أيwhat طودa mountain منamong الرواسيthe steadfast mountains العظامthe mighty
أي طود من الرواسي العظام
فجعتناbereaved us بهof him يدthe hand of الأيامthe days
فجعتنا به يد الأيام
What a mountain among the mighty, steadfast peaks
What towering pillar of glory,
has the hand of days bereaved us of!
Has the hand of fate brought down in grief,
هدمتهdemolished him نوازلcalamities of الدهرtime والدهand time (first part)
هدمته نوازل الدهر والده
ر(completes 'time') ولوعintent بهدمon demolishing عزthe glory of الكرامthe noble
ر ولوع بهدم عز الكرام
The calamities of time demolished him, and time
Storms of time and fate destroyed it,
is intent on tearing down the glory of the noble.
Toppling the glory of pride.
فهويso he fell شاطئاًfalling aside منfrom الذروةthe summit الthe
فهوي شاطئاً من الذروة ال
قعساءunassailable قسراًby force وأنفهand his nose فيin الرغامthe dust
قعساء قسراً وأنفه في الرغام
So he fell sideways from the summit—
It fell from lofty heights,
unassailable—by force, his nose in the dust.
Forced down the rugged cliff,
صاحبa companion كانwas ليto me وفياًfaithful وبيand toward me برkind (first part)
صاحب كان لي وفياً وبي بر
را(completes 'kind') حفياًsolicitous يعولنيsustains me بالتزامwith steadfast commitment
را حفياً يعولني بالتزام
A companion who was faithful to me and kind toward me,
Its face in the dust.
attentive, sustaining me with steadfast devotion.
My friend was faithful and dutiful,
وخليلاًand a close friend فيin كلevery مخمصةhunger كاwas (first part)
وخليلاً في كل مخمصة كا
ن(completes 'was') عندat الأطعامfeeding والانعامand beneficence
ن عند الأطعام والانعام
And a close friend in every hunger, he was
Sheltering me with provision.
at hand with food and bounty.
A companion in every trial,
أبيضwhite الوجهthe face فيin اللقاmeeting لينsoft الملtouch (first part)
أبيض الوجه في اللقا لين المل
مس(completes 'touch') صعبhard المراسto handle حينwhen الصدامthe clash
مس صعب المراس حين الصدام
White-faced in meeting, soft to the touch,
There at meals and gifts.
hard to subdue when the clash came.
Fair of face when we met, gentle and kind,
كاسرa breaker طاحنa grinder إذاwhen اصطدمcollided الصفthe two ranks (first part)
كاسر طاحن إذا اصطدم الصف
فان(completes 'the two ranks') ماضيkeen الشباthe edges الدfierce الخصامin contention
فان ماضي الشبا الد الخصام
A breaker, a grinder when the two ranks clashed,
Difficult and firm when opposed.
keen-edged, fierce in contention.
A breaker and grinder when ranks clashed,
ضعضغتshook ركنهhis pillar الخطوبthe calamities وثلتand toppled
ضعضغت ركنه الخطوب وثلت
عرشthe throne of سلطانهhis dominion المنيعimpregnable الساميlofty
عرش سلطانه المنيع السامي
Calamities shook his pillar and toppled
Passionate in the heat of conflict.
the impregnable, lofty throne of his dominion.
Fate wore down his strength, time diminished
أينhow far منيfrom me وأينand how far هيهاتfar be it أنيthat I
أين مني وأين هيهات أني
أتهنىenjoy منfrom بعدهafter him بطعامwith food
أتهنى من بعده بطعام
How could I—how could I? Unthinkable that I
The throne of his mighty reign.
should enjoy food after he is gone!
Without him, how far I am, alas never again
ياO رفيقيmy companion مذsince كنتI was طفلاًa child إلىuntil أنthat
يا رفيقي مذ كنت طفلاً إلى أن
جللcovered الشيبgray hair مفرقيthe parting of my hair بالثغامwith white thagham grass
جلل الشيب مفرقي بالثغام
O my companion, since I was a child, until
Will I enjoy a meal’s pleasure!
gray hair mantled my crown with white thagham grass.
