هوَ الدَهرُ لا يُصغي إلى مَن يُعاتِبُه

هوَ الدَهرُ لا يُصغي إلى مَن يُعاتِبُه

وَلو عَظُمَت هِمّاتهُ وَمَآربُه

وَلو عَظُمَت هِمّاتهُ وَمَآربُه

Such is Time: it does not listen to one who reproaches it,

Time is not one to heed the complaints of those who reproach it,

It is Fate, listening not to him who casts blame,

However great his ambitions and aims.

No matter how grand their ambitions and desires.

Even if his ambitions be vast and his purposes great.

لهُ كلَّ يَومٍ غارَةٌ بعدَ غارَةٍ

لهُ كلَّ يَومٍ غارَةٌ بعدَ غارَةٍ

بِها يَترُكُ النادي تَرِنُّ نَوادِبُه

بِها يَترُكُ النادي تَرِنُّ نَوادِبُه

Each day it mounts raid after raid,

Each day it wages a new attack,

Every day it launches raid upon raid,

Leaving the assembly ringing with its mourners' cries.

Leaving the club with its companions lamenting.

Leaving the gathering hall echoing with the wail of mourners.

وَيَعتامُ مِنا كلَّ أَبلَجَ ماجِدٍ

وَيَعتامُ مِنا كلَّ أَبلَجَ ماجِدٍ

كَما اِعتامَ عِقدَ الجَوهَرِ الفَردِ جالِبُه

كَما اِعتامَ عِقدَ الجَوهَرِ الفَردِ جالِبُه

And chooses from among us every radiant, noble man,

It dims the radiance of every mighty ancient hero,

It chooses from among us every radiant, glorious soul,

As a necklace of peerless jewels is chosen by its purveyor.

As the unique brilliant gem's necklace fades over time.

As a jeweler selects the rarest solitary pearl.

رُزئنا حَليفَ المُكرَماتِ اِبنَ قاسمٍ

رُزئنا حَليفَ المُكرَماتِ اِبنَ قاسمٍ

جَميلَ المُحَيّا طاهِراتٍ مَذاهِبُه

جَميلَ المُحَيّا طاهِراتٍ مَذاهِبُه

We have lost virtue's ally, Ibn Qasim,

We have lost the ally of honorable deeds, the son of Qasim,

We have been bereft of the ally of noble deeds, Ibn Qasim,

Fair of face and pure in his ways.

Pure of character, upstanding in his ways.

Beautiful of countenance, pure in his ways.

رُزِئنا فَتىً لا يَأمَنُ الضِدُّ بَأسهُ

رُزِئنا فَتىً لا يَأمَنُ الضِدُّ بَأسهُ

وَلا يَحتَوي أَخلاقَهُ مَن يُصاحِبُه

وَلا يَحتَوي أَخلاقَهُ مَن يُصاحِبُه

We have lost a youth whose might no adversary feels safe from,

We have lost a man whose enemies cannot feel secure from his might,

We mourn a knight whose might gave foes no peace,

And whose virtues no companion can fully encompass.

Nor can his manners be contained by his companions.

Whose boundless virtues no companion could fully encompass.

رُزِئنا رَبيعَ الناسِ تَندي بَنانَهُ

رُزِئنا رَبيعَ الناسِ تَندي بَنانَهُ

إِذا اِغبَرَّ وَجهُ الأُفقِ وَازورَّ جانِبُه

إِذا اِغبَرَّ وَجهُ الأُفقِ وَازورَّ جانِبُه

We have lost the people's springtime, his fingertips dewy with bounty,

We have lost the springtime of humanity, whose branches bloomed,

We mourn the Spring of men, whose fingers dripped with dew,

When the horizon's face grew dusty and its flank turned away.

When the horizon was covered in dust and its sides grew dark.

When the horizon’s face grew dusty and the skies turned bleak.

