فِيwith الرَّفِيقِthe Companion الأَعْلَىthe Highest وَنِعْمَand excellent is الرَّفِيقُthe companion
فِي الرَّفِيقِ الأَعْلَى وَنِعْمَ الرَّفِيقُ
فُزْتَyou have triumphed بِالخُلْدِwith immortality أَيهَاO الصِّدِّيقُrighteous one
فُزْتَ بِالخُلْدِ أَيهَا الصِّدِّيقُ
With the Highest Companion—and what an excellent companion!
You have won eternal life, O righteous one.
فَتَمَلَّso savor النَّعيمَbliss أَنْتَyou بِهِof it مِنْfor
فَتَمَلَّ النَّعيمَ أَنْتَ بِهِ مِنْ
أَجْلِthe sake of مَاwhat قَدَّمَتْoffered يَدَاكَyour two hands حَقِيقُdeserving
أَجْلِ مَا قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاكَ حَقِيقُ
So savor bliss; you are, because of
what your hands have offered, worthy of it.
رُمْتَهُyou sought it بَعْدَafter شُقَّةthe hardship الْعَيْشِof life وَالقَلْبُand the heart
رُمْتَهُ بَعْدَ شُقَّة الْعَيْشِ وَالقَلْبُ
إِلىfor رَاحِةِthe rest السَّماءِof heaven مَشوقُyearning
إِلى رَاحِةِ السَّماءِ مَشوقُ
You sought it after life's hardships, and your heart
yearned for heaven's rest.
فَقَدَlost الدَّينُthe faith يَوْمَon the day of فَقْدِكَyour loss حَبْراًa learned cleric
فَقَدَ الدَّينُ يَوْمَ فَقْدِكَ حَبْراً
فِيin المَعَالِيthe heights of honor مَكَانُهُhis standing مَرْمُوقُdistinguished
فِي المَعَالِي مَكَانُهُ مَرْمُوقُ
On the day it lost you, the faith lost a learned cleric
whose place in the heights of honor was renowned.
عَالِمٌa scholar لَيْسَthere is not فِيamong المَعَاضِلِthorny problems مَاanything
عَالِمٌ لَيْسَ فِي المَعَاضِلِ مَا
يَخْفَىis hidden عَلَيْهِfrom him وَشَأْنُهُand his practice التَّدْقِيقُclose scrutiny
يَخْفَى عَلَيْهِ وَشَأْنُهُ التَّدْقِيقُ
A scholar—among thorny problems, nothing
was hidden from him; close scrutiny was his way.
عَامِلٌa worker لاَnot يَنِيflags يَرُودُexplores المَظِنِّاthe likely sources (partial)
عَامِلٌ لاَ يَنِي يَرُودُ المَظِنِّا
تِcompletion of 'likely sources' إِلىuntil أَنْthat يُجْلَىis made clear لَدَيْهِto him الطَّرِيقُthe path
تِ إِلى أَنْ يُجْلَى لَدَيْهِ الطَّرِيقُ
A tireless worker, exploring likely sources
until the path was made clear to him.
إِنْif يُحَقِّقhe investigates قَضِيَّةa question فَهْوَthen he فِيهَاin it
إِنْ يُحَقِّق قَضِيَّة فَهْوَ فِيهَا
جَاهدstriving أَوْuntil يَمَلَّهُgrows weary of him التَّحقِيقُthe inquiry
جَاهد أَوْ يَمَلَّهُ التَّحقِيقُ
Whenever he investigated a question, he would
strive at it until inquiry itself grew weary of him.
آخِذاًtaking hold بِاللُّبَابِof the essence لَيْسَnot يُغَشِّيveils
آخِذاً بِاللُّبَابِ لَيْسَ يُغَشِّي
نَاظِرَيْهِhis two eyes التَّمويهُdeception وَالتَّملِيقُand flattery
نَاظِرَيْهِ التَّمويهُ وَالتَّملِيقُ
He grasped the essence; never did
deception or flattery veil his eyes.