My friend from childhood to grey old age,
وصديقيand my friend الذيwho تخولتI obtained منfrom جدbounty (first part)
وصديقي الذي تخولت من جد
واه(completes 'his bounty') قوتيmy food وقوتيand my strength وقواميand my support
واه قوتي وقوتي وقوامي
And my friend, from whose bounty I gained
When time had tousled my hair.
my food, my strength, and my support.
The one I relied on in time of need,
منwho يروضtames الصعابthe intractable بعدكafter you منwho
من يروض الصعاب بعدك من
للبطشfor striking منwho للقراعfor combat منwho للصدامfor the clash
للبطش من للقراع من للصدام
Who will tame the intractable after you? Who
My strength, my pillar and support.
will strike? Who will fight? Who will face the clash?
Who now will tame the fierce,
ربmany a قشرhusk محضتهyou separated it عنfrom لبابa kernel
رب قشر محضته عن لباب
ولحومand flesh عرفتهاyou recognized them (likely intended: stripped them) عنfrom عظامbones
ولحوم عرفتها عن عظام
How many a husk you separated from its kernel,
Subdue foes, and join the fight?
and flesh you stripped from bones;
Lord, he tore the skins off the arrogant,
وجلودand skins مزقتهاyou tore them باقتدارwith mastery
وجلود مزقتها باقتدار
وقلوبand hearts شققتهاyou split them باحتدامwith fury
وقلوب شققتها باحتدام
and skins you tore with mastery;
Ripped out the hearts of the proud.
and hearts you split in fury!
We did not appreciate his true worth,
ماnot قدرناكwe valued you حقthe due measure of قدركyour worth حتىuntil
ما قدرناك حق قدرك حتى
بنتyou departed فاذهبso go ممتعاgranted enjoyment بسلامin peace
بنت فاذهب ممتعا بسلام
We did not value you at your true worth until
Until he was taken, left in peace.
you departed; so go in comfort and peace.
How I grieve for the fallen hero,
وتأسىand take comfort فكمfor how many صريعa fallen victim بهذاin this
وتأسى فكم صريع بهذا
الثغرthe mouth (also: frontier) أردتهlaid him low غارةthe raid of الأيامthe days
الثغر أردته غارة الأيام
And take comfort: how many a victim in this
Claimed by the hand of time.
mouth has the raid of days laid low!
You replaced my throne with a bier,
أبدلتنيgave me in exchange عنin place of الثرياthe Pleiades بنيthe sons of نعشthe Bier
أبدلتني عن الثريا بني نعش
كرورthe recurring cycles of السنينthe years والأعوامand the years
كرور السنين والأعوام
In place of the Pleiades, Bani Naʿsh were given me
As years and eras passed.
by the cycles of years upon years.
You have left me bereft of my brilliant companion,
فجعتنيbereaved me بكلof every أبيضwhite one طلاclimber (first part)
فجعتني بكل أبيض طلا
ع(completes 'climber') الثياباthe garments (likely intended: mountain passes) مستأسدlionlike بسامever-smiling
ع الثيابا مستأسد بسام
They bereaved me of every white one, a climber
A lion in his prime.
of the mountain passes, lionlike and smiling.
What more misfortune do you want from me,
أيwhat وترvengeance تبغىseek النوازلthe calamities منيfrom me
أي وتر تبغى النوازل مني
بعدafter ضعفthe weakening of القوىthe powers وقتtime (likely intended: and crumbling) العظامthe bones
بعد ضعف القوى وقت العظام
What vengeance do calamities seek from me
Now that I am weak and aged?
after strength has waned and bones have crumbled?
He who expects long companionship from fate
منwhoever يردdesires صحبةthe company of الزمانtime طويلاfor long
من يرد صحبة الزمان طويلا
فليوطنso let him prepare نفسهhimself علىfor الآلامthe pains
فليوطن نفسه على الآلام
Whoever desires time's company for long,
Should expect only pain.
let him steel himself for pain.
All hardship is eased if God grants
كلevery صعبhardship يهونgrows easy انif أنعمbestows favor اللَهGod
كل صعب يهون ان أنعم اللَه
علىupon عبدهHis servant بحسنwith the goodness of الختامthe ending
على عبده بحسن الختام
Every hardship grows easy if God bestows
His servant a good ending.
a good ending upon His servant.
Partial English translation: 41 of 42 Arabic lines translated.