سَما فَاِمتَطى شُمَّ المَعالي بِعَزمَةٍ

سَما فَاِمتَطى شُمَّ المَعالي بِعَزمَةٍ

وَأَصلٍ كَريمٍ أَنجَبَتهُ مَناسِبُه

وَأَصلٍ كَريمٍ أَنجَبَتهُ مَناسِبُه

He rose and mounted the lofty heights of glory with resolve,

He mounted the heights of glory with determination,

He soared, mounting the towering peaks of glory with resolve,

And noble stock, his ancestral lines having bred him nobly.

And noble lineage that birthed his like.

Born of a noble root, sired by illustrious lineage.

اَناخَ بهِ من لَيسَ يُدفَعُ بِالقَنا

اَناخَ بهِ من لَيسَ يُدفَعُ بِالقَنا

وَلا بِحَديدِ الهِندِ تَسطو مَضارِبُه

وَلا بِحَديدِ الهِندِ تَسطو مَضارِبُه

Upon him alighted one whom spears cannot repel,

He made those beyond reach bow, not to be driven back,

That Visitor dismounted at his door, repelled not by spears,

Nor the steel of India, whose cutting edges strike fiercely.

Nor would Indian steel succeed against his blows.

Nor by the Indian steel where striking edges flash.

فَلَو كانَ من خَصمٍ أَلَدَّ لَدافَعَت

فَلَو كانَ من خَصمٍ أَلَدَّ لَدافَعَت

مَناياهُ عنهُ بِالسُيوفِ أَقارِبُه

مَناياهُ عنهُ بِالسُيوفِ أَقارِبُه

Had it come from an implacable foe, they would have warded off

If he had faced the bitterest foe, his family

Had it been a mortal foe of bitter enmity,

His doom from him with swords—his kinsmen.

Would have defended him with their swords.

His kinsmen would have fended off his doom with swords.

وَلوكان يُفدى بِالنُفوس وَما عَلا

وَلوكان يُفدى بِالنُفوس وَما عَلا

من المالِ لم تَعزِز عَليه مَطالِبُه

من المالِ لم تَعزِز عَليه مَطالِبُه

And if he could be ransomed with lives and the most precious

If he could be ransomed with souls and immeasurable wealth,

Were he to be ransomed by souls or heaps of gold,

Of riches, no ransom demanded for him would have been beyond reach.

His aspirations would not diminish against him.

No price asked would have been too dear to pay.

وَلكِن إِذا تَمَّ المَدى نَفَذَ القَضا

وَلكِن إِذا تَمَّ المَدى نَفَذَ القَضا

وَكلُّ أَبيِّ الضَيمِ فَالمَوتُ غالِبُه

وَكلُّ أَبيِّ الضَيمِ فَالمَوتُ غالِبُه

But when the allotted span ends, the decree takes effect,

But when one's time runs out, fate prevails,

But when the span is measured, the Decree takes effect,

And death conquers every man who scorns humiliation.

And death overcomes even the staunchest men.

And death conquers even the proudest who scorns submission.

أَقولُ لِناعيهِ وَقد صَمَّ مِسمَعي

أَقولُ لِناعيهِ وَقد صَمَّ مِسمَعي

أَحَقّاً تَقولُ الصِدقَ أَم أَنتَ كاذِبُه

أَحَقّاً تَقولُ الصِدقَ أَم أَنتَ كاذِبُه

I say to the bearer of his death-news, my hearing struck deaf:

I say to the one who informed me, deafening my hearing,

I ask the bearer of his news, though my ears have gone deaf:

Do you truly speak the truth, or are you lying?

"Do you really speak the truth or are you lying?

"Do you truly speak the truth, or do you lie?"

نَعَيتَ اِمرَءً ما قارَفَ الدَهرَ سَوءَةً

نَعَيتَ اِمرَءً ما قارَفَ الدَهرَ سَوءَةً

نَعم لِلمَعالي وَالعَوالي مَكاسِبُه

نَعم لِلمَعالي وَالعَوالي مَكاسِبُه

You have announced the death of a man who never, in all his days, committed a shameful deed.

You have declared dead a man who never did wrong in life,

"You have announced the death of one whom time never saw sin;

Yes—his achievements served high honor and lofty spears.

