أذرت عليك دموعها الانداء

أذرت عليك دموعها الانداء

يا زهرة عصفت بها النكباء

يا زهرة عصفت بها النكباء

The dewdrops shed their tears upon you,

The tears shed for you made the valleys flow,

The morning dews have shed their tears for you,

O flower ravaged by the crosswind.

O flower swept away by misfortune!

O flower, battered by the winds of calamity.

ماذا دهاك من الحياة فعفتها

ماذا دهاك من الحياة فعفتها

وعرتك فيها نظرة سوداء

وعرتك فيها نظرة سوداء

What befell you in life that you loathed it,

What did life do to make you spurn it,

What struck you in this life that made you loathe it,

and a dark outlook upon it beset you?

And cast on you such a gloomy look?

And cast upon you such a dark and hopeless gaze?

ألقيت نفسك من شفير شاهق

ألقيت نفسك من شفير شاهق

يخشى الوقوف بجنبه الجرآء

يخشى الوقوف بجنبه الجرآء

You cast yourself from the edge of a lofty precipice,

You threw yourself off a steep precipice,

You cast yourself down from a towering precipice,

beside which even the bold fear to stand.

Too daunting for the bold to stand nearby.

Beside which even the brave fear to stand.

ما هابه الليث الهصور من الردى

ما هابه الليث الهصور من الردى

قدرت عليه الظبية الهيفاء

قدرت عليه الظبية الهيفاء

The death the fierce lion feared,

The fierce lion did not fear ruin

That death which the crushing lion feared to face,

the slender gazelle was able to face.

When able to overcome it, the gentle doe did.

The slender doe found the strength to undertake.

صدمتك من وادي الرمال صخوره

صدمتك من وادي الرمال صخوره

وطواك منه لدى الهوي هواء

وطواك منه لدى الهوي هواء

The rocks of Wadi al-Rimal struck you,

The rocks in the sandy valley crushed you,

The rocks of the sandy valley crashed against you,

and air from it enveloped you as you fell.

And the abyss cast you into the air.

And the air engulfed you as you plummeted down.

وسقطت صرعى لم يقلك في الثرى

وسقطت صرعى لم يقلك في الثرى

فرش ولم يسدل عليك غطاء

فرش ولم يسدل عليك غطاء

You fell lifeless; on the soil you were cushioned by no

You fell dead, the earth did not spread out carpets for you,

You fell struck down; on the ground there was no

bedding, nor was a cover drawn over you.

Nor cover you with a shroud.

Bed to receive you, nor cover draped above.

وقضيت لا قربى تحوط ولا يد

وقضيت لا قربى تحوط ولا يد

تأسو ولا عطف ولا إدناء

تأسو ولا عطف ولا إدناء

And you died, with no kin to protect you, no hand

You passed away with no kin to protect you,

You passed away with no kin to surround you, no hand

to heal you, no tenderness, no drawing close.

No hand to console, no sympathy or leaning down.

To heal your wounds, no kindness, no embrace.

فبكتك في (سرتا) ظباء كناسها

فبكتك في (سرتا) ظباء كناسها

وشبولها وغياضها الغناء

وشبولها وغياضها الغناء

So in Cirta the gazelles of its covert wept for you,

So Sirt’s gazelles wept for you,

The gazelles in their coverts in Sirta wept for you,

and its lion cubs and lush groves.

as did its mountain goats and singing valleys.

Along with its lion cubs and its lush, singing thickets.

وتساررت فيها بنعيك ورقها

وتساررت فيها بنعيك ورقها

ورقاء تهدل إثرها ورقاء

ورقاء تهدل إثرها ورقاء

Its gray doves whispered there the news of your death,

The leaves whispered your elegy and fell down,

The doves there whispered the news of your death,

a gray dove, with another cooing in its wake.

Leaf after leaf, in succession.

One dove cooing in mourning after another.

