ما للدُّسوتِ وللسّروج تسائلُ

ما للدُّسوتِ وللسّروج تسائلُ

مَن قائمٌ عنهنّ أو مَن نازلُ

مَن قائمٌ عنهنّ أو مَن نازلُ

Why do the thrones and saddles ask one another,

What is wrong with the doors and balconies that they question?

"Who has risen from them, or who is alighting?"

Who is residing in them or who is descending?

لِمَ سُدَّ بابُ الملك وهو مواكبٌ

لِمَ سُدَّ بابُ الملك وهو مواكبٌ

وخلَتْ مجالسُه وهنَّ محَافلُ

وخلَتْ مجالسُه وهنَّ محَافلُ

Why is the royal gate shut, though it is a place of processions,

Why is the door of the kingdom closed when he is departing,

and his halls deserted, though they are places of assembly?

And his gatherings are empty though they were assemblies?

ما للجياد صوافناً وصوامتاً

ما للجياد صوافناً وصوامتاً

نَكْساً وهنّ سوابقٌ وصواهلُ

نَكْساً وهنّ سوابقٌ وصواهلُ

Why are the steeds standing still and silent,

What is wrong with the steeds, calm and submissive,

heads bowed, though they are racers and neighers?

Humbled, though they were racers and prancers?

من قطَّرَ الشجعانَ عن صهواتها

من قطَّرَ الشجعانَ عن صهواتها

وهُمُ بها تحت الرماح أجادلُ

وهُمُ بها تحت الرماح أجادلُ

Who threw the brave warriors headlong from their backs,

Who has made the brave men refrain from their neighing

when upon them, beneath the spears, they were falcons?

While they, with the spears, used to be disputers?

ما للسماء عليلةٌ أنوارُها

ما للسماء عليلةٌ أنوارُها

لِمَنَ السماء من الكواكب ثاكلُ

لِمَنَ السماء من الكواكب ثاكلُ

Why are the sky’s lights ailing?

What ails the sky that its lights are sickly?

For which of the stars is the sky bereaved?

For whom are the stars of the sky miserly?

مَن لجلج الناعي يحدِّث أنه

مَن لجلج الناعي يحدِّث أنه

أودَى فقيل أقائلٌ أم قاتلُ

أودَى فقيل أقائلٌ أم قاتلُ

Who made the death-herald stammer as he said that he

Who tells the wailing mourner that he

had perished, so they asked, "A speaker, or a killer?"

Has lost one, was it a comrade or a slayer?

المجد في جَدثٍ ثوى أم كوكبُ ال

المجد في جَدثٍ ثوى أم كوكبُ ال

دنيا هوى أم ركن ضبَّةَ مائلُ

دنيا هوى أم ركن ضبَّةَ مائلُ

Has glory settled in a grave, or has the star of the

Is glory buried in a grave or did the star

world fallen, or is Dabba’s pillar tottering?

Of the world set or did a lofty pillar lean?

ما كنتُ فيه خائفاً أن الردى

ما كنتُ فيه خائفاً أن الردى

من عزِّ جانبهِ إليه واصلُ

من عزِّ جانبهِ إليه واصلُ

I never feared for him that Death—

I did not fear that regresses will reach him

so mighty were his defenses—could reach him.

From his glory’s side though they come meeting.

أدرَى الحِمام بمن وأُقسم ما درى

أدرَى الحِمام بمن وأُقسم ما درى

تلتفُّ كُفّاتٌ له وحبائلُ

تلتفُّ كُفّاتٌ له وحبائلُ

Did Death know whom—and I swear it did not know—

The doves know who - but I swear they do not know -

its snares and traps were closing around?

Some turtledoves gather around him and form circles.

خطبٌ أخلَّ الدهرُ فيه بعقلهِ

خطبٌ أخلَّ الدهرُ فيه بعقلهِ

والدهرُ في بعض المواطنِ جاهلُ

والدهرُ في بعض المواطنِ جاهلُ

A calamity in which Time lost its reason;

He undertook things that perplexed fate,

and Time, in some circumstances, is ignorant.

