the worlds of celestial spheres surrounding us,
And in the worlds of orbiting planets surrounding us
From those concealed among them to those observed.
Between the veiled from them and the observable
هَدِيَّةa gift وَهُدىًand guidance مِنْهُfrom him لأُمَّتهِto his nation
هَدِيَّة وَهُدىً مِنْهُ لأُمَّتهِ
وَمَوْطِنٍand a homeland بَعْدَafter وَجْهِthe face of اللهِGod مَعْبُودworshipped
وَمَوْطِنٍ بَعْدَ وَجْهِ اللهِ مَعْبُود
A gift and guidance from him to his nation,
A gift and guidance from him to his nation
And to a homeland worshipped second only to the face of God.
And a direction after God’s face the worshipped
مَسْعُودُMas‘ud يَبْكِيكَweep for you أَبْنَاءٌsons بَرَرْتَyou were kind بِهِمْto them
مَسْعُودُ يَبْكِيكَ أَبْنَاءٌ بَرَرْتَ بِهِمْ
فَنُشِّئواso they were raised نَشْأَةَwith the upbringing of الغُرِّthe illustrious الأَمَاجِيدِthe noble
فَنُشِّئوا نَشْأَةَ الغُرِّ الأَمَاجِيدِ
Mas‘ud, sons whom you treated kindly weep for you,
Mas’ud, your children weep for you, whom you reared
So they were reared as illustrious, noble men.
So they were brought up as noble heroes
يَبْكِيكَweep for you قَوْمٌa people مَشَوْاthey walked وَالحُزْنُand grief يَشْمَلُهُمْenvelops them
يَبْكِيكَ قَوْمٌ مَشَوْا وَالحُزْنُ يَشْمَلُهُمْ
فِيin مَشْهَدٍa funeral gathering لَكَfor you يَوْمَon the day of البَيْنِparting مَشْهُودِwell-attended
فِي مَشْهَدٍ لَكَ يَوْمَ البَيْنِ مَشْهُودِ
People who walked with grief enfolding them weep for you,
A group weeps for you while sadness envelops them
At your well-attended funeral gathering on the day of parting.
In a scene for you the day of separation witnessed
يَبْكِيكَweep for you إِخْوَانُbrothers of صِدْقٍsincerity هَاbehold هُنَاhere احْتَشَدُواthey gathered
يَبْكِيكَ إِخْوَانُ صِدْقٍ هَا هُنَا احْتَشَدُوا
يُنَوِّهُونَthey speak highly بِفَضْلٍof merit غَيْرِnot مَجْحُودِdenied
يُنَوِّهُونَ بِفَضْلٍ غَيْرِ مَجْحُودِ
True brothers weep for you; behold, they have gathered here,
Sincere brothers, here they gathered
Extolling merit that none denies.
To point out a favor never grudged
يَمْضِيpasses الزَّمَانُtime وَتَبْقَىand you remain فِيin ضَمَائِرِهِمْtheir hearts
يَمْضِي الزَّمَانُ وَتَبْقَى فِي ضَمَائِرِهِمْ
خَلِيقَworthy of ذِكْرَىremembrance بِتَكْرِيمٍwith honor وَتَخْلِيدِand immortalization
خَلِيقَ ذِكْرَى بِتَكْرِيمٍ وَتَخْلِيدِ
Time passes, and you remain in their hearts,
Time passes and in their conscience remains
Worthy of remembrance with honor and everlasting commemoration.
Worthy of commemoration and immortalization