رُزِيءَwas bereaved of الشَّرْقُthe East عَبْقَرِيّاًa genius بِمَجْهُوthrough his efforts (partial)
رُزِيءَ الشَّرْقُ عَبْقَرِيّاً بِمَجْهُو
دَاتِهِcompletion of 'his efforts' جُدِّدَwas renewed الفَخَارُthe glory العَتِيقُancient
دَاتِهِ جُدِّدَ الفَخَارُ العَتِيقُ
The East was bereaved of a genius, through whose
efforts its ancient glory was renewed.
ثَقَّفeducated النَّشْءَthe young وَهْوَwhile he يَعْلَمُknows أَنْthat الشَّرْقَthe East
ثَقَّف النَّشْءَ وَهْوَ يَعْلَمُ أَنْ الشَّرْقَ
إِلاَّexcept بِالنَّشءِthrough the young لاَnot يَسْتَفِيقُawakens
إِلاَّ بِالنَّشءِ لاَ يَسْتَفِيقُ
He educated the young, knowing that the East
can awaken only through its youth.
فَمَضَىso he pressed on فِيin إِنَارَةِenlightening الشَّعْبِthe people مَاas much as يَسْطِيعُhe could
فَمَضَى فِي إِنَارَةِ الشَّعْبِ مَا يَسْطِيعُ
وَالشَّعبُwhile the people فِيin الظَّلاَمِdarkness غَرِيقُdrowned
وَالشَّعبُ فِي الظَّلاَمِ غَرِيقُ
So he went on enlightening the people as best he could,
while the people lay drowned in darkness.
جَاعِلاًmaking هَمَّهhis concern مُؤَالَفَةَbringing into harmony الأَنْفُسِsouls
جَاعِلاً هَمَّه مُؤَالَفَةَ الأَنْفُسِ
إِذْwhile هَمُّthe concern غَيْرِهِof others التَّفرِيقُdivision
إِذْ هَمُّ غَيْرِهِ التَّفرِيقُ
making the harmony of souls his concern,
while others' concern was division.
كَوْكَبٌa star كَانَwas فِيin تَجَلِّيهِhis radiance لِلْجَهْلِfor ignorance
كَوْكَبٌ كَانَ فِي تَجَلِّيهِ لِلْجَهْلِ
غُرُوبٌa sunset وَلِلْعُلُومِand for the sciences شُرُوقُa sunrise
غُرُوبٌ وَلِلْعُلُومِ شُرُوقُ
A star whose radiance meant, for ignorance,
a sunset, and for the sciences a sunrise.
يَاO رَئِيسِيmy leader إِنِّيindeed I لأَذْكُرُsurely remember عَهْداًa time
يَا رَئِيسِي إِنِّي لأَذْكُرُ عَهْداً
قَدْalready تَوَلَّىhas departed بِهِwith it زَمَانٌan age سَحِيقfar-distant
قَدْ تَوَلَّى بِهِ زَمَانٌ سَحِيق
O my leader, I do remember a time
that distant years have carried away,
تَارِكاًleaving فيin الفُؤَادِthe heart جُرْحاًa wound وَلِلْجُرْand for the wound (partial)
تَارِكاً في الفُؤَادِ جُرْحاً وَلِلْجُرْ
حِcompletion of 'wound' مِنَfrom الذَّكْرَياتِmemories غَوْرٌa depth عَمِيقُdeep
حِ مِنَ الذَّكْرَياتِ غَوْرٌ عَمِيقُ
leaving a wound in the heart—a wound
that runs deep with memories.
كُنْتَyou were فِيهِin it لَنَاto us الزَّعِيمَthe leader المُفَدَّىcherished
كُنْتَ فِيهِ لَنَا الزَّعِيمَ المُفَدَّى
وَالأَبَand the father الْبَرَّbenevolent أَيُّهاO الجَاثَلِيقُCatholicos
وَالأَبَ الْبَرَّ أَيُّها الجَاثَلِيقُ
You were then our cherished leader
and our benevolent father, O Catholicos.
وَكَمَالُand the perfection الرَّئِيسِof the leader فِيlies in أَنَّهhis being المَرْthe feared one (partial)
وَكَمَالُ الرَّئِيسِ فِي أَنَّه المَرْ
هُوبُcompletion of 'feared one' حِينَwhen الوُجُوبِrequired وَالمَوْمُوقُand beloved
هُوبُ حِينَ الوُجُوبِ وَالمَوْمُوقُ
And a leader's perfection lies in being
feared when necessary, and loved.
