أحقاًIs it true رأيتَyou saw الموتَDeath داميbloodied المخالبِthe claws
أحقاً رأيتَ الموتَ دامي المخالبِ
وفيand in كلِّevery نادٍgathering عصبةٌa band حولَaround نادبِa mourner
وفي كلِّ نادٍ عصبةٌ حولَ نادبِ
Is it true you saw Death with bloodied claws,
Have you truly seen death with bloody claws?
and in every gathering a band surrounding a mourner?
In every club there is a group weeping around a mourner.
وتحتَand beneath ضلوعِribs القومِthe people جمرٌembers مؤججٌkindled
وتحتَ ضلوعِ القومِ جمرٌ مؤججٌ
تسعرblazed ماwhat lies بينَbetween الحشاthe entrails والترائبِand the breastbones
تسعر ما بينَ الحشا والترائبِ
And beneath the people's ribs are kindled embers,
Under people's ribs, burning coals
blazing between the entrails and the breastbones.
That set alight what's between joy and misery.
وفيand in كلِّevery جفنٍeyelid عبرةٌa tear حينَwhen أرسلتْit was shed
وفي كلِّ جفنٍ عبرةٌ حينَ أرسلتْ
رأواthey saw كيفَhow تهمىpour down مثقلاتُheavy-laden ones السحائبِthe clouds
رأوا كيفَ تهمى مثقلاتُ السحائبِ
And in every eyelid was a tear; when it was shed,
In every eyelid, a tear when they unleashed
they saw how the heavy-laden clouds pour down.
And saw how heavily-laden clouds race.
أبىrefused الموتُDeath إلاexcept وثبةٌa leap تصدعُrends الدجىthe darkness
أبى الموتُ إلا وثبةٌ تصدعُ الدجى
وكمand many a ليلةٍnight قدhad باتهاspent it غيرُnot واثبِleaping
وكم ليلةٍ قد باتها غيرُ واثبِ
Death would have nothing but a leap that rends the darkness,
Death insisted on a leap that cracks the gloom.
and many a night he had spent without leaping.
How many nights spent by one not leaping?
فماand not انفلقَbroke الإصباحُdawn حتىuntil رأيتهُyou saw him
فما انفلقَ الإصباحُ حتى رأيتهُ
وقدand already نشبتْhad lodged أظفارهُhis claws بالكواكبِin the stars
وقد نشبتْ أظفارهُ بالكواكبِ
And dawn did not break until you saw him,
No sooner did dawn split than I saw it
with his claws already embedded in the stars.
Its claws embedded in the stars.
وكمand many a فيin حشاthe heart الأيامِthe days منof مدلهمةٍa dark ordeal
وكم في حشا الأيامِ من مدلهمةٍ
قدhave ازدحمتْcrowded together فيهاwithin it بناتُdaughters المصائبِthe calamities
قد ازدحمتْ فيها بناتُ المصائبِ
And how many a dark ordeal in the heart of days,
In the wilderness of days, how many violently killed
in which the daughters of calamity have crowded together.
Crammed in, for whom disasters' daughters crowd.
هوىfell القمرُthe moon الوهاجُradiant فاخبطْso stumble معيwith me السُّرىnight travel
هوى القمرُ الوهاجُ فاخبطْ معي السُّرى
إذwhen لاحَshone ضوءُlight الشمسِthe sun بينَamid الغياهبِdeep darkness
إذ لاحَ ضوءُ الشمسِ بينَ الغياهبِ
The radiant moon has fallen; stumble with me on the night journey,
The blazing crescent fell. With me, beat the path
when the sun's light shone amid the deepest darkness.
When sunlight gleamed between the shadows.
ووطَّنَand he steeled علىfor خوضِplunging into المنياتِdeaths أنفساًsouls
ووطَّنَ على خوضِ المنياتِ أنفساً
تساوقهاdrive them onward الآجالُappointed ends سوقَthe driving النجائبِnoble camels
تساوقها الآجالُ سوقَ النجائبِ
And he steeled souls to plunge into mortal perils,
It lodged in the wallowing of sorrows souls
driven by their appointed ends as noble camels are driven.
Whose lifespans drag them like captive girls.
فهنَّfor they العواريthings on loan استرجعَreclaimed الموتDeath بعضهاsome of them
فهنَّ العواري استرجعَ الموت بعضها
وقصرُالبواقيand the fate of those remaining ماwhat جرىbefell للذواهبِto those departed
وقصرُالبواقي ما جرى للذواهبِ
For they are things on loan; Death has reclaimed some of them,
So it reclaimed some bare ruined creatures,
and the fate of those remaining is what befell those gone.
And the lifespans of others are what befell the lost.