Rather, his virtues and nobility were his achievements."

Truly, his gains were in high honors and tall spears."

سَقاهُ منَ الغُفرانِ وَالعَفوِ وابِلٌ

سَقاهُ منَ الغُفرانِ وَالعَفوِ وابِلٌ

تَزُفُّ إِلَيهِ بِالرِضاءِ سَحائِبُه

تَزُفُّ إِلَيهِ بِالرِضاءِ سَحائِبُه

May a downpour of forgiveness and pardon water him,

The heavens watered him with forgiveness and pardon,

May a heavy rain of pardon and forgiveness water him,

Its clouds hastening toward him with favor.

Its clouds raining down acceptance upon him.

Whose clouds drift toward him, laden with divine content.

عَزاءً بَني عَبدِ الرَحيمِ فَإِنَّما

عَزاءً بَني عَبدِ الرَحيمِ فَإِنَّما

بِحُسنِ العَزا يَستَوجِبِ الأَجرَ كاسِبُه

بِحُسنِ العَزا يَستَوجِبِ الأَجرَ كاسِبُه

Bear your grief patiently, sons of Abd al-Rahim, for only

My condolences, O family of Abdul Rahim, for through

Take comfort, O sons of Abd al-Rahim, for truly,

Through steadfast mourning does one earn the reward.

Good condolences may the bereaved find reward.

It is through patient endurance that one earns the reward.

فَأَنتُم بَنو الأَقوامِ عِندَ حُلومِهِم

فَأَنتُم بَنو الأَقوامِ عِندَ حُلومِهِم

تَخِفُّ من الطَودِ الأَشَمِّ أَخاشِبُه

تَخِفُّ من الطَودِ الأَشَمِّ أَخاشِبُه

For you are sons of men beside whose forbearance

You are the sons of the best of peoples in their most charitable times,

You are sons of a people whose forbearance

The rocky masses of a towering mountain seem light.

When even the tallest palm trunks bow down low.

Outweighs the heavy crags of the towering mountain.

وَأَنتُم بَنو المَجدِ الصُراحِ الذي بهِ

وَأَنتُم بَنو المَجدِ الصُراحِ الذي بهِ

أَنارَت بِأُفقِ المَكرُماتِ كَواكِبُه

أَنارَت بِأُفقِ المَكرُماتِ كَواكِبُه

And you are sons of pure glory, through which

You are the sons of glorious honor, which lit up

You are the sons of pure glory, through which

Its stars shone on the horizon of noble deeds.

The horizon of all regions with its stars.

The stars of nobility have lit up the horizon.

وَإِن كُنتُمُ أَحداثَ سنٍّ فَحِلمُكُم

وَإِن كُنتُمُ أَحداثَ سنٍّ فَحِلمُكُم

أَنافَ على من طالَ فيها تَجارِبُه

أَنافَ على من طالَ فيها تَجارِبُه

And though you are young in years, your forbearance

If you are youthful in your years, your wisdom

Though you be young in years, your wisdom

Surpasses that of those with long experience in life.

Surpasses those whose heads are white with experience.

Surpasses those who have lived long lives of experience.

وَإِنّي لأَرجو أَنَّكُم تَخلُفونَهُ

وَإِنّي لأَرجو أَنَّكُم تَخلُفونَهُ

بِإِعلاءِ مَجدٍ شَيَّدَتهُ مَناقِبُه

بِإِعلاءِ مَجدٍ شَيَّدَتهُ مَناقِبُه

And I do hope that you will succeed him,

I hope that you will succeed him,

I hold hope that you will succeed him well,

By raising the glory his virtues built.

By upholding a glory built up through his virtues.

By raising high the glory his virtues established.

وَيَبقى لهُ ذكرٌ بِكُم يَملأُ الفَضا

وَيَبقى لهُ ذكرٌ بِكُم يَملأُ الفَضا

وَيَشدو بهِ فَوقَ الغُرَيريِّ راكِبُه

وَيَشدو بهِ فَوقَ الغُرَيريِّ راكِبُه

And through you his renown will endure, filling the wide expanse,

Keeping his memory alive through you, filling the sky,

So his memory may remain through you, filling the void,

And the rider atop the Ghurayri camel will sing of it.