ذَلِكَthat العَهْدُtime كَيْفَhow أَسْلَوهُcan I forget it
ذَلِكَ العَهْدُ كَيْفَ أَسْلَوهُ
وَالسَّلوَىand forgetting جُحُودٌa denial لِفَضْلِهِof his goodness بَلْnay عُقُوقُfilial ingratitude
وَالسَّلوَى جُحُودٌ لِفَضْلِهِ بَلْ عُقُوقُ
How could I forget that time,
when forgetting denies his goodness—nay, is filial ingratitude?
كَثُرَتْgrew numerous عِنْدَنَاwith us حُقُوقٌdues لَهُowed to him وَالْيَوْمَand today
كَثُرَتْ عِنْدَنَا حُقُوقٌ لَهُ وَالْيَوْمَ
بَعْدَafter الْفَوَاتِthe lost opportunity تُوفَىare paid in full الحُقُوقُthe dues
بَعْدَ الْفَوَاتِ تُوفَى الحُقُوقُ
Many were the debts we owed him; and today,
when it is too late, those debts are paid in full.
يَاO بَنِيsons of مَعْهَدِthe academy of الْفَضِيلَةِvirtue وَالْعِلمِand learning
يَا بَنِي مَعْهَدِ الْفَضِيلَةِ وَالْعِلمِ
قَضَىhas passed away الوَالِدُthe father الحَكِيمُwise الشَّفيقُcompassionate
قَضَى الوَالِدُ الحَكِيمُ الشَّفيقُ
O sons of the academy of virtue and learning,
the wise, compassionate father has passed away.
وَتَوَلَّىand has departed لِغَيْرwith no عَوْدٍreturn مُرَبِّيناour mentor
وَتَوَلَّى لِغَيْر عَوْدٍ مُرَبِّينا
الإِمَامُthe leader المُفَوَّهُeloquent المِنْطِيقُarticulate
الإِمَامُ المُفَوَّهُ المِنْطِيقُ
And our mentor has departed, never to return—
the leader, eloquent and articulate,
ذُوpossessed of المَضَاءresolve الِّذيwho يُنَاصِرُهُsupports him
ذُو المَضَاء الِّذي يُنَاصِرُهُ
فِكْرٌthought بدِيعُwondrous السَّنىin radiance وَلَفْظٌand speech أَنِيقُelegant
فِكْرٌ بدِيعُ السَّنى وَلَفْظٌ أَنِيقُ
a man of resolve, supported by
wondrously radiant thought and elegant speech.
هذِهِthese فِيهِfor him تَعْزِيَاتِيmy condolences وَهَلْand can تُجْدِيavail
هذِهِ فِيهِ تَعْزِيَاتِي وَهَلْ تُجْدِي
دُمُوعٌtears وَقدْwhen already تَعَالَىhas risen high الحَرِيقُthe blaze
دُمُوعٌ وَقدْ تَعَالَى الحَرِيقُ
These are my condolences for him; but can
tears avail, now that the blaze has risen high?
فَلْتَدُمْso may it endure فِيin القُلُوبِthe hearts ذِكْرَىthe memory رَئِيسٍof a leader
فَلْتَدُمْ فِي القُلُوبِ ذِكْرَى رَئِيسٍ
هُوَhe بِالشُّكرِof gratitude مَاas long as حَيِينَاwe live خَلِيقُworthy
هُوَ بِالشُّكرِ مَا حَيِينَا خَلِيقُ
So let the memory of a leader endure in our hearts,
one worthy of gratitude as long as we live.
فيon عيدthe feast of مريمMary وهيand she is عيدa feast دائمeverlasting
في عيد مريم وهي عيد دائم
متجددever-renewing البهجاتdelights للأحداقfor the eyes
متجدد البهجات للأحداق
On Mary's feast day—she herself an everlasting feast,
ever renewing its delights for the eyes—
أهديتI offered أزهاراflowers شذاهاtheir fragrance ينقضيfades away
أهديت أزهارا شذاها ينقضي
منwho ليfor me بأزهارwith flowers شذاهاtheir fragrance باقenduring
من لي بأزهار شذاها باق
I offered flowers whose fragrance fades away;
who can give me flowers whose fragrance endures?