أبعدَafter? حكيمَthe sage الشرقِthe East تذخرُyou store up عبرةًa tear
أبعدَ حكيمَ الشرقِ تذخرُ عبرةً
وماand not هوhe منfrom بعدِafter لرحيلِfor departure بآيبِreturning at all
وما هو من بعدِ لرحيلِ بآيبِ
After the sage of the East, do you still hold a tear in reserve,
It took the East's wise man. Do you hoard sorrow?
when he will not return after departure?
What's left after the departure of the brilliant ones?
حثواthey heaped فوقَupon خديهِhis cheeks الترابَearth وأرسلواand sent down
حثوا فوقَ خديهِ الترابَ وأرسلوا
عليهِupon him سحاباتِclouds الدموعِthe tears السواكبِstreaming
عليهِ سحاباتِ الدموعِ السواكبِ
They heaped earth upon his cheeks and sent down
Heap dust upon his cheeks and unleash
upon him clouds of streaming tears.
Upon him clouds of pouring tears.
لتبكِlet weep عليكِover you الصحفُthe papers فيin كلِّevery معركٍbattle
لتبكِ عليكِ الصحفُ في كلِّ معركٍ
إذاwhen ماever (emphatic) انتضىunsheathed أقلامهُhis pens كلُّeach كاتبِwriter
إذا ما انتضى أقلامهُ كلُّ كاتبِ
Let the papers weep over you in every battle,
May papers lament you in every battle
whenever each writer unsheathes his pens.
When his pens are unsheathed, every writer.
فقدْfor indeed كانَhe would إنif هزَّbrandished اليراعَthe reed pen رأيتهُyou saw him
فقدْ كانَ إن هزَّ اليراعَ رأيتهُ
يصولُcharges بأمضىwith something keener منthan فرندِtempered steel القواضبِcutting swords
يصولُ بأمضى من فرندِ القواضبِ
For when he brandished his reed pen, you would see him
For he shook the banner if he roused for war;
charging with something keener than the tempered steel of cutting swords.
I saw him charge more fiercely than a rending spearhead.
ولمand did not يكُbe هياباًtimid إذاwhen حميَgrew fierce الوغىthe battle
ولم يكُ هياباً إذا حميَ الوغى
ورفرفتِand fluttered الأعلامُthe banners فوقَabove الكتائبِthe battalions
ورفرفتِ الأعلامُ فوقَ الكتائبِ
And he was not timid when battle grew fierce,
He had no fear when battle grew hot
and the banners fluttered above the battalions.
And standards fluttered over the troops.
وكانتْand were سجاياهُhis qualities كماas شاءَهاwished them الهدىright guidance
وكانتْ سجاياهُ كما شاءَها الهدى
وشاءتْand wished لأهليهاfor those worthy of them كرامُnoble المناقبِvirtues
وشاءتْ لأهليها كرامُ المناقبِ
And his qualities were as right guidance wished them to be,
His nature was as guidance desired,
and as noble virtues wished for those worthy of them.
And his people desired all glorious traits.
ولاand not بدعَa wonder أنthat تعزىare ascribed الكواكبُthe stars للعلىto eminence
ولا بدعَ أن تعزى الكواكبُ للعلى
وقدand indeed نسبتهُascribed him نفسهُhis soul للكواكبِto the stars
وقد نسبتهُ نفسهُ للكواكبِ
And it is no wonder that the stars are linked with eminence,
No wonder the stars are mourning the Sublime
for his own soul had traced his kinship to the stars.
When his soul linked him to the stars.
سلواask حامليهِhis bearers هلwhether رأواthey saw حولَaround نعشهِhis bier
سلوا حامليهِ هل رأوا حولَ نعشهِ
ملائكةَangels منof حاربa warrior خلفbehind حاربِa warrior
ملائكةَ من حارب خلف حاربِ
Ask his bearers: did they see around his bier
Ask his bearers, did they see around his bier
angels—warrior behind warrior?
Angels who fought behind every warrior?
وهلand whether حملواthey carried التقوىpiety إلىto إلىto حفرةِa pit الثرىthe earth
وهل حملوا التقوى إلى إلى حفرةِ الثرى
وسارواand they walked بذاكَwith that الطودِthe mountain فوقَupon المناكبِthe shoulders
وساروا بذاكَ الطودِ فوقَ المناكبِ
And did they carry piety to, to a pit in the earth,
Did they carry piety to the hole in the earth
and walk with that mountain upon their shoulders?
And walk with that column over the paths?
وهلand whether اغمدواthey sheathed فيin قبرهِhis grave صارماًa keen sword إذاwhen
وهل اغمدوا في قبرهِ صارماً إذا
تجردَwas drawn راعَterrified الشرقَthe East أهلُthe people المغاربِof the West
تجردَ راعَ الشرقَ أهلُ المغاربِ
And did they sheathe in his grave a keen sword? When
Did they sheathe in his grave a sword, when
it was drawn, the people of the West terrified the East.
The East’s banner is unfurled by Westerners?