While fate is in some positions ignorant.

يا غيثُ أرضَى الأرض سَقياً واحتبى

يا غيثُ أرضَى الأرض سَقياً واحتبى

بالروض يشكره المحلُّ الماحلُ

بالروض يشكره المحلُّ الماحلُ

O rain that pleased the earth with water and girded itself

O clouds, make the earth happy with your rain,

with meadows, thanked by the drought-stricken waste,

And seek the meadows to thank the plains.

ينهلُّ منحلَّ المَزادة موقناً

ينهلُّ منحلَّ المَزادة موقناً

أنّ الثرى الظمآنَ منه ناهلُ

أنّ الثرى الظمآنَ منه ناهلُ

pouring down, its waterskin unfastened, certain

It flows from the spout certain that the thirsty soil

that the thirsty earth is drinking its fill from it,

From it will get water as camels do.

يسِمُ الصخورَ كأنّ كلَّ مجودَةٍ

يسِمُ الصخورَ كأنّ كلَّ مجودَةٍ

لحظَ العليقَ بها حِصانٌ ناعلُ

لحظَ العليقَ بها حِصانٌ ناعلُ

marking the rocks, as though on each rain-soaked one

It splits the rocks as if every herd

a shod stallion had spied fodder.

A neighing mare led it to the water spring.

تَمريه غبراءُ الإهاب كأنما

تَمريه غبراءُ الإهاب كأنما

قادت خزائمَها النّعام الجافلُ

قادت خزائمَها النّعام الجافلُ

A gray-skinned cloud yields it, as though

The dusty, terrifying campaigns move it

its nose-reins were drawn by fleeing ostriches.

As if the ostrich led its remnants.

حلفتْ لأفواهِ الربَى أخلافُها

حلفتْ لأفواهِ الربَى أخلافُها

أَيْمانَ صِدق أنهنَّ حوافلُ

أَيْمانَ صِدق أنهنَّ حوافلُ

Its teats have sworn to the mouths of the hills

Their behinds swore sincere oaths

truthful oaths that they are brimming with milk.

That they are groups.

وليتْ سيوفُ البرق قطعَ عروقها

وليتْ سيوفُ البرق قطعَ عروقها

فبكلِّ فجٍّ شاريانٌ سائلُ

فبكلِّ فجٍّ شاريانٌ سائلُ

The swords of lightning undertook to cut its veins;

Would that the swords of lightning severed their veins

so in every mountain pass an artery flows.

So, from every crevice, a stream gushed forth!

أبلغ أبا العباس أنك فاحصٌ

أبلغ أبا العباس أنك فاحصٌ

حتى تبُلَّ جَوَى ثراه فواغلُ

حتى تبُلَّ جَوَى ثراه فواغلُ

Convey to Abu al-Abbas—for you are digging deep,

Tell Abu al-Abbas that you are searching

until penetrating drops moisten his soil’s burning thirst—

Until the beloved one’s ground burns hot.

مني وأطباقُ الصعيد حجابُهُ

مني وأطباقُ الصعيد حجابُهُ

عني فكيفَ تخاطُبٌ وتراسُلُ

عني فكيفَ تخاطُبٌ وتراسُلُ

from me; layers of earth are his veil

The earth’s layers have veiled him from me

from me: how can there be conversation or correspondence?

So how do you address and correspond?

سعَدتْ جنادلُ ألحفتك على البلى

سعَدتْ جنادلُ ألحفتك على البلى

لا مثلَ ما شقيَتْ عليك جنادلُ

لا مثلَ ما شقيَتْ عليك جنادلُ

Fortunate are the stones that covered you amid decay,

Your pots have prospered for they hosted you

unlike the stones made wretched by your loss.

Not like the pots in which you faced misery.

أبكيك لي ولمرملين بنوهم ال

أبكيك لي ولمرملين بنوهم ال

أيتامُ بعدك والنساءُ أراملُ

أيتامُ بعدك والنساءُ أراملُ

I weep for you, for myself and the destitute, whose sons are

I cry for you while the Marmli’s sons -

orphans after you, and whose women are widows.

