أليومَtoday ماتَdied التُّقَىpiety والجودُand generosity والكَرَمُand nobility
أليومَ ماتَ التُّقَى والجودُ والكَرَمُ
فيin جانبِthe side of اللهِGod لمَّاwhen زلَّتِslipped القَدَمُthe foot
في جانبِ اللهِ لمَّا زلَّتِ القَدَمُ
Today piety, generosity, and nobility have died
Today benevolence, generosity and nobility died
At God's side, when the foot slipped.
When steps faltered in the way of God
ماتdied العُبَيديُّal-Ubaydi روفائيلُRaphael فانهَدَمتْand so crumbled
مات العُبَيديُّ روفائيلُ فانهَدَمتْ
أركانُهُhis pillars وثَناهُand his praise ليسdoes not يَنهدِمُcrumble
أركانُهُ وثَناهُ ليس يَنهدِمُ
Raphael al-Ubaydi has died, and down have fallen
Rufa'il al-Ubaydi died so his pillars crumbled
His pillars; yet his praise does not fall.
His glory not to crumble again
تدومُendure آثارُهُhis works فيin مِصرَEgypt باقيةًremaining
تدومُ آثارُهُ في مِصرَ باقيةً
فيin أرضِهاits land ماas long as بقيremained فيin الجِيزَةGiza الهَرَمُthe pyramid
في أرضِها ما بقي في الجِيزَة الهَرَمُ
His works endure, remaining in Egypt,
His effects remain in Egypt enduring
In its land as long as the pyramid remains in Giza.
As long as the pyramids of Giza endure
إنَّindeed الكريمَthe generous man الذيwhose يَرويrecounts محامِدَهُhis praises
إنَّ الكريمَ الذي يَروي محامِدَهُ
حيّاًalive ومَيْتاًand dead لسانُthe tongue of النَّاسِthe people والقَلَمِand the pen
حيّاً ومَيْتاً لسانُ النَّاسِ والقَلَمِ
Indeed, the generous man whose praises are recounted
Indeed the generous whose praises are recounted
In life and death by the people's tongue and the pen—
Alive and dead, by people's tongues and pens
هذاthis man الذيwho كانwas رُكناًa pillar يُستغاثُis appealed to for help بهِfrom him
هذا الذي كان رُكناً يُستغاثُ بهِ
فيamong آلِthe people of عيسىJesus وتُعليand exalts شأنَهُhis standing الأُمَمُthe nations
في آلِ عيسى وتُعلي شأنَهُ الأُمَمُ
This is he who was a pillar whose aid was sought
He who was a pillar cried for aid
Among the people of Jesus, and nations exalt his standing.
Among the house of Jesus, raising his prestige among nations
تشرِّفُennobles النَّاسَpeople أموالٌriches وكانand was بهِthrough him
تشرِّفُ النَّاسَ أموالٌ وكان بهِ
يُشرَّفُis ennobled المالwealth إذas تجريflow بهِthrough it النِعَمُblessings
يُشرَّفُ المال إذ تجري بهِ النِعَمُ
Wealth ennobles people, but through him
Wealth ennobles people, and through him
Wealth was ennobled, as blessings flowed through it.
Wealth was ennobled as bounty flowed
مضىhe departed وليسَand there is no لهُfor him مِلْكٌa possession سوَىexcept كَفَنٍa shroud
مضى وليسَ لهُ مِلْكٌ سوَى كَفَنٍ
فيin طيِّthe folds of رمْسٍa grave عليهupon him الدُّودُthe worms يزدَحِمُcrowd
في طيِّ رمْسٍ عليه