As the poet composes verses in remembrance.

Sung by the rider atop his camel across the wastes.

فَشُدّوا عِناجَ الإجتماعِ جَميعُكُم

فَشُدّوا عِناجَ الإجتماعِ جَميعُكُم

وَإِيّاكُم واشٍ تَدِبُّ عَقارِبُه

وَإِيّاكُم واشٍ تَدِبُّ عَقارِبُه

So all of you, tighten the securing rope of unity,

So come together, all of you grasping the rope of unity,

So tighten the bond of unity among you all,

And beware a tale-bearer whose scorpions creep.

And beware any discord that would unravel it.

And beware the slanderer whose scorpions creep softly.

وَإِيّاكُم وَالإِفتراقَ فَإِنَّما

وَإِيّاكُم وَالإِفتراقَ فَإِنَّما

يَجيءُ بِتَخريبِ الدِيارِ عَواقِبهُ

يَجيءُ بِتَخريبِ الدِيارِ عَواقِبهُ

And beware division, for only

Beware division, for it only brings

And beware of division, for truly

The ruin of homes comes of its consequences.

Destruction to homes in its wake.

Its consequences bring the ruin of great houses.

لكُم شَلَقَ أَرسَوا قَواعِدَ مجدهِمِ

لكُم شَلَقَ أَرسَوا قَواعِدَ مجدهِمِ

بِأَيّامِ صِدقٍ يَلفِظُ الماءَ شارِبُه

بِأَيّامِ صِدقٍ يَلفِظُ الماءَ شارِبُه

You have [perhaps: forebears] who laid the foundations of their glory,

You have inherited the legacy of those who established

In Shalaq, they anchored the foundations of their glory,

Through days of true valor when a drinker spits out his water.

The foundations of their glory in days of sincerity.

In days of truth so fierce the drinker would spit out his water.

تَغَنّى بها في كُلِّ قُطرٍ حُداتهُ

تَغَنّى بها في كُلِّ قُطرٍ حُداتهُ

وَيَنقُلها عن شاهِدِ الحالِ غائِبُه

وَيَنقُلها عن شاهِدِ الحالِ غائِبُه

The camel-drivers of every land sang of them,

Their virtues are sung of in every land,

The caravan singers chanted of it in every land,

And one absent from the scene passes them on from its eyewitness.

Carried from witnesses to the absent.

And the absent tell of it from those who bore witness.

إذا ذُكِرَت هُزَّت رُؤوسُ رُواتِها

إذا ذُكِرَت هُزَّت رُؤوسُ رُواتِها

وَقيلَ كَذا فَليَسعَ لِلمَجدِ طالِبُه

وَقيلَ كَذا فَليَسعَ لِلمَجدِ طالِبُه

When they are recalled, their narrators' heads are set nodding,

When they are mentioned, heads bow down,

When told, the narrators shake their heads in awe,

And it is said: 'Thus let the seeker of glory strive!'

And it is said: "Thus! Let the seeker of glory emulate them."

Saying, "Like this, let the seeker of glory strive."

عِظامُ المَقاري ما شكا الجَدبَ جارُهُم

عِظامُ المَقاري ما شكا الجَدبَ جارُهُم

وَيُثري بهِم مَن لَوَّحَتهُ سَباسِبُه

وَيُثري بهِم مَن لَوَّحَتهُ سَباسِبُه

Vast were their guest-bowls; their neighbor never complained of drought,

The bones of the Maqaris never complained of drought to their neighbors,

They possess great basins for guests; their neighbor never fears drought,

And through them grows rich one scorched by his desert plains.

And their waving branches give fruit to those in their shade.

And the desert-scorched traveler grows rich through them.

