فيon رُباheights الخُلدeternity، ياO ابنَson of عبدِAbd المجيدِal-Majid
في رُبا الخُلد، يا ابنَ عبدِ المجيدِ
ياO شهيدَmartyr for العلاglory، وأيَّand what a شهيدmartyr
يا شهيدَ العلا، وأيَّ شهيد
On the heights of eternity, O son of Abd al-Majid,
In the garden of immortality, O son of Abdul Majeed
O martyr for glory—and what a martyr!
O martyr of glory, and what a martyr!
ياO شبابًاyouth لوif يُفتدىcould be ransomed، لافتداهُwould have ransomed him
يا شبابًا لو يُفتدى، لافتداهُ
كلُّevery طيرٍbird بغصنهwith its bough الأُملودِsupple
كلُّ طيرٍ بغصنه الأُملودِ
O youth, if ransom were possible, you would have been ransomed
O youth that if ransomed, every bird would ransom with its sweetest warble,
by every bird with its supple bough.
O stranger, who found doves but did not take comfort in the cool Nile of Egypt
ياO غريبًاstranger، لاقىmet الحمامdeath ولمand did not يَنقَـquench (start)
يا غريبًا، لاقى الحمام ولم يَنقَـ
ـعquench (end) صَداهُhis thirst منfrom نيلِthe Nile of مصرَEgypt البَرودcool
ـع صَداهُ من نيلِ مصرَ البَرود
O stranger, who met death before quenching
You took on the age of Mustafa though you were exiled and alone
his thirst from Egypt's cool Nile.
Spring blossomed, so the birds wept instead of singing joyfully
أنتَyou فيat عُمرthe age of مصطفىMustafa قدindeed تولَّيـdeparted (start)
أنتَ في عُمر مصطفى قد تولَّيـ
ـتَyou (verb ending) لعمريby my life وفيand in اغترابthe exile of فريدFarid
ـتَ لعمري وفي اغتراب فريد
You departed at Mustafa's age,
And death folded a banner of brilliance
by my life, and in exile like Farid.
And a record of noble creation
صوَّحwithered الزَّهرُthe blossoms فيin الربيعspring؛ فصاحand cried الطـthe birds (start)
صوَّح الزَّهرُ في الربيع؛ فصاح الطـ
ـيرُbirds (end) فيهِin it بالنوحin lamentation لاnot التغريدsinging
ـيرُ فيهِ بالنوح لا التغريد
The blossoms withered in spring, and the birds cried
O Death, what have you done to a face that was like the morning of Eid?
there in lamentation, not in song.
O Lightning, what news have you carried to Egypt from the distant beloved?
وطوَىand folded الموتُdeath رايةًa banner منof نبوغٍgenius
وطوَى الموتُ رايةً من نبوغٍ
وسِجلاًّand a record منof الخَلاقcharacter الحميدpraiseworthy
وسِجلاًّ من الخَلاق الحميد
And death folded a banner of genius
Rather, you carried the announcement that breaks hearts and makes the heads of infants gray
and a record of praiseworthy character.
O new lodger of the world, has old age come upon you in the chill of new marriage?
أيهاO الموتُDeath، ماwhat فعلتَhave you done بوجْهٍto a face
أيها الموتُ، ما فعلتَ بوجْهٍ
كانwas مثلَlike الصباحِmorning فيon يومa day of عيدfestivity؟
كان مثلَ الصباحِ في يوم عيد؟
O Death, what have you done to a face
O Sea, you have carried remains more precious than your studded pearls
that was like morning on a feast day?
You left a wave yearning in the arms of a wave made of tears flowing over cheeks
أيهاO البرقُlightning، ماnot حملتَyou brought إلىto مصـEgypt (start)
أيها البرقُ، ما حملتَ إلى مصـ
ـرَEgypt (end) سلامًاa greeting منfrom الحبيبِthe beloved البعيدdistant
ـرَ سلامًا من الحبيبِ البعيد
O lightning, you did not bring to Egypt
He was carried on shoulders, nay, adorned like a jewel unmatched among necklaces
a greeting from the distant beloved.