أسفي عليك ذوى شبابك فجأة

أسفي عليك ذوى شبابك فجأة

قبل الجنى وجنى عليه جفاء

قبل الجنى وجنى عليه جفاء

Alas for you! Your youth withered suddenly,

Those of your youth grieved for you suddenly,

My sorrow is upon you; your youth withered suddenly,

before the harvest, and harshness wronged it.

Before enjoying you or your generosity.

Before the harvest, cut down by a harsh fate.

ضاقت بك الدنيا بما حبت فما

ضاقت بك الدنيا بما حبت فما

وسعتك أرض أو وقتك سماء

وسعتك أرض أو وقتك سماء

The world, with all it gave, grew too narrow for you; neither

The world was too narrow for how it loved you,

The world, with all its vastness, became too narrow for you,

earth held you nor sky sheltered you.

No land or time could accommodate you.

No earth could hold you, no sky could offer shelter.

وأجلت طرفك في الوجوه جميعها

وأجلت طرفك في الوجوه جميعها

فاذا الضياء أمامه ظلماء

فاذا الضياء أمامه ظلماء

You swept your gaze across every face,

You looked away from all faces,

You cast your gaze across every face around you,

and behold, the light before it was darkness.

Yet in front of you was only darkness.

But found that even the light before you was darkness.

فسخوت بالدنيا وزهرتها لمن

فسخوت بالدنيا وزهرتها لمن

في البؤس عز بها عليه سخاء

في البؤس عز بها عليه سخاء

So you gave the world and its bloom freely to one

So you spurned the world and its flowers for one

So you freely gave up the world and its bloom to those

who, in misery, found it hard to be generous with it.

Who found pride in misery and was generous in destitution.

For whom, even in misery, such generosity is hard.

الموت جاءك خاطبا فرضيته

الموت جاءك خاطبا فرضيته

زوجا وباء بصدك الخطباء

زوجا وباء بصدك الخطباء

Death came courting you, and you accepted him

Death came to you as a suitor and you accepted him

Death came to you as a suitor, and you accepted him

as a husband, while the suitors went away rebuffed.

As a husband, though your dowry, bride, was blood.

As a husband, while other suitors bore your rejection.

فزففت في عرس لزوجك

فزففت في عرس لزوجك

صاخب لكن خضابك يا عروس دماء

صاخب لكن خضابك يا عروس دماء

So you were led to your husband at a wedding

Your dowry, o bride, was agony

You were led in a wedding procession to your spouse,

clamorous—but your dye, O bride, was blood.

That melted the innards in its fire.

A clamorous rite, but your henna, O bride, was blood.

أما صداقك يا عروس فلوعة

أما صداقك يا عروس فلوعة

حرى تذوب بنارها الاحشاء

حرى تذوب بنارها الاحشاء

As for your dower, O bride, it was anguish,

It was a tragedy for you, o bride, and an affliction

As for your dowry, O bride, it was heart-wrenching anguish,

searing, in whose fire the entrails melt.

That befell your family and relatives.

A burning grief that melts the very entrails with its fire.

وفجيعة بك يا عروس وجيعة

وفجيعة بك يا عروس وجيعة

نكبت بها الأهلون والقرباء

نكبت بها الأهلون والقرباء

and a painful bereavement over you, O bride,

I cannot condone your demise, though it was

And a tragedy concerning you, O bride, so painful,

by which your family and kin were stricken.

Unavoidable, it remains a heinous slip.

By which your family and kin have been devastated.

لا أستبيح لك التردي إنه

لا أستبيح لك التردي إنه

رغم اضطرارك زلة نكراء

رغم اضطرارك زلة نكراء

I do not sanction your fatal plunge; it is,

I cannot relish your fall, even if

I do not condone your plunge into the abyss, for truly,

despite your desperate plight, an appalling lapse.

It protected you from all misfortunes.

Despite your desperation, it is a grave and denial-worthy sin.