After you orphans - and the women are widows.

ولمستجيرٍ والخطوبُ تنوشه

ولمستجيرٍ والخطوبُ تنوشه

مستطعمٌ والدهر فيه آكلُ

مستطعمٌ والدهر فيه آكلُ

And for a seeker of refuge, assailed by calamities,

For a seeker of protection, worries attack him,

begging for food while Time devours him,

Seeking food while fate devours him.

متلوّم العزماتِ لا هو قاطنٌ

متلوّم العزماتِ لا هو قاطنٌ

في داره قفراً ولا هو راحلُ

في داره قفراً ولا هو راحلُ

hesitant in his resolves, neither staying

His resolutions perplexed, he resides not

in his desolate home nor departing.

In his house deserted nor travels.

أودى به التَّطوافُ ينشُدُ ناصراً

أودى به التَّطوافُ ينشُدُ ناصراً

فيضِلّ أن يلقاه إلا خاذلُ

فيضِلّ أن يلقاه إلا خاذلُ

Endless wandering has worn him down as he seeks a helper,

Roaming misled him. He seeks a supporter;

and he wanders astray, met only by one who forsakes him,

None will meet him except a disappointer.

حتى إذا الإقبال منك دنا به

حتى إذا الإقبال منك دنا به

أنساه عندك عامُ بؤسٍ قابلُ

أنساه عندك عامُ بؤسٍ قابلُ

until, when your favor brought him near,

Until your favours brought him close,

at your side, the coming year made him forget a year of misery.

A year of misery made him forget you.

ولمعشرٍ طَرْقُ العلوم ذنوبُهم

ولمعشرٍ طَرْقُ العلوم ذنوبُهم

في الناس وهي لهم إليك وسائلُ

في الناس وهي لهم إليك وسائلُ

And for a company whose pursuit of learning counts as sins

For a group whose path to knowledge was their sins

among people, though it gives them access to you.

To the people, though to you they're means.

كانوا عن الطلب الذليل بمعزِلٍ

كانوا عن الطلب الذليل بمعزِلٍ

ثقةً وأنت بما كفاهم كافلُ

ثقةً وأنت بما كفاهم كافلُ

They stood apart from humiliating petition,

They refrained from mean pursuits,

confident, since you guaranteed what sufficed them.

Confident while you sufficed them.

قطَعَ الجدَا بهمُ وقد قطَع الردى

قطَعَ الجدَا بهمُ وقد قطَع الردى

بك أن يُظنَّ تزاوُرٌ وتواصُلُ

بك أن يُظنَّ تزاوُرٌ وتواصُلُ

Bounty has abandoned them, and Death has cut off,

It severed intimacy though fate cut it off

in taking you, all hope of mutual visits and communion.

That deception or correspondence be suspected.

وعصائب هي إن ركبت مواكبٌ

وعصائب هي إن ركبت مواكبٌ

تسَعُ العيون وإن غضِبتَ جحافلُ

تسَعُ العيون وإن غضِبتَ جحافلُ

And for bands who, when you rode, were processions

bands - if transported are entourages

wide enough for every gaze, and when you grew angry, armies.

That dazzle the eyes, and if wrathful, armies

تفرِي بأذرعها الكعوبُ كأنّها

تفرِي بأذرعها الكعوبُ كأنّها

تحت الرماح على الرماح عواملُ

تحت الرماح على الرماح عواملُ

The spear-shafts’ joints tear at their arms, as though

That by their arms the torrents seem as if

beneath the spears, they were spearheads on spears.

Above the spears, to the spears, they are rising.

لو كان في ثُعَلٍ بموتك ثأرُها

لو كان في ثُعَلٍ بموتك ثأرُها

ما عاش من ثُعَلٍ عليكَ مناضلُ

ما عاش من ثُعَلٍ عليكَ مناضلُ

If your death had given them a blood-debt against Thuʿal,

If vengeance for your death was in Tha’lab

no fighter of Thuʿal opposing you would have survived.