They strewed flowers over him, so that their fragrance covered the scent of roses
بلrather حملتَyou brought النَّعيَdeath's tidings الذيwhich يَفطرُrends القلـthe heart (start)
بل حملتَ النَّعيَ الذي يَفطرُ القلـ
ـبheart (end)، ويَرميand casts بالشيبwith gray hair رأسَthe head of الوليدthe newborn
ـب، ويَرمي بالشيب رأسَ الوليد
Rather, you brought death's tidings, which rend the heart
A traveler whose conduct bid him farewell before crowds of people came in droves
and cast gray hair upon a newborn's head.
Had we not inherited him, his refined morals would have eulogized him in a thousand poems
ياO نزيلdweller in الدُّنياthe world الجديدةِnew، هلhas...? عاravaged (start)
يا نزيل الدُّنيا الجديدةِ، هل عا
ثَravaged (end) البلىdecay فيin بُردِthe robe of الزّفافthe wedding الجديدnew؟
ثَ البلى في بُردِ الزّفاف الجديد؟
O dweller in the New World, has
Egypt grieved when Kamel died, a glorious hero, noble and generous
decay ravaged the new wedding robe?
Manliness came to him early, in the prime of youth and freshness of sapling
أيهاO البحرُsea، قدindeed حمَلتَyou have carried رفاتًاmortal remains
أيها البحرُ، قد حمَلتَ رفاتًا
هُوit أغلَىmore precious منthan درِّكyour pearls المنضودstrung
هُو أغلَى من درِّك المنضود
O sea, you have carried mortal remains;
Keen-eyed toward lofty ideals, detached from paltry wares
they are more precious than your strung pearls.
The firmness of youth with the wisdom of gray hair and the sound view of the experienced
تركhe left الموجَthe waves فيin حَشاكyour bosom لموجٍfor waves
ترك الموجَ في حَشاك لموجٍ
منof دموعٍtears تسيلُstreaming فوقover خدودcheeks
من دموعٍ تسيلُ فوق خدود
He left the waves in your bosom for waves
A handsome profile adorned by dignified silence rarely found in the young
of tears streaming down cheeks.
Yearning for Egypt, he chose exile from Egypt and answered her call when summoned
حَمَلتهُbore him الأعناقُthe necks، بلrather لبسَتْهwore him
حَمَلتهُ الأعناقُ، بل لبسَتْه
جوهرًاa jewel ليسthere is no مثلُهits equal فيin العقودnecklaces
جوهرًا ليس مثلُه في العقود
Necks bore him—rather, wore him
How degraded is the estranged bird from cooing though living in gardens of eternity!
as a jewel with no equal in necklaces.
O singular model of youth among models of glorious nations
نَثرُواthey scattered فَوْقَهُover him الوُرُودَthe roses، فغطَّىthen overshadowed
نَثرُوا فَوْقَهُ الوُرُودَ، فغطَّى
منfrom شذاءُfragrance علىover أريجthe perfume of الورودthe roses
من شذاءُ على أريج الورود
They scattered roses over him, but he eclipsed
We wished the likes of you for the nation like regiments of soldiers
the roses' perfume with his fragrance.
We sent you to Canada as an envoy amidst a sky full of envoys
راحلٌa departed man شيَّعتهescorted him سيرتُهhis life-story قبـbefore (start)
راحلٌ شيَّعته سيرتُه قبـ
ـلَbefore (end) وفودٍdelegations تسيرُwalking إثرَafter وفودdelegations
ـلَ وفودٍ تسيرُ إثرَ وفود
A departed man whose life-story escorted him
And a symbol of the awakening of the East, so the skeptical West may finally believe
before delegations followed one after another.
And every fair person may see that Egypt is a homeland for the free, not slaves
ولوَand even if أناthat we لمdid not نَرثهِelegize him، لرثاهwould have elegized him
ولوَ أنا لم نَرثهِ، لرثاه
طِيبُthe goodness of أخلاقهِhis character بألفِwith a thousand قصيدpoems
طِيبُ أخلاقهِ بألفِ قصيد
Even had we not elegized him, he would have been mourned
O you whose faith the West never caused to forget Allah or bow down in worship
by his fine character in a thousand poems.