لا أستطيب لك الردى ولو أنه

لا أستطيب لك الردى ولو أنه

لك من جميع النائبات وقاء

لك من جميع النائبات وقاء

I do not deem death good for you, even if it

In every disaster, every monotheist

I do not welcome death for you, even if it were

is your shield against every calamity.

Has hope that it will be uncovered and removed.

A shield for you against all of life’s calamities.

في كل كارثة لكل موحد

في كل كارثة لكل موحد

أمل له في كشفها ورجاء

أمل له في كشفها ورجاء

In every catastrophe, every believer in God's oneness

Hardship for one whose faith is firm

In every disaster, for every believer in God,

has hope and expectation that it will be lifted.

Becomes easy, and adversity becomes bounty.

There remains hope and prayer for relief.

من كان مرتكز اليقين فعسره

من كان مرتكز اليقين فعسره

يسر عليه وبؤسه نعماء

يسر عليه وبؤسه نعماء

Whoever is firmly grounded in certainty—his hardship

What did you gain? Did its affection fail you,

Whoever is anchored in certainty, their hardship

is ease to him, and his misery a blessing.

And a father whose hand was gentle?

Becomes ease for them, and their misery becomes a blessing.

ماذا جنت أم جبتك حنانها

ماذا جنت أم جبتك حنانها

وأب عليك له يد بيضاء؟

وأب عليك له يد بيضاء؟

What wrong did a mother do, who gave you her tenderness,

Bearing adversity painfully from you,

What crime did a mother commit, who showered you with tenderness,

and a father with a white hand of kindness toward you?

And saddened by your misery.

Or a father, whose hand was ever benevolent towards you?

مستهما الضراء منك أليمة

مستهما الضراء منك أليمة

ودهتهما من بؤسك البأساء

ودهتهما من بؤسك البأساء

Painful adversity from you touched them both,

They both grieved for you and were saddened

A painful adversity has touched them because of you,

and calamity from your misery befell them.

As you left the gatherings desolate.

And despair has struck them through your despair.

فكلاهما آس عليك وآسف

فكلاهما آس عليك وآسف

قد برحت بحشاهما البرحاء

قد برحت بحشاهما البرحاء

So both are grieving for you and sorrow-stricken;

I think you made a mistake in killing yourself,

Both of them are mourning for you, sorrowful,

anguish has racked their very entrails.

It is a shameful sin and foolish thought.

While agony violently tears at their hearts.

أخطأت رأيا في انتحارك إنه

أخطأت رأيا في انتحارك إنه

ذنب يشين وفكرة حمقاء

ذنب يشين وفكرة حمقاء

You erred in judgment in your suicide; it is

Your suicide was not a single tragedy,

You erred in judgment by taking your own life; truly,

a sin that disgraces, and a foolish idea.

But repeated tragedies.

It is a shameful sin and a foolish thought.

ليس انتحارك كان رزءا واحدا

ليس انتحارك كان رزءا واحدا

في وقعه بل إنه أرزاء

في وقعه بل إنه أرزاء

Your suicide was not a single calamity

Problems are not solved by an incident

Your suicide was not a single calamity,

in its impact; rather, it was many calamities.

That adds misery upon misery.

In its impact, but a multitude of calamities.

ما كان حل المشكلات بحادث

ما كان حل المشكلات بحادث

للنفس فيه على الشقاء شقاء

للنفس فيه على الشقاء شقاء

No solution to problems lies in an act

I stand over you as a poet, eulogizing you,

Solving problems was never achieved by an act

that brings the soul misery upon misery.

If this elegy benefits you.

That adds misery upon existing misery for the soul.

إني وقفت عليك وقفة شاعر

إني وقفت عليك وقفة شاعر

أرثيك إن أجدى عليك رثاء

أرثيك إن أجدى عليك رثاء

I have stood over you as a poet stands,

Regretful, and regret is a lament,

I have stood over you with the stance of a poet,

lamenting you, if lament can avail you.