None of Tha’lab would live as your contender.

نَكِروا حلومَك والمنونُ تسوقها

نَكِروا حلومَك والمنونُ تسوقها

حقّا وأنت مدافعٌ متثاقلُ

حقّا وأنت مدافعٌ متثاقلُ

They found your forbearance strange as Death drove it

They denied your meat though death takes it

in earnest, while you resisted, slow to stir.

Truly, while you defend, heavily armed.

قعد البعيدُ وقام عنك متاركاً

قعد البعيدُ وقام عنك متاركاً

ما جاء يقضيك القريبُ الواصلُ

ما جاء يقضيك القريبُ الواصلُ

The distant one stayed back and left you, relinquishing

The distant one sat while the intimate

what the near one, arriving, came to pay you.

Abandoned you. The close relative did not fulfil your need.

وَلَجَ الحِمامُ اليك باباً ما شكا

وَلَجَ الحِمامُ اليك باباً ما شكا

غيرَ الزحامِ عليك فيه داخلُ

غيرَ الزحامِ عليك فيه داخلُ

Death came to you through a door where no entrant had complained

The doves crowded you without complaining

of anything but the crowd pressing toward you,

Except congestion. No questioner enters you.

مستبشراً بالوفد لم يُجبَهْ به

مستبشراً بالوفد لم يُجبَهْ به

ردّ ولم يُنهَرْ عليه سائلُ

ردّ ولم يُنهَرْ عليه سائلُ

a door welcoming delegations, where none was confronted

Optimistic of visiting, you did not drive

with refusal, and no petitioner was rebuked.

Him away or rebuff a beseecher.

لم يُغنك الكرمُ العتيدُ ولا حَمَى

لم يُغنك الكرمُ العتيدُ ولا حَمَى

عنك السماحُ ولا كفاك النائلُ

عنك السماحُ ولا كفاك النائلُ

Your ever-ready generosity did not save you, nor did

Neither your famed generosity nor your pardon

liberality defend you, nor did bounty protect you.

Availed you, nor did the obtainer suffice you.

كنت الذي مُرُّ الزمان وحُلُوه

كنت الذي مُرُّ الزمان وحُلُوه

فيمن يصابر عيشَه ويعاسلُ

فيمن يصابر عيشَه ويعاسلُ

You were the bitterness and sweetness of Time

You were the one life was bitter and sweet for

among those who patiently endure life and taste its honey.

Those who endure their living and are steadfast.

فغدوتَ مالَك في عدوّك حيلةٌ

فغدوتَ مالَك في عدوّك حيلةٌ

تُغني ولا لك من صديقك طائلُ

تُغني ولا لك من صديقك طائلُ

Yet now you have no stratagem against your enemy

You became a stratagem for your enemy

that avails, nor any help from your friend.

That benefits not, and your friend is of no use.

والموتُ أجورُ حاكمٍ وكأنه

والموتُ أجورُ حاكمٍ وكأنه

في الناس قِسماً بالسويّة عادلُ

في الناس قِسماً بالسويّة عادلُ

Death is the most unjust of judges, yet it seems

And death is the reward of an arbiter as though

just in dividing equal shares among mankind.

Among the people, it fairly distributes.

لا اغترّ بعدك بالحياة مجرّبٌ

لا اغترّ بعدك بالحياة مجرّبٌ

عرفَ الحقوقَ فلم يرُقْه الباطلُ

عرفَ الحقوقَ فلم يرُقْه الباطلُ

After you, no seasoned man will be deceived by life,

After you, no experienced person is deluded by life,

who has known what is right and found no charm in falsehood.

Who knew rights so falsehood did not entice him.

يا ثاوياً لم تقض حقَّ مصابه

يا ثاوياً لم تقض حقَّ مصابه

كِبدٌ محرّقة وجفنٌ هاملُ

كِبدٌ محرّقة وجفنٌ هاملُ

O you who lie here, whose loss has not received its due

O residing one who did not fulfil his right

from a seared liver and a streaming eyelid,

Of condolence! A burning liver and a sleepy eyelid!

