ماwhat لِلغُرابِwith the raven عَلىupon الأَطلالِthe ruins قَدindeed نَعباcawed
ما لِلغُرابِ عَلى الأَطلالِ قَد نَعبا
صُبحاًone morning فَأَحَّجَand kindled فيwithin أَحشائِناour entrails اللَهَباthe blaze
صُبحاً فَأَحَّجَ في أَحشائِنا اللَهَبا
What ails the raven that has cawed upon the ruins
Why does the raven croak at the ruins as dawn breaks,
one morning, kindling a blaze deep within us?
Igniting flames of grief deep inside us?
نَعىannounced a death فَقُلناso we said لَهُto it المَوتdeath المُريعterrifying تَرىdo you think
نَعى فَقُلنا لَهُ المَوت المُريع تَرى
سَطاstruck فَقالَso it said نَعَمyes قَدindeed صالَcharged وَأَحرَباand despoiled
سَطا فَقالَ نَعَم قَد صالَ وَأَحرَبا
It announced a death; we asked it, “Do you think dread Death
He laments - we ask: "Do you see death's quick devastation?"
has struck?” It answered, “Yes: he has charged and despoiled.”
"Yes," he nods. "It has raged and destroyed."
حَمامَةٌa dove فيin رِياضِthe gardens of الأُنسcompanionship آمِنَةٌsafe
حَمامَةٌ في رِياضِ الأُنس آمِنَةٌ
أَراعَهاhe frightened her ثُمَthen شاءَdesired القَنصَthe hunt فَاغِتَصَباso he seized by force
أَراعَها ثُمَ شاءَ القَنصَ فَاغِتَصَبا
A dove was safe in the gardens of companionship;
A dove secure in the gardens of companionship -
he frightened her, then sought to hunt her, and seized her by force.
He startled her, then claimed her for prey.
لَكِنَّهاbut she مانَعَتهُresisted him وَهُوَwhile he مُندَهِشٌbewildered
لَكِنَّها مانَعَتهُ وَهُوَ مُندَهِشٌ
بِماby what أَصابَhe encountered فَرامَso he sought الحِرصَeagerness فَاِنغَلَباbut was overcome
بِما أَصابَ فَرامَ الحِرصَ فَاِنغَلَبا
But she resisted him, and he was bewildered
But she resisted as he stood there astonished
by what he encountered; he strove eagerly, but was overcome.
At his misdeed. His greed was overcome.
قَدindeed هالَهُawed him تاجُa crown of نورٍlight وَهُوَwhile it مُنَحَدِرٌwas descending
قَد هالَهُ تاجُ نورٍ وَهُوَ مُنَحَدِرٌ
عَلىupon قَنيصَتِهِhis quarry الغَراءِradiant فَاِضطَرباso he trembled
عَلى قَنيصَتِهِ الغَراءِ فَاِضطَربا
A crown of light awed him as it descended
Dazzled by her crown of light as he descended
upon his radiant quarry, and he trembled.
Upon her pure white gown - he lost control.
فَاِستَخلَصتso she freed herself مِنfrom يَديهِhis hands وَهِيَwhile she باسِمَةٌsmiling
فَاِستَخلَصت مِن يَديهِ وَهِيَ باسِمَةٌ
تَعلوrising لِرَوضٍtoward a garden أَنيقِlovely فيin العُلىthe heights خَصباfertile
تَعلو لِرَوضٍ أَنيقِ في العُلى خَصبا
So she freed herself from his hands, smiling,
She slipped from his hands, smiling as she ascended
rising toward a lovely, fertile garden on high.
To a delicate garden on high, lush and fertile.
فَماso not نَعبتُI cawed عَلَيهاover her أَنَّهاbecause she سَعدتfound bliss
فَما نَعبتُ عَلَيها أَنَّها سَعدت
لَكنbut بَكيتُI wept لِمَنfor the one who فيin بُعدِهاher absence اِنتَكَباwas stricken
لَكن بَكيتُ لِمَن في بُعدِها اِنتَكَبا
So I did not caw over her, for she had found bliss;
I did not lament her fortune, but wept for one
but I wept for the one stricken by her absence:
Far from her - a tender sapling burnt by separation's flames.