Reproachful, and reproach is weeping.

Mourning you, if mourning can be of any use to you.

متحسرا ومن التحسر ندبة

متحسرا ومن التحسر ندبة

ومعاتبا ومن العتاب بكاء

ومعاتبا ومن العتاب بكاء

grieving, with a lament born of grief,

I presented your case to suspicions and their tyranny,

Full of regret, and from such regret comes lamentation,

and reproaching, with tears born of reproach.

For suspicions are blind mounts.

And admonishing, and from such admonishment comes weeping.

عرضت عرضك للظنون وعسفها

عرضت عرضك للظنون وعسفها

إن الظنون مطية عمياء

إن الظنون مطية عمياء

You exposed your honor to suspicions and their injustice;

I assumed the best about your character from hearsay,

You exposed your reputation to suspicions and their cruelty,

indeed, suspicion is a blind mount.

And perhaps it is innocent of what is said.

For suspicion is a blind beast to ride.

أزرى بعرضك ما يقال توهما

أزرى بعرضك ما يقال توهما

ولعله مما يقال براء

ولعله مما يقال براء

What is said in conjecture has tarnished your honor,

Your soul bore a noble affliction,

Rumors born of delusion have disparaged your name,

though it may be innocent of what is said.

Perhaps it sacrificed itself for other souls.

While perhaps you are innocent of all they say.

وأصاب نفسك ما يجل مصابه

وأصاب نفسك ما يجل مصابه

ولعل نفسك للنفوس فداء

ولعل نفسك للنفوس فداء

And your soul suffered a grievous affliction,

Perhaps your tragedy was a mental outburst,

A grave affliction struck your soul,

and perhaps your soul is a ransom for other souls.

A misstep in the journey, or fainting spell.

Yet perhaps your soul was a ransom for other souls.

ولعل رزأك نوبة نفسية

ولعل رزأك نوبة نفسية

أوعثرة في السير أو إغماء

أوعثرة في السير أو إغماء

And perhaps your tragedy came from a mental episode,

Or an affliction that burned your reason,

Perhaps your tragedy was a bout of mental anguish,

or a stumble while walking, or a fainting spell,

And burnt away your wisdom and intelligence.

A stumble in your path, or a momentary faint.

أو لفحة بك في ذكائك أحرقت

أو لفحة بك في ذكائك أحرقت

منك الحجى ومن الذكاء ذكاء

منك الحجى ومن الذكاء ذكاء

or a scorching blast in your intelligence that burned

Hands carried your bier high

Or a fever in your brilliance that burned away

your reason away—for brilliance, too, can be a blaze.

As if it were a ship full of tears underneath.

Your reason—for from intelligence comes a blazing fire.

قد حفت الأيدي بنعشك فاعتلى

قد حفت الأيدي بنعشك فاعتلى

كالفلك تزخر تحته الدأماء

كالفلك تزخر تحته الدأماء

Hands gathered around your bier, and it rose aloft,

It was not a funeral that bid you farewell, but a nation

Hands surrounded your coffin, raising it high,

like a ship with the sea surging beneath it.

That gathered and could not be counted.

Like a ship beneath which the ocean swells.

ما شيعتك جنازة بل أمة

ما شيعتك جنازة بل أمة

نشرت فلم يستوفها إحصاء

نشرت فلم يستوفها إحصاء

It was no funeral procession that escorted you, but a nation

All their hearts melted for you in mercy,

It was not a mere funeral procession that saw you off, but a nation,

spread out beyond the reach of any count.

And the Merciful accepts the merciful.

Spread so vast that no count could encompass it.

ذابت قلوب جميعهم لك رحمة

ذابت قلوب جميعهم لك رحمة

ورضى الرحيم يناله الرحماء

ورضى الرحيم يناله الرحماء

All their hearts melted with compassion for you;

Is it a corpse above your bier, or a twin

All their hearts melted with mercy for you,

and the compassionate attain the Merciful's favor.