You lived among them yet did not conform or indulge like a parrot in imitation
فُجعتwas bereaved مصرُEgypt يومthe day ماتَdied كمالٌKamal
فُجعت مصرُ يوم ماتَ كمالٌ
بفتًىof a youth ماجدٍnoble؛ كريمِhonorable in الجدودancestry
بفتًى ماجدٍ؛ كريمِ الجدود
Egypt was bereaved the day Kamal died,
Upholding your people's covenant among a people who regard no pacts as sacred
of a noble youth of honorable ancestry.
You were a pillar of the true faith in the West - O toppled pillar of the true faith!
بكَّرتcame early نحوهto him الرجولةُmanhood، فيin مَيـbloom (start)
بكَّرت نحوه الرجولةُ، في مَيـ
ـعةbloom (end) عُمرٍlife، وفيand in طراوَةِthe freshness of عودa stem
ـعة عُمرٍ، وفي طراوَةِ عود
Manhood came to him early, in the bloom
Many are the warriors for Allah who never drew sword, yet surpassed even Khalid ibn Al-Walid
of life and the freshness of a stem.
If Kamel met his fate alone, he is not alone, for there are many Kamels in Egypt
شاخِصٌfixed طرفهhis gaze إلىupon المُثلthe ideals العليـloftiest (start)
شاخِصٌ طرفه إلى المُثل العليـ
ـاloftiest (end)، عزوفٌaverse عنto المَتَاعworldly goods الزهيدpaltry
ـا، عزوفٌ عن المَتَاع الزهيد
His gaze fixed on the loftiest ideals,
If there are lions in its formidable jungle, the resolve of lions can restore the doves
averse to paltry worldly goods.
Say to Saad and the brethren of Saad: Sorrow cannot restore the life of the departed
وثباتُbold leaps الشبابِof youth فيwithin حكمةthe wisdom of الشِّيـgray hair (start)
وثباتُ الشبابِ في حكمة الشِّيـ
ـبgray hair (end)، ورأيand the judgment of المجرِّبينthe experienced السديدsound
ـب، ورأي المجرِّبين السديد
Youth's bold leaps within the wisdom of gray hair
By my life, even if tears could revive the dead, we would weep with the tears of a homeless girl
and the sound judgment of the experienced.
How I wonder, what do you say, O people of the household virtuous in knowledge?
حُسنُfine سمتbearing يزينهadorns it حسنُfine صمتٍsilence
حُسنُ سمت يزينه حسنُ صمتٍ
ليسis not عندَamong الشبابِthe young بالمعهودcustomary
ليس عندَ الشبابِ بالمعهود
A fine bearing adorned by a fine silence,
Only the wise whose hearts are unshaken by calamities overcome tribulations
not customary among the young.
In life and death there is a mystery the people have misunderstood since the dawn of existence
فيin هوىlove of مصرَEgypt آثرhe preferred البعدdistance عنfrom مصـEgypt (start)
في هوى مصرَ آثر البعد عن مصـ
ـرَEgypt (end)، وَلبَّىand answered نداءَهاher call حينwhen نوديhe was summoned
ـرَ، وَلبَّى نداءَها حين نودي
For love of Egypt, he chose distance from Egypt,
Look around: do you see in the wilderness anything but a living creature doomed to die?
and answered her call when summoned.
Be playful, O my soul, for life, O self, mocks those who are serious
ماhow أذلَّabject الطيرَthe bird الغريبَestranged عنfrom الدَّوthe grove (start)
ما أذلَّ الطيرَ الغريبَ عن الدَّو
حgrove (end) وإنand even if عاشit lives فيin جنانthe gardens of الخلودeternity!
ح وإن عاش في جنان الخلود!
How abject the bird estranged from the grove,
One who swims in the sea of aspirations, while death comes upon him like a fate
even if it lives in the gardens of eternity!
Lost is one who is content with little provision yet unsatisfied with the kingdom of the just
ياO طِرازًاan exemplar منof الشبابyouth فريدًاunique
يا طِرازًا من الشباب فريدًا
فيwithin طرازan exemplar منof الشعوبnations مجيدglorious
في طراز من الشعوب مجيد
O peerless exemplar of youth,
The earth is a veil over every face except the One God worshipped and obeyed
within a glorious exemplar of nations,
يَبتَنيbuilds للبلادfor the country مثُلكone like you مالاًwealth
يَبتَني للبلاد مثُلك مالاً
تبتنيهbuild it فيالقٌlegions منof جنودsoldiers
تبتنيه فيالقٌ من جنود
one such as you builds wealth for the country
that legions of soldiers build.
