اللهَGod! (an appeal) فيin هولthe horror المُصابْthe calamity
اللهَ في هول المُصابْ
جَزعَgrieved الشبابُthe young علىover الشَّبابْyouth!!
جَزعَ الشبابُ على الشَّبابْ!!
O God, the horror of this calamity!
In the horror of tragedy
Youth grieved for youth!
The youths grieve for the youth!!
نجمٌa star تألَّقَshone برهَةًfor a while
نجمٌ تألَّقَ برهَةً
وخباand faded كماjust as ذابdissolved الحَبابthe foam
وخبا كما ذاب الحَباب
A star that shone for a while,
A star shone for a moment
and faded as the foam dissolved.
Then faded like dissolving dust
ومهنَّدٌand an Indian-steel sword، قدindeed كانwas فيـin
ومهنَّدٌ، قد كان فيـ
ـهit (attached pronoun) لقومهfor his people أملٌa hope، فخابso it failed
ـه لقومه أملٌ، فخاب
And an Indian-steel sword, in
And Mahnad, who was
which his people had hope—now dashed.
A hope for his people, failed
ماnot كادhad almost يشحذُsharpens غَربهُhis cutting edge
ما كاد يشحذُ غَربهُ
حتىuntil تضمَّنهُenfolded him القِرابthe scabbard
حتى تضمَّنهُ القِراب
Scarcely had he begun to hone his edge
He barely sharpened his exile
when the scabbard enfolded him.
Before he entered the grave
حرٌّa free man، كريمٌnoble، عاشlived فيin الدّthe world (first part)
حرٌّ، كريمٌ، عاش في الدّ
نياworld (completion) غريبًاas a stranger، ثمَّthen آبreturned
نيا غريبًا، ثمَّ آب
A free, noble man, who lived in the
Free, generous, he lived in the world as a stranger, then passed on
world a stranger, then returned.
He started to calculate, while death was calculating
قدindeed باتَspent the night يحسبُreckoning فيat حساreckoning (first part)
قد باتَ يحسبُ في حسا
بٍreckoning (completion)، والمنيَّةُand Death فيat حسابa reckoning
بٍ، والمنيَّةُ في حساب
He spent the night working at his
He settled in the dust, yet it
reckoning, while Death had its own reckoning.
Is the essence of pure gold
سَكَنdwelt in التّرابَthe dust، وإِنَّهُand indeed he
سَكَن التّرابَ، وإِنَّهُ
هوhe معدِنa mine الذَّهبgold اللُّبابpure
هو معدِن الذَّهب اللُّباب
He dwelt in the dust, yet he
May God pardon him! What is there for the deceased and the youth?
was a mine of pure gold.
Does he bid us farewell thus without reaching the fullness of years?
ربَّاهُO my Lord معذرةًpardon، أَلاbehold
ربَّاهُ معذرةً، أَلا
ماwhat للمنُونfor Death وللشبابand for youth؟
ما للمنُون وللشباب؟
My Lord, pardon me—ah,
But He, praise be to Him,
what has Death to do with youth?
"Predestined the fortunes, so no complaining!"
أكذاlike this? يودِّعُناhe bids us farewell، ولمand not yet
أكذا يودِّعُنا، ولم
يبلُغreach منof العُمرlife النِّصابthe due measure؟
يبلُغ من العُمر النِّصاب؟
Does he bid us farewell like this, without
Abdullateef, you left a sky laden with clouds
having reached life's due measure?
And left a house, sweet yet bitter, mirage-filled
لكنَّهُbut He سبحانهglory be to Him
لكنَّهُ سبحانه
«قسمapportioned الحظوظَthe lots فلاso no عتابreproach»!
«قسم الحظوظَ فلا عتاب»!
But He—glory be to Him—
Ruined alike for dwellers of the wild and those in tombs
has apportioned the lots, so there is no reproach.
And all are in agony, for death is grasping
عبدَAbd (name component) اللطيفِal-Latif (name component)، رَحلتَyou departed عنfrom
عبدَ اللطيفِ، رَحلتَ عن
جوٍّan atmosphere تشبَّعbecame saturated بالضبابwith fog
جوٍّ تشبَّع بالضباب
Abd al-Latif, you have departed from
And people in life are like the crew of a ship amidst surging waves
an atmosphere saturated with fog.