أفديك لو أن الردى بك قابل

أفديك لو أن الردى بك قابل

من مهجتي وذويَّ ما أنا باذلُ

من مهجتي وذويَّ ما أنا باذلُ

I would ransom you, if Death would accept in your stead

I would ransom you if the misfortune

what I offer of my lifeblood and my kin.

Met me instead and my beloved ones. What would I begrudge?

ما بال أوقاتي بفقدك هَجَّرتْ

ما بال أوقاتي بفقدك هَجَّرتْ

ولقد تكون لديك وهي أصائلُ

ولقد تكون لديك وهي أصائلُ

Why have my hours at your loss turned to scorching noon,

Why have my times abandoned me for losing you

when in your presence they used to be late afternoons?

Though they may be united with you and attached?

قد كنتُ ملتحفاً بمدحك حُلَّةً

قد كنتُ ملتحفاً بمدحك حُلَّةً

فخراً تُجَرُّ لها عليَّ ذلاذلُ

فخراً تُجَرُّ لها عليَّ ذلاذلُ

I used to wrap myself in praise of you, a robe

I used to wear your praise as a garment

of pride, its long hems trailing over me.

Of pride trailing the trains over me.

فاليومَ أشكرك الصنيعَ مراثياً

فاليومَ أشكرك الصنيعَ مراثياً

خَرِسَ المشبِّبُ عندها والغازلُ

خَرِسَ المشبِّبُ عندها والغازلُ

Today I thank you for your kindness with elegies,

Today I thank you elegizing.

before which the love-singer and the wooer fall mute.

The lover is muted and the flirt falls silent.

تصف الغليل بناتها أبياتُها ال

تصف الغليل بناتها أبياتُها ال

أيتامُ وهي عليك أمٌّ ثاكلُ

أيتامُ وهي عليك أمٌّ ثاكلُ

Her daughters—her verses—describe the burning grief:

Its verses describe the anguish. Orphans -

orphans, while she is a mother bereaved of you.

Though over you a bereaved mother!

مما طربتَ له الطويلَ وشاغلٌ

مما طربتَ له الطويلَ وشاغلٌ

عنه يسدّ اليومَ سمعَك شاغلُ

عنه يسدّ اليومَ سمعَك شاغلُ

They are of what long delighted you; but a distraction

Of what you enjoyed the long poem, but now

now seals your hearing against them, utterly absorbing.

Another matter preoccupies you and blocks your hearing.

هل يُرضيَنَّك جَهدُ ما أنا قائل

هل يُرضيَنَّك جَهدُ ما أنا قائل

إذ لا غناءَ بجهد ما أنا فاعلُ

إذ لا غناءَ بجهد ما أنا فاعلُ

Will my utmost effort in what I say please you,

Does what I am saying comfort you

when my effort in what I do is of no avail?

When no song comforts what I am doing?

يا ليثُ لا يبعُدْ حِماك وإن خلا

يا ليثُ لا يبعُدْ حِماك وإن خلا

منك العرينُ فإن شِبلَك باسلُ

منك العرينُ فإن شِبلَك باسلُ

O lion, may your domain endure, though

O lion, your protection does not fail even if

the lair is empty of you: your cub is valiant.

The den is vacant for your cub is a lion.

لكفاك يحفظ ما بنيت من العلا

لكفاك يحفظ ما بنيت من العلا

سامٍ إلى غاياتها متطاولُ

سامٍ إلى غاياتها متطاولُ

He would suffice you, preserving the eminence you built,

Your palm suffices to guard what you built

aspiring to its furthest heights, reaching ever higher.

Of a high unmatched edifice.