قدindeed بعثناكwe sent you للكنانةِfor al-Kinana بندًاa banner
قد بعثناك للكنانةِ بندًا
فيin سماءٍa sky مملوءةٍfilled بالبنودwith banners
في سماءٍ مملوءةٍ بالبنود
We sent you forth as a banner for al-Kinana,
in a sky filled with banners,
ومثالاًand an exemplar منof نهضةthe awakening of الشرقthe East؛ حتىso that
ومثالاً من نهضة الشرق؛ حتى
يُؤمنَmight believe الغربthe West بعدafter طولprolonged الجحودdenial
يُؤمنَ الغرب بعد طول الجحود
and an exemplar of the East's awakening, so that
the West might believe after long denial,
ويرىand might see كلُّevery منصفٍfair-minded person أنَّthat مصرًاEgypt
ويرى كلُّ منصفٍ أنَّ مصرًا
وطنٌa homeland للأحرارfor the free لاnot للعبيدfor slaves
وطنٌ للأحرار لا للعبيد
and every fair-minded person might see that Egypt
is a homeland for the free, not for slaves.
ياO تقيًّاdevout one، لمdid not يُنسِهmake him forget الغربُthe West ذكرremembrance of اللهGod
يا تقيًّا، لم يُنسِه الغربُ ذكر الله
يومًاfor a day، ولاnor انحناءَthe bending of السُّجودprostration
يومًا، ولا انحناءَ السُّجود
O devout one, whom the West never made forget the remembrance of God,
for a single day, nor the bowing of prostration.
عاشhe lived فيهin it فماso he did not تَنَكَّرَdisown himself أوor أسـgo to excess (start)
عاش فيه فما تَنَكَّرَ أو أسـ
ـرفَgo to excess (end)، كالبَبَّغاءlike a parrot فيin التقليدimitation
ـرفَ، كالبَبَّغاء في التقليد
He lived there without disowning himself or going to excess
in imitation, like a parrot,
حافظًاpreserving عهدَthe covenant of قومهhis people بينamong قومٍa people
حافظًا عهدَ قومه بين قومٍ
لاnot يراعونthey respect حُرمةًsanctity للعهودfor covenants
لا يراعون حُرمةً للعهود
preserving his people's covenant among a people
who respect no sanctity in covenants.
كنتَyou were فيin الغربthe West للحنيفةِfor the upright faith ركنًاa pillar
كنتَ في الغرب للحنيفةِ ركنًا
ياalas لرُكنfor the pillar of الحنيفةِthe upright faith المهدودshattered!
يا لرُكن الحنيفةِ المهدود!
You were a pillar of the upright faith in the West;
alas for the shattered pillar of the upright faith!
ربَّmany a غازٍwarrior فيin the cause of اللهGod ماnot سلَّdrew سيفًاa sword
ربَّ غازٍ في الله ما سلَّ سيفًا
وهُوyet he أمضىkeener منthan صارمthe blade of ابنِIbn الوليدal-Walid
وهُو أمضى من صارم ابنِ الوليد
Many a warrior in God's cause has drawn no sword,
yet is keener than Ibn al-Walid's blade.
إنْif قضىmet نحبَهُhis appointed end كمالٌKamal وحيدًاalone
إنْ قضى نحبَهُ كمالٌ وحيدًا
فكمالٌthen Kamal فيin مصرEgypt غيرُnot وحيدalone
فكمالٌ في مصر غيرُ وحيد
If Kamal met his end alone,
then Kamal is not alone in Egypt.
إنْindeed فيin غابهhis forest المنيعimpregnable أسودًاlions
إنْ في غابه المنيع أسودًا
لوif only يرُدُّcould repel الحِمامَdeath عزمُthe resolve of الأسودthe lions
لو يرُدُّ الحِمامَ عزمُ الأسود
Indeed, in his impregnable forest there are lions—
if only the lions' resolve could repel death!