Saving themselves from drowning was not guaranteed against turmoil
وتركتَand you left دارًاan abode، حلوُهاits sweetness
وتركتَ دارًا، حلوُها
مرٌّbitter، وصيَّبُهاand its downpour سرابa mirage
مرٌّ، وصيَّبُها سراب
And left an abode whose sweetness
Death is an unrecognizable guest wandering every door
is bitter, whose downpour is a mirage.
When he called Abdullateef to his hospitality, he recoiled
سيَّانalike: منthose among سكانthe inhabitants اليباthe wasteland (first part)
سيَّان: من سكان اليبا
بَwasteland (completion) بهاin it، ومنand whoever سكنdwelt in القِبابthe domes
بَ بها، ومن سكن القِباب
Alike are those who inhabit the
He gave his life for him and quenched his thirst with his blood
wasteland there, and those who dwell beneath domes.
Longing for him, bleary-eyed, grey-haired!
والكلُّand all منهاbecause of it فيin عذاtorment (first part)
والكلُّ منها في عذا
بٍtorment (completion)، والمنيَّةُand Death منهfrom each one قابa short span
بٍ، والمنيَّةُ منه قاب
And all, because of it, are in
Blood-drenched from the youth, frightening with traces of blood
torment, with Death only a span away.
In an ill-omened room, a dwelling leading to ruin
والناسُand people فيin الدنياthe world كركْlike passengers (first part)
والناسُ في الدنيا كركْ
بpassengers (completion) سفينةa ship وسطamid العُبابthe surging sea
ب سفينة وسط العُباب
And people in this world are like
If only it were a desolate wilderness where ravens wander
a ship's passengers amid the surging sea.
The news of the exam came in the morning, and robbed me of composure!
أنif (contextually) تَنجُit escapes منfrom غرقٍdrowning بهمwith them
أن تَنجُ من غرقٍ بهم
لمnot يَسلمواthey are safe مَنfrom الاضطرابthe tossing
لم يَسلموا مَن الاضطراب
If it escapes drowning with them,
I kept writing while my tears mixed with the ink!
they are not spared the tossing.
My hands shake on the paper from the horror of tragedy
الموتُDeath ضيفa guest منكرٌunwelcome
الموتُ ضيف منكرٌ
أبدًاalways يطوفُmakes his rounds بكلِّat every بابdoor
أبدًا يطوفُ بكلِّ باب
Death is an unwelcome guest,
As if the specter of crime in the question and answer
forever making his rounds at every door.
Was inflicted by the hand of a criminal like a flower ruined by flies
لماwhen دعاsummoned عبدَAbd (name component) اللطيـal-Latif (first part)
لما دعا عبدَ اللطيـ
ـفِal-Latif (completion) إلىto وفادَتهhis visit as a guest أهابcalled aloud
ـفِ إلى وفادَته أهاب
When he summoned Abd al-Latif
My wonder at him: How did he rise from dust to clouds?
to receive his visit, calling aloud,
Until he saw his hand reaching out to this wing
بذلoffered الحياةَlife لهto him قِرىa guest's fare
بذل الحياةَ له قِرى
وسقاهُand gave him to drink منfrom دمهhis blood الشرابthe drink
وسقاهُ من دمه الشراب
the youth offered him his life as hospitality,
And he threw the meteor, so how was he not burnt when it blazed?
and gave him a drink from his blood.
With what heart did he treat him unjustly?
لهفيmy anguish عليهfor him شاخصstaring العيـthe eyes (first part)
لهفي عليه شاخص العيـ
ـنينeyes (completion) مصَفرَّyellowed الإهابthe skin!
ـنين مصَفرَّ الإهاب!
Alas for him, with staring
Even if made of solid rock it would have melted
eyes and yellowed skin!
Wretched people! From them the wolves learn murder
متخضبًاdyed بدمwith the blood of الشَّباyouth (first part)
متخضبًا بدم الشَّبا
بِyouth (completion) يروعُterrifies منbecause of أَثرthe trace الخِضابِthe dye
بِ يروعُ من أَثر الخِضابِ
Dyed with the blood of
O criminal! When did dogs pounce on the lion?
youth, terrifying with the traces of that dye.
Why did you not fear God with those pure souls?
فيin حجرةٍa room مشئومةٍill-omened
في حجرةٍ مشئومةٍ
سكنٌa dwelling يجرُّleads إلىto خرابruin
سكنٌ يجرُّ إلى خراب
In an ill-omened room:
God in this ordeal! If only your confusion would cease!
a dwelling that leads to ruin.
Will you defend your dirty actions with lies or scripture?