To your bier’s daughters, or the Gemini constellation?

And the pleasure of the Merciful is granted to the merciful.

هل فوق نعشك جثة أم توأم

هل فوق نعشك جثة أم توأم

لبنات نعش أم هي الجوزاء؟

لبنات نعش أم هي الجوزاء؟

Is that a body upon your bier, or a twin

Or a piece of the heart of a beautiful laughing one,

Is that a corpse upon your coffin, or a twin

of Banat Na'sh (the Daughters of the Bier), or is it al-Jawza?

Whose forehead shone radiantly through misfortunes?

To the stars of the Great Bear, or is it Gemini?

أم فلذة من قلب أروع ضاحك

أم فلذة من قلب أروع ضاحك

للنائبات جبينه وضاء

للنائبات جبينه وضاء

Or a fragment from the heart of a gallant man who laughs

Do not despair of your Lord’s spirit, He

Or a piece of a magnificent heart,

at calamities, his brow radiant?

Forgives major sins and is Beneficent and Giving.

Whose brow remains bright and smiling in the face of calamity?

لا تيأسي من روح ربك إنه

لا تيأسي من روح ربك إنه

ماحي الكبائر محسن معطاء

ماحي الكبائر محسن معطاء

Do not despair of your Lord's relief; He is

May God clothe you in his pardon,

Do not despair of the mercy of your Lord, for truly He

the effacer of grave sins, benevolent and bountiful.

And quench you from his mercies.

Erases great sins, is Beneficent and Grieving.

أضفى عليك الله حلة عفوه

أضفى عليك الله حلة عفوه

وسقتك من رحماته أنواء

وسقتك من رحماته أنواء

May God drape you in the robe of His pardon,

And when God tests His servants through hardship,

May God drape you in the robe of His pardon,

and may showers of His mercy water you.

It requires patience, supplication, and prayer from them.

And may the rains of His mercy water your soul.

واذا ابتلى الله العباد فجهدهم

واذا ابتلى الله العباد فجهدهم

صبر له وتضرع ودعاء

صبر له وتضرع ودعاء

And when God tests His servants, their striving is

Say to the youth who are stubborn in their views,

When God tests His servants, their endeavor

patience for His sake, humble entreaty, and prayer.

And provocative in their passion.

Must be patience for His sake, supplication, and prayer.

قل للشباب المستبد برأيه

قل للشباب المستبد برأيه

المستفزة وجده الأهواء

المستفزة وجده الأهواء

Tell the youth who are headstrong in their judgment,

Who are warned by others’ mistakes,

Say to the youth who is obstinate in his opinion,

whose ardor is stirred by passions:

Their own errors inspire them to do right.

Whose passion is provoked by fleeting whims:

من يتغظ بسواه في أخطائه

من يتغظ بسواه في أخطائه

تلهمه وجه صوابه الأخطاء

تلهمه وجه صوابه الأخطاء

Whoever takes warning from another's mistakes,

The suicide of the despairing is a terrible crime,

He who takes warning from the mistakes of others,

mistakes show him the path to sound judgment.

Which the cowardly are disgraced by.

Those mistakes will inspire him toward the right path.

إن انتحار اليائسين جناية

إن انتحار اليائسين جناية

عظمى يبوء بخزيها الجبناء

عظمى يبوء بخزيها الجبناء

The suicide of the despairing is indeed a crime

Your life is a battle whose spoils go

The suicide of the despairing is a grave crime,

most grave; cowards bear its shame.

To the resolve of a lion and the will of a stubborn horse.

A heinous act whose shame is borne by cowards.

دنياك معركة يفوز بكسبها

دنياك معركة يفوز بكسبها

رأي أسد وهمة قعساء

رأي أسد وهمة قعساء

Your world is a battle whose victory is won by

The earth is a market of opposites,

Your world is a battlefield; victory belongs

the soundest judgment and unyielding resolve.