قلsay لسعدٍto Saad، وقلand say لإخوةto the brothers of سعدٍSaad:
قل لسعدٍ، وقل لإخوة سعدٍ:
لاnot يعيدُrestores الأسىsorrow حياةَthe life of فقيدone lost to death
لا يعيدُ الأسى حياةَ فقيد
Tell Saad, and tell Saad's brothers:
sorrow cannot restore a lost one's life.
ولعمريand by my life، ولوand if يبعثُcould raise الدمعُtears ميْتًاa dead person
ولعمري، ولو يبعثُ الدمعُ ميْتًا
لبكيناwe would have wept بدمعwith the tears of بنتِthe daughter of الشريدal-Sharid
لبكينا بدمع بنتِ الشريد
And by my life, if tears could raise the dead,
we would weep with the tears of al-Sharid's daughter.
ليتَwould that شعريmy knowledge! ماذاwhat تقولُyou say وأنتمwhile you are
ليتَ شعري! ماذا تقولُ وأنتم
أهلُmembers of بيتٍa household علىupon العلومthe sciences مَشِيدbuilt؟
أهلُ بيتٍ على العلوم مَشِيد؟
Would that I knew! What do you say, when you are
a household founded upon learning?
إنماonly يَقهرُovercomes الخطوبَcalamities حكيمٌa wise person
إنما يَقهرُ الخطوبَ حكيمٌ
ذوpossessing فؤادٍa heart علىin the face of الخطوبcalamities جليدsteadfast
ذو فؤادٍ على الخطوب جليد
Only a wise person overcomes calamities,
with a heart steadfast in adversity.
إنَّindeed فيin العيشِlife والمماتِand death لسرًّاsurely a secret
إنَّ في العيشِ والمماتِ لسرًّا
ضلَّهُfailed to fathom it النَّاسُpeople منذُsince بدءthe beginning of الوجودexistence
ضلَّهُ النَّاسُ منذُ بدء الوجود
There is indeed a secret in life and death
that people have failed to fathom since existence began.
قلِّبturn الطرفyour gaze: هلdo...? ترىyou see فيamong البراياcreatures
قلِّب الطرف: هل ترى في البرايا
غيرَother than حيّa living being أودىhas perished، وآخرَand another يوديis perishing؟
غيرَ حيّ أودى، وآخرَ يودي؟
Turn your gaze: do you see among creatures
anything but one who lived and perished, and another perishing?
اهزليbe playful؛ فالحياةُfor life، ياO نفسُsoul، هزa jest (truncated)
اهزلي؛ فالحياةُ، يا نفسُ، هز
إنَّindeed منwhoever جدَّis earnest عاشlives غيرَnot سعيدhappy
إنَّ من جدَّ عاش غيرَ سعيد
Be playful, O soul, for life is a jest;
indeed, whoever is earnest lives unhappily.
يسبحُswims المرءُa person فيin محيطِthe ocean of الأمانيwishes
يسبحُ المرءُ في محيطِ الأماني
والمناياand deaths منهfrom him كحبلlike the cord of الوريدthe jugular vein
والمنايا منه كحبل الوريد
A person swims in an ocean of wishes,
while death is as near to him as his jugular vein.
ضلَّhas gone astray منwhoever يكفيهsuffices him قليلٌa little منof الزاprovisions (start)
ضلَّ من يكفيه قليلٌ من الزا
دِprovisions (end)، ولاand does not يكتفيfeel content بمُلكِwith the dominion of الرشيدal-Rashid
دِ، ولا يكتفي بمُلكِ الرشيد
Astray is he for whom a little provision suffices,
yet who is not content with al-Rashid's dominion.
كلُّevery وجهٍface لهfor it الترابُdust نقابٌa veil
كلُّ وجهٍ له الترابُ نقابٌ
غيرَexcept وجهthe face of المهيمِنِthe All-Watchful المعبودthe Worshipped One
غيرَ وجه المهيمِنِ المعبود
Every face has dust for a veil,
except the face of the All-Watchful, the Worshipped One.
Partial English translation: 47 of 90 Arabic lines translated.