ياoh ليتهاwould that it بَهماءُa trackless wilderness ينَعـcroaks (first part)
يا ليتها بَهماءُ ينَعـ
ـبُcroaks (completion) فيin مفاوزهاits desert wastes الغرابthe crow
ـبُ في مفاوزها الغراب
Oh, would that it were a trackless wilderness,
You have destroyed a flourishing branch and robbed a jewel of desire
where the crow croaks among its desert wastes.
And caused me anguish, while fate persistently claws and bites
خبرٌnews صبيحةَon the morning of الامتحاthe examination (first part)
خبرٌ صبيحةَ الامتحا
نَexamination (completion) أَتىcame، فأفقدنيand robbed me of الصوابreason!
نَ أَتى، فأفقدني الصواب!
News, on the morning of the examination,
I had a life full of grace by his side and it was sweet
came and robbed me of my senses!
Days when a blessed house brought us together
فظَلِلتُso I continued أكتبُwriting، والدموand the tears (first part)
فظَلِلتُ أكتبُ، والدمو
عtears (completion) معَwith المدادِthe ink لهاfor them انسكابa flowing!
ع معَ المدادِ لها انسكاب!
So I kept writing, while my tears
"The House of Judgement" - but where is that house or where are the companions?
flowed along with the ink.
One who dies by assassination, not by sword, they reproach
ويدايَand my two hands ترتجفانboth tremble فيover القرthe paper (first part)
ويدايَ ترتجفان في القر
طاسِpaper (completion) منfrom هولthe horror المصابthe calamity
طاسِ من هول المصاب
And my hands trembled over the
The pigeon, son of the Waleed, was expensive on the deathbed, so it was distasteful
paper, from the horror of the loss.
Just as he sought killers with a hand that exhausted efforts
وكأنماand as though شبحُthe specter الجريthe crime (first part)
وكأنما شبحُ الجري
مةِcrime (completion) فيin السؤالthe question وفيand in الجوابthe answer
مةِ في السؤال وفي الجواب
As though the specter of the crime
So go to your Lord, crimson-clothed
were in the question and in the answer.
His creation knows you, and with Him is excellent reward
أَودَىperished علىat يدthe hand of مجرمٍa criminal
أَودَى على يد مجرمٍ
كالزَّهرlike a flower يُتلفهdestroys it الذبابthe flies
كالزَّهر يُتلفه الذباب
He perished at a criminal's hand,
For you, my Lord, are my witness - a martyr of knowledge and exile!
like a flower destroyed by flies.
عجبيmy wonder عليهat him: كيفhow طاflew (first part)
عجبي عليه: كيف طا
رَflew (completion) منfrom الترابthe dust إلىto السحابthe clouds؟
رَ من التراب إلى السحاب؟
I marvel at him: how did he fly
from the dust to the clouds?
حتىuntil رأَىhe saw يدهhis hand قدhad امextended (first part)
حتى رأَى يده قد ام
تَدَّتextended (completion) إلىtoward هذاthis الجنابnoble presence
تَدَّت إلى هذا الجناب
Until he saw that his hand had
reached toward this noble presence.
ورمىand struck الشهابthe shooting star فكيفso how لمnot
ورمى الشهاب فكيف لم
يُحرقهُburn him حينwhen هوىَfell الشهابthe shooting star؟
يُحرقهُ حين هوىَ الشهاب؟
And he struck the shooting star—how did it not
burn him when the shooting star fell?
وبأيِّand with what قلبِheart غالَهُtreacherously slew him؟
وبأيِّ قلبِ غالَهُ؟
لوif قُدَّwere hewn منfrom صخرٍrock لذابit would have melted
لو قُدَّ من صخرٍ لذاب
And with what heart did he slay him?
Had it been hewn from rock, it would have melted.
تعسَwoe to الأنامُhumankind؛ فمنهمfor from them
تعسَ الأنامُ؛ فمنهم
تتعلَّمُlearn الفتكَdeadly violence الذئابthe wolves
تتعلَّمُ الفتكَ الذئاب
Woe to humankind! From them
wolves learn deadly violence.
يأيُّهاO you الجانيcriminal، متىwhen
يأيُّها الجاني، متى
صالتْattacked علىupon الأُسدthe lions الكلابthe dogs؟
صالتْ على الأُسد الكلاب؟
O criminal, when have
dogs ever attacked lions?
هلاwhy did you not رعيتyou heeded اللهGod فيconcerning
هلا رعيت الله في
تلكthose الأفانينِthe boughs الرِّطابtender؟
تلك الأفانينِ الرِّطاب؟
Why did you not heed God concerning
those tender boughs?