فكمfor how often هزَّهُbrandished it الإسلامُIslam فيin وجهِthe face حادثٍa calamity
فكم هزَّهُ الإسلامُ في وجهِ حادثٍ
فهزَّthus brandished صقيلَpolished الحدِّthe edge عضبَkeen المضاربِthe striking surfaces
فهزَّ صقيلَ الحدِّ عضبَ المضاربِ
For how often Islam brandished it in the face of a calamity,
How often Islam shook, facing an event,
thus brandishing a polished-edged sword, keen in its strokes.
So he shook the polished blade and the blade that strikes!
أرىI see حسراتٍsorrows فيin النفوسِthe souls تهافتتْhave fallen
أرى حسراتٍ في النفوسِ تهافتتْ
لهاbecause of them قطعُfragments الأحشاءِthe entrails منfrom كلِّevery جانبِside
لها قطعُ الأحشاءِ من كلِّ جانبِ
I see sorrows in souls; there have fallen
I see sorrows in souls that collapsed,
because of them fragments of entrails from every side.
Their entrails cut from every side.
وماand not بعجيبٍat all strange إنthat ذاthis الدهرِthe age قُلَّبٌfickle
وما بعجيبٍ إن ذا الدهرِ قُلَّبٌ
إذاwhen كانَwas فيamong أهليهِits people كلُّall العجائبِthe wonders
إذا كانَ في أهليهِ كلُّ العجائبِ
And it is no wonder that this age is fickle,
No wonder if time is fickle
when all wonders are found among its people.
When all strangenesses are among its people.
وكانتْand were سجاياهُhis qualities كماas شاءَهاwished them الهدىright guidance
وكانتْ سجاياهُ كما شاءَها الهدى
وشاءتْand wished لأهليهاfor those worthy of them كرامُnoble المناقبِvirtues
وشاءتْ لأهليها كرامُ المناقبِ
And his qualities were as right guidance wished them to be,
and as noble virtues wished for those worthy of them.
ولاand not بدعَa wonder أنthat تعزىare ascribed الكواكبُthe stars للعلىto eminence
ولا بدعَ أن تعزى الكواكبُ للعلى
وقدand indeed نسبتهُascribed him نفسهُhis soul للكواكبِto the stars
وقد نسبتهُ نفسهُ للكواكبِ
And it is no wonder that the stars are linked with eminence,
for his own soul had traced his kinship to the stars.
سلواask حامليهِhis bearers هلwhether رأواthey saw حولَaround نعشهِhis bier
سلوا حامليهِ هل رأوا حولَ نعشهِ
ملائكةَangels منof حاربa warrior خلفbehind حاربِa warrior
ملائكةَ من حارب خلف حاربِ
Ask his bearers: did they see around his bier
angels—warrior behind warrior?
وهلand whether حملواthey carried التقوىpiety إلىto إلىto حفرةِa pit الثرىthe earth
وهل حملوا التقوى إلى إلى حفرةِ الثرى
وسارواand they walked بذاكَwith that الطودِthe mountain فوقَupon المناكبِthe shoulders
وساروا بذاكَ الطودِ فوقَ المناكبِ
And did they carry piety to, to a pit in the earth,
and walk with that mountain upon their shoulders?
وهلand whether اغمدواthey sheathed فيin قبرهِhis grave صارماًa keen sword إذاwhen
وهل اغمدوا في قبرهِ صارماً إذا
تجردَwas drawn راعَterrified الشرقَthe East أهلُthe people المغاربِof the West
تجردَ راعَ الشرقَ أهلُ المغاربِ
And did they sheathe in his grave a keen sword? When
it was drawn, the people of the West terrified the East.
فكمfor how often هزَّهُbrandished it الإسلامُIslam فيin وجهِthe face حادثٍa calamity
فكم هزَّهُ الإسلامُ في وجهِ حادثٍ
فهزَّthus brandished صقيلَpolished الحدِّthe edge عضبَkeen المضاربِthe striking surfaces
فهزَّ صقيلَ الحدِّ عضبَ المضاربِ
For how often Islam brandished it in the face of a calamity,
thus brandishing a polished-edged sword, keen in its strokes.
أرىI see حسراتٍsorrows فيin النفوسِthe souls تهافتتْhave fallen
أرى حسراتٍ في النفوسِ تهافتتْ
لهاbecause of them قطعُfragments الأحشاءِthe entrails منfrom كلِّevery جانبِside
لها قطعُ الأحشاءِ من كلِّ جانبِ
I see sorrows in souls; there have fallen
because of them fragments of entrails from every side.
وماand not بعجيبٍat all strange إنthat ذاthis الدهرِthe age قُلَّبٌfickle
وما بعجيبٍ إن ذا الدهرِ قُلَّبٌ
إذاwhen كانَwas فيamong أهليهِits people كلُّall العجائبِthe wonders
إذا كانَ في أهليهِ كلُّ العجائبِ
And it is no wonder that this age is fickle,
when all wonders are found among its people.
Partial English translation: 44 of 60 Arabic lines translated.