فَتىa young man أَرَقُّgentler مِنthan الماءِwater الزُلالِclear and pure عَلىupon
فَتى أَرَقُّ مِن الماءِ الزُلالِ عَلى
قَلبِthe heart of الجَريحthe wounded man دَهاهُstruck him البينُseparation فَالتَهَباso he burned
قَلبِ الجَريح دَهاهُ البينُ فَالتَهَبا
a young man, gentler than limpid water upon
A branch, once brilliant, whose flowers the storms of fate
a wounded man's heart; parting struck him, and he burned.
Had ravaged and stripped bare.
غُصنٌa bough زَهاflourished يَسلُبُcaptivates الأَلبابِminds قَدindeed عَبَثَتravaged
غُصنٌ زَها يَسلُبُ الأَلبابِ قَد عَبَثَت
بِزَهرِهِupon its blossoms عاصِفاتُthe tempests of الدَهرtime فَاِنسَلَباso it was stripped bare
بِزَهرِهِ عاصِفاتُ الدَهر فَاِنسَلَبا
A flourishing bough, captivating minds; havoc had been wrought
A broken, drooping branch, bent over
upon its blossoms by the tempests of time, and it was stripped bare.
In the spring of its life, sunk in sorrow.
غُصنٌa bough عَلىover غُصنِهِits bough المَقصوفsnapped off مُنَكَسِرٌbrokenhearted
غُصنٌ عَلى غُصنِهِ المَقصوف مُنَكَسِرٌ
لَذاfor this reason اِنحَنىbent low فيin رَبيعthe springtime of العُمرِlife مُنتَحِباsobbing
لَذا اِنحَنى في رَبيع العُمرِ مُنتَحِبا
A bough, brokenhearted over its snapped-off bough;
The tears on his left cheek are constant -
so it bent low in life's springtime, sobbing.
His right eye stopped weeping long ago.
يُسراهُhis left hand أَضحَتbecame عَلىupon خَديهِhis cheeks لاطِمَةًslapping
يُسراهُ أَضحَت عَلى خَديهِ لاطِمَةً
لِأَنَّbecause يُمناهُhis right hand سارَتdeparted تَبلغُto attain الأَرَباthe desired goal
لِأَنَّ يُمناهُ سارَت تَبلغُ الأَرَبا
His left hand came to slap his cheeks,
Just yesterday he wore the robes of grief.
for his right hand had departed to attain its desire.
Joy did not visit his heart again.
لَمdid not يَخلَعcast off الأَمسyesterday ثَوبَthe robe of الحُزنsorrow مُبتَهِجاًrejoicing
لَم يَخلَع الأَمس ثَوبَ الحُزن مُبتَهِجاً
حَتّىuntil تَجدَّدَarose anew فيwithin أَحشاهُhis entrails مُنتَشِياexulting
حَتّى تَجدَّدَ في أَحشاهُ مُنتَشِيا
He had scarcely cast off sorrow's robe yesterday, rejoicing,
She left and the wedding concluded.
before it rose anew within him, exulting.
Dancing returned to the gardens - but was it real?
سارَتdeparted اليَفتهُhis beloved companion وَالعُرسwhile the wedding مُختَتِمٌwas ending
سارَت اليَفتهُ وَالعُرس مُختَتِمٌ
فَجَددso it renewed الرَقصفيthe dancing in رَوضاتِهِhis gardens طَرَباin rapture
فَجَدد الرَقصفي رَوضاتِهِ طَرَبا
His beloved departed, the wedding at its close,
A year of joyful celebration lasted only a moment,
and sorrow renewed the dancing in his gardens, in rapture.
As if it were a dream that passed like a cloud.