The way of the world is buying and selling in it.

To the lion-hearted judgment and the steadfast will.

والأرض سوق بالنقائض أفعمت

والأرض سوق بالنقائض أفعمت

دأب الورى بيع بها وشراء

دأب الورى بيع بها وشراء

And the earth is a market filled with opposites;

Success and failure are its variable offers,

The earth is a marketplace brimming with contradictions;

humankind's constant business there is selling and buying.

The living take and receive from both.

The habit of mankind is but buying and selling therein.

الفوز والإخفاق بعض عروضها

الفوز والإخفاق بعض عروضها

يعطى ويأخذ منهما الأحياء

يعطى ويأخذ منهما الأحياء

Success and failure are among its wares;

Whoever cannot find hope in it has failed,

Triumph and failure are merely some of its wares;

the living give and take of both.

Never to be hoped to gain wealth.

The living take and give of them both.

من فاته فيها الرجاء فمفلس

من فاته فيها الرجاء فمفلس

لا يرتجى أبدا له إثراء

لا يرتجى أبدا له إثراء

Whoever is bereft of hope in it is bankrupt,

People are the prey of misfortunes, all of them

He who loses hope in this world is truly bankrupt,

with no hope of ever growing rich.

Targets for it in the ledger as it shoots arrows.

For him, no enrichment can ever be expected.

والخلق صيد النائبات فكلهم

والخلق صيد النائبات فكلهم

غرض لها في الرصيد وهي رماء

غرض لها في الرصيد وهي رماء

And all creation is the quarry of calamities; every one

Whoever escapes one tribulation falls into its like,

All creation is prey to the hunters of calamity,

is a target in their ambush, and they are archers.

From afflictions there is no escape to safety.

Targets lying in wait while fate takes aim.

من ينج من بلوى يقع في مثلها

من ينج من بلوى يقع في مثلها

فمن البلاوي لا يتاح نجاء

فمن البلاوي لا يتاح نجاء

Whoever escapes one affliction falls into its like;

Then God judges and executes His judgement,

Whoever escapes one trial falls into another like it,

for no escape from afflictions is granted.

On all creatures as He wills and desires.

For from life’s tribulations, there is no final escape.

والله يحكم ثم يمضي حكمه

والله يحكم ثم يمضي حكمه

في الكائنات كما يرى ويشاء

في الكائنات كما يرى ويشاء

And God decrees, then carries His decree into effect

Glorious is He, the realities of His knowledge

God decrees, and His decree is carried out

throughout existence, as He sees fit and wills.

Are hidden from us, not grasped by reasoning.

Among all beings, just as He sees fit and wills.

سبحانه خفيت حقائق علمه

سبحانه خفيت حقائق علمه

عنا فلم تستجلها الآراء

عنا فلم تستجلها الآراء

Glory be to Him! The realities of His knowledge are hidden

None succeeds except the trusting faithful,

Glory be to Him; the realities of His knowledge are hidden

from us, and our judgments have not unveiled them.

No matter how much he is tested by affliction.

From us, and human minds cannot unveil them.

ما فاز الا مؤمن متوكل

ما فاز الا مؤمن متوكل

متجمل مهما عراه بلاء

متجمل مهما عراه بلاء

None has triumphed but a believer who trusts in God,

By holding to the means of God, he gains support,

None triumphs but the believer who relies on God,

dignified in endurance, whatever affliction befalls him.

And by submitting to the judgements of God, acceptance.

Bearing himself with grace whenever affliction befalls.

فله بأسباب الإله تمسك

فله بأسباب الإله تمسك

وله بأحكام الإله رضاء

وله بأحكام الإله رضاء

for he holds fast to the cords of God,

He holds fast to the ropes of the Divine,

and is content with God's decrees.

And in the judgments of the Divine, he finds content.