أَلَيسَ أَبوكُم قاسِمٌ شَرُفَت بهِ

أَلَيسَ أَبوكُم قاسِمٌ شَرُفَت بهِ

مَشارِقُ آفاقِ النَدى وَمَغارِبُه

مَشارِقُ آفاقِ النَدى وَمَغارِبُه

Is not your father Qasim, who ennobled

Is not your father Qasim, whose nobility

Is not your father Qasim, through whom

The eastern and western horizons of generosity?

Graced the horizons of dew in East and West?

The eastern and western horizons of generosity were honored?

وَعَمُّكُمُ مَن عَطَّرَ الأُفقَ مَجدهُ

وَعَمُّكُمُ مَن عَطَّرَ الأُفقَ مَجدهُ

وَطابَت به في كلِّ قُطرٍ هَبائِبُه

وَطابَت به في كلِّ قُطرٍ هَبائِبُه

And your uncle is he whose glory perfumed the horizon,

And your uncle whom glory scented the sky,

And your uncle, whose glory perfumed the horizon,

And through him its breezes grew fragrant in every land.

And whose gifts made every land fragrant?

Making the breezes sweet in every land?

هوَ النَدبُ عَبدُ اللَهِ أَمّا نِجارهُ

هوَ النَدبُ عَبدُ اللَهِ أَمّا نِجارهُ

فَصافٍ وفي الأَدنَينِ مَحضٌ ضَرائِبُه

فَصافٍ وفي الأَدنَينِ مَحضٌ ضَرائِبُه

He is the gallant Abdullah; as for his stock,

This is the lament of Abdullah. As for its composer,

He is the noble champion, Abdullah; as for his lineage,

It is pure, and among his closest kin his innate qualities are unalloyed.

He is purehearted, sincere to friend and critic alike.

It is pure, and among his kin, his nature is unalloyed.

سَريعٌ إلى داعي النَدى مُتَحَبِّبٌ

سَريعٌ إلى داعي النَدى مُتَحَبِّبٌ

إِلى زائِريهِ ما تَغِبُّ وَهائِبُه

إِلى زائِريهِ ما تَغِبُّ وَهائِبُه

Swift to answer generosity's call, endearing himself

Quick to answer the call to dew, beloved

Swift to answer the call of generosity, beloved

To his visitors; his gifts never lapse.

To both visitors and strangers.

To his visitors, his gifts never ceasing.

نَجيُّ المَعالي ما يُحَدِّثُ نَفسَهُ

نَجيُّ المَعالي ما يُحَدِّثُ نَفسَهُ

بِغَيرِ النَدى أَو قَهرِ خَصمٍ يُشاغِبُه

بِغَيرِ النَدى أَو قَهرِ خَصمٍ يُشاغِبُه

The confidant of lofty honors, he speaks to himself of nothing

He aspires to glory but never preoccupies himself

A confidant of high honors, he converses with his soul

But generosity or subduing a foe who antagonizes him.

With aught but generosity or defeating a hostile opponent.

Only of generosity or the conquering of a turbulent foe.

وَصَلّى إلهُ العالَمينَ عَلى الذي

وَصَلّى إلهُ العالَمينَ عَلى الذي

أَشاد الهُدى قُرآنهُ وَكتائِبُه

أَشاد الهُدى قُرآنهُ وَكتائِبُه

And may the God of all worlds bless the one whose

And may the prayers of the God of the worlds be upon

And may the God of the Worlds send blessings upon him

Quran and battalions raised guidance high:

Muhammad the rightly guiding and trusted, his family

Whose Qur'an and battalions established the Guidance—

محمدٍ الهادي الأمينِ وَآلهِ

محمدٍ الهادي الأمينِ وَآلهِ

وَأصحابهِ ما نَمَّقَ الطِرسَ كاتِبُه

وَأصحابهِ ما نَمَّقَ الطِرسَ كاتِبُه

Muhammad, the guiding, trustworthy one, and his family,

And companions, so long as the writer flows his pen.

Muhammad, the Trustworthy Guide, and upon his Kin

And his companions, as long as the parchment is adorned by its scribe.

And Companions, as long as a scribe adorns the scroll.