يقظانُ تُعرَف فيه مبتدئاً كما

يقظانُ تُعرَف فيه مبتدئاً كما

قال ابن حُجرٍ من أبيه شمائلُ

قال ابن حُجرٍ من أبيه شمائلُ

Vigilant, in whom one already recognizes—as

The vigils therein make the initiator known

Ibn Hujr said—traits from his father.

As the son of Hujr said of his father’s marks.

طِبْ في الثرى نفساً فوفدُك حولَه

طِبْ في الثرى نفساً فوفدُك حولَه

زُمَر الثناءِ ورَبعُ مجدك آهلُ

زُمَر الثناءِ ورَبعُ مجدك آهلُ

Rest easy in the earth: your delegations around him

Rest in peace a soul. Your visitors surround it

are companies of praise, and your glory’s abode is peopled.

Troops of praise and a quarter of your glory camps.

لا تحسبنَّ وسعدٌ ابنك طالعٌ

لا تحسبنَّ وسعدٌ ابنك طالعٌ

يحتلّ برجَك أن سعدك آفلُ

يحتلّ برجَك أن سعدك آفلُ

Do not think, while Saʿd, your son, is rising,

Think not with Saad your son rising

occupying your celestial house, that your good fortune is setting.

Your star setup though your bliss is perfect.

ما أنكر الزوَّارُ بعدك وجهَه

ما أنكر الزوَّارُ بعدك وجهَه

في البدر من شمس النهار مخايلُ

في البدر من شمس النهار مخايلُ

After you, visitors did not find his face unfamiliar:

The visitors do not deny his face

in the full moon are traces of the daylight sun.

In the full moon resembling the sun of daylight.

أجمِل له يا سعدُ واحمل وِزْره

أجمِل له يا سعدُ واحمل وِزْره

ما طال باعٌ أو أطاعك كاهلُ

ما طال باعٌ أو أطاعك كاهلُ

Do him honor, O Saʿd, and bear his burden

Be gentle with him, O Saad, and take the burden

as long as your reach extends or your shoulder obeys you.

Of how long you live and obey you did he shoulder.

وأنا الذي يرضيك فيه باكياً

وأنا الذي يرضيك فيه باكياً

ويسرُّه بك في الذي هو قائلُ

ويسرُّه بك في الذي هو قائلُ

And I am the one who pleases you by weeping for him,

And I am the one you are pleased with weeping

and gladdens him through you in what he says,

And elated by what I am saying.

موليكما الشكرَ الذي لا لفظُهُ

موليكما الشكرَ الذي لا لفظُهُ

خلَقٌ ولا معناه رثٌّ حائلُ

خلَقٌ ولا معناه رثٌّ حائلُ

bestowing on you both gratitude whose wording is not

Their and your Master is gratitude - its utterance

worn, nor its meaning threadbare or faded.

Uncreated and its meaning no barriers deflecting.

يتشاهدون له بأنْ ما فيه لي

يتشاهدون له بأنْ ما فيه لي

يومَ المقالِ مُناسبٌ ومُساجلُ

يومَ المقالِ مُناسبٌ ومُساجلُ

They testify to it: in this I have no

They testify it has nothing belonging to me

peer or rival on the day of utterance.

The day of words suitable and contending.

بان المصيبُ من المريب وكُشِّفتْ

بان المصيبُ من المريب وكُشِّفتْ

شُبَهٌ وقام على الصباح دلائلُ

شُبَهٌ وقام على الصباح دلائلُ

The one in the right stands apart from the suspect, and dispelled

The affliction was revealed from the confusion

are doubts; proofs of dawn have arisen.

Doubts arose; over the dawn proofs were prevailing.

والشعرُ أصلفُ أن تُغازَلَ عُذرةٌ

والشعرُ أصلفُ أن تُغازَلَ عُذرةٌ

فيه فتَخجَلَ أو تُساحَرَ بابلُ

فيه فتَخجَلَ أو تُساحَرَ بابلُ

And poetry is too proud for ʿUdhra to be wooed

Poetry is improper to flirt with an excuse

within it and blush, or Babylon to be rivaled in sorcery.

In it, so she may shy away or be bewitched by Babel.