اللهGod! (an appeal) فيconcerning هذاthis المُساpeaceable man (first part)
الله في هذا المُسا
لِمَpeaceable man (completion)! ليتَwould that كفَّكَyour hand فيin تَبَابruin!
لِمَ! ليتَ كفَّكَ في تَبَاب!
Fear God for this peaceable
man! Would that your hand were ruined!
أيذودُcan he fend off? مديتَكَyour knife الصقيpolished (first part)
أيذودُ مديتَكَ الصقي
لةَpolished (completion) باليراعwith the reed pen أمor الكتابthe book؟
لةَ باليراع أم الكتاب؟
Could he fend off your polished knife
with a reed pen, or a book?
أذوَيتَyou withered غصنًاa branch ناضرًاflourishing
أذوَيتَ غصنًا ناضرًا
وسلبتَand you stole كنزًاa treasure منof رغابprecious things
وسلبتَ كنزًا من رغاب
You withered a flourishing branch
and stole a treasure of precious things.
وفجعتَنيand you bereaved me، والدَّهرُand Time لاnot
وفجعتَني، والدَّهرُ لا
ينفَكُّceases to be ذاpossessing ظِفرٍa claw ونابand a fang
ينفَكُّ ذا ظِفرٍ وناب
And bereaved me—while Time never
ceases to bear claw and fang—
فيover the loss of صاحبٍa friend كمhow often رقَّbecame gentle ليfor me
في صاحبٍ كم رقَّ لي
عيشٌlife بجانبهbeside him وطابand became sweet
عيشٌ بجانبه وطاب
of a friend—how often, for me,
life beside him grew gentle and sweet!
أيامَin the days when تجمعُنيbrings me together بهwith him
أيامَ تجمعُني به
دارٌa house مباركةٌblessed الرِّحابthe courtyards
دارٌ مباركةٌ الرِّحاب
In the days when I was brought together with him
by a house whose courtyards were blessed:
«دارُDar (house) القضاءal-Qada (judicature)» وأينَand where منـfrom
«دارُ القضاء» وأينَ منـ
ـكَyou (attached pronoun) الدارُthe house أمor أينwhere الصِّحابthe companions؟
ـكَ الدارُ أم أين الصِّحاب؟
Dar al-Qada—how far from
you is that house! Or where are the companions?
مَنwhoever ماتdied حتفَdeath (natural-death idiom) الأنفthe nose (natural-death idiom) لاnot
مَن مات حتفَ الأنف لا
بالسيفby the sword عندهُمُamong them يُعابis reproached
بالسيف عندهُمُ يُعاب
Whoever dies a natural death, not
by the sword, is reproached among them.
غالcarried off الحِمامُDeath ابنَIbn (son) الوليal-Walid (first part)
غال الحِمامُ ابنَ الولي
دِal-Walid (completion) علىon الفراشthe bed، فماbut not استطابfound pleasant
دِ على الفراش، فما استطاب
Death carried off Ibn al-Walid
upon his bed, but he found no pleasure in it.
كماas كانhad been يطلبُseeking قتلةًa death by violence
كما كان يطلبُ قتلةً
بيدٍby a hand فأعياهُbut it thwarted him الطِّلابthe quest
بيدٍ فأعياهُ الطِّلاب
For he had sought to be slain
by a hand, but the quest had thwarted him.
فاذهبso go لربِّكto your Lord قانيcrimson الـthe
فاذهب لربِّك قاني الـ
ـدَّمِblood أُرجُوانيَّpurple-red الثيابthe garments
ـدَّمِ أُرجُوانيَّ الثياب
So go to your Lord, crimson with
blood, your garments purple-red.
جاربtry; test (uncertain reading) خليقُتهُHis disposition عليtoward (part of عليك)
جارب خليقُتهُ علي
كyou (attached pronoun)، وعندهand with Him حسنgoodness الثوابthe reward
ك، وعنده حسن الثواب
Try His disposition toward
you; with Him is a fine reward.
فلأنتfor you surely are ربُّthe bearer of شهادتmartyrdom (stem)
فلأنت ربُّ شهادت
ينtwo (dual ending): شهيدُa martyr علمٍlearning، واغترابand life far from home!
ين: شهيدُ علمٍ، واغتراب!
For you bear two martyrdoms:
a martyr of learning and of life far from home!
Partial English translation: 55 of 96 Arabic lines translated.