وَلَمand not تَتمَّhad passed عَلىover أَفراحِهِhis joys سَنةٌa year
وَلَم تَتمَّ عَلى أَفراحِهِ سَنةٌ
كَأَنَّهاas though it were سَنَةٌa doze (contextual reading) وَالعَيشand life حلمa dream هباblew away
كَأَنَّها سَنَةٌ وَالعَيش حلم هبا
Not a year had passed over his joys,
Until he awoke at dawn into darkness,
as though it were a doze, and life a dream blown away,
As if night had become the new dawn.
حَتّىاِستَفاقَuntil he awoke بَصُبحat the dawn of العُمرِlife فيin ظُلمٍdarkness
حَتّىاِستَفاقَ بَصُبح العُمرِ في ظُلمٍ
كَأَنَّماas though اللَيلnight أَضحىhad become لِلصَباحfor the morning قباa cloak
كَأَنَّما اللَيل أَضحى لِلصَباح قبا
before he awoke at life's dawn in darkness,
He calls to his father and laments his stolen pearl.
as though night had become morning's cloak.
He rages at his misfortune and loss.
يَدعوhe calls upon أَباهُhis father وَيَشكوand laments سَلبَthe theft of دُرَّتِهِhis pearl
يَدعو أَباهُ وَيَشكو سَلبَ دُرَّتِهِ
وَيَستشيطand rages لَماover what مِنfrom حَظِّهِhis fortune نُهِباwas plundered
وَيَستشيط لَما مِن حَظِّهِ نُهِبا
He calls upon his father and laments the theft of his pearl,
He weeps, and his infant daughter weeps,
and rages over what was plundered from his fortune.
So he feeds her his tears to appease her cries.
يَبكيhe weeps وَطفلَتَهُand his little daughter تَبكيweeps فَيُرضِعُهاso he suckles her
يَبكي وَطفلَتَهُ تَبكي فَيُرضِعُها
دَمعاًtears تَهيجswell لَهُfor it أَصواتُthe voices of مَنthose who نَدَباlamented
دَمعاً تَهيج لَهُ أَصواتُ مَن نَدَبا
He weeps, and his little daughter weeps, so he suckles her
The tears of youth spill for the youth,
with tears, at which the mourners' voices rise.
Increasing his sorrows and anguish.
دَمعthe tears of الصِباyouth قَدindeed صَباyearned لِلصَبِّfor the lovelorn man مُنهَمِلاًstreaming down
دَمع الصِبا قَد صَبا لِلصَبِّ مُنهَمِلاً
يَزيدincreases ذاthis الصَبَّthe lovelorn man فيamid أَحزانِهِhis sorrows وَصَباpain
يَزيد ذا الصَبَّ في أَحزانِهِ وَصَبا
Youth's tears have yearned for the lovelorn man, streaming down,
Oh guide him, for fate has tested him
adding to this lover's pain amid his sorrows.
As it does the wise and learned.
وَيحيwoe to me عَلَيهِfor him فَإِنَّfor indeed الدَهرtime قَلَّبهُtossed him about
وَيحي عَلَيهِ فَإِنَّ الدَهر قَلَّبهُ
كَماjust as تَقَلبhe ranged about يُحصيtaking stock of العلمknowledge وَالأَدَباand letters
كَما تَقَلب يُحصي العلم وَالأَدَبا
Alas for him, for time has tossed him about,
I saw him sunk in grief and burning with sorrow,
as he once ranged about, taking stock of knowledge and letters.
His state perplexed me and filled me with wonder -
رَأَيتَهُI saw him غارِقاًdrowned بِالحُزنِin sorrow مُحتَرِقاًburning
رَأَيتَهُ غارِقاً بِالحُزنِ مُحتَرِقاً
حَتّىuntil تَوَهَمَتI imagined مِنfrom حالاتِهِhis states العَجَباwonders
حَتّى تَوَهَمَت مِن حالاتِهِ العَجَبا
I saw him drowned in sorrow, burning,
A fatherless father, widowed groom, confused lover,
until his condition made me imagine wonders:
An elder with the sorrows of a boy defeated.
أَباًa father يَتيماًorphaned عَريساًa bridegroom أَرمَلاًwidowed وَلَهاًdistraught
أَباً يَتيماً عَريساً أَرمَلاً وَلَهاً
شَيخan elder of الخَطوبcalamities صَبياًa child لِلصِباby youth غَلباovercome
شَيخ الخَطوب صَبياً لِلصِبا غَلبا
an orphaned father, a widowed bridegroom, distraught,
These are your qualities, my friend -
an elder in trials, a child overcome by youth.
In one era you lived lifetimes.
هَذِهِthese صِفاتكَyour qualities ياO خضليKhudli عَرَفتَyou have known بِهاthrough them
هَذِهِ صِفاتكَ يا خضلي عَرَفتَ بِها
كُلall الأُمورaffairs بَعَصرٍwithin a span of time عَهدُهُits beginning قَرُباwas recent
كُل الأُمور بَعَصرٍ عَهدُهُ قَرُبا
These are your qualities, O Khudli; through them you have known
In your nature, kindness penetrates,
all affairs within a span of time only recently begun.
Dispelling rage and anger.
وَفيand in طِباعكyour nature يااِسكَندَرO Iskandar اِنطَبَعَتare imprinted
وَفي طِباعك يااِسكَندَر اِنطَبَعَت
رَقائقthe subtleties of اللُطفkindness تَنفيbanish الغَيظrage وَالغَضَباand anger
رَقائق اللُطف تَنفي الغَيظ وَالغَضَبا
And in your nature, O Iskandar, are imprinted
Temper the flames with the patience inside you,
the delicate graces of kindness that banish rage and anger.
And leave behind what has departed.
فَاطفِso extinguish اللَهيبَthe blaze بِحُلمٍwith forbearance (contextual reading) فيكَwithin you مُنغَرِسٍdeeply rooted
فَاطفِ اللَهيبَ بِحُلمٍ فيكَ مُنغَرِسٍ
وَاقصرand curtail عَناكَyour suffering فَلاfor there is no رَدٌّbringing back لَماof what ذَهَباhas gone
وَاقصر عَناكَ فَلا رَدٌّ لَما ذَهَبا
So quench the blaze with the forbearance rooted in you,
Though misfortune assails you, do not despair -
and curtail your suffering: what has gone cannot be brought back.
Be courageous of mind, wise and prudent.
قَدindeed هاجَمَتكَhave assailed you خُطوبُthe calamities of الدَهرtime عابِسَةًfrowning
قَد هاجَمَتكَ خُطوبُ الدَهر عابِسَةً
فَلاso do not تَكُنbe لِسُقوطwith the faltering of القَلبِthe heart مُنتَسِباassociated
فَلا تَكُن لِسُقوط القَلبِ مُنتَسِبا
Time's calamities have assailed you, frowning;
Overcome ignorance with your light.
so do not be counted among the faint of heart.
Calamities spare no one in this life.
أَنتَyou الشُجاعthe brave one شُجاعbrave of العَقلmind فيin فَطنٍdiscernment
أَنتَ الشُجاع شُجاع العَقل في فَطنٍ
تَسطوyou assail عَلىupon الجَهلignorance حَيثُwhere النورlight قَدindeed سَكَباpoured forth
تَسطو عَلى الجَهل حَيثُ النور قَد سَكَبا
You are the brave one, brave of mind in your discernment,
Those who endure will not stumble.
assailing ignorance wherever light has poured forth.
You are the brave one, courageous in mind.
مَصائِبُthe calamities of الدَهرtime لاdo not تَبقيshow mercy عَلىto أَحَدٍanyone
مَصائِبُ الدَهر لا تَبقي عَلى أَحَدٍ
وَمِنand whoever تَجَلَّدَremained steadfast فيin الدُنياthis world فَماthen not نُكِباwas laid low
وَمِن تَجَلَّدَ في الدُنيا فَما نُكِبا
Time's calamities spare no one,
and whoever stands firm in this world is not laid low.
Partial English translation: 52 of 54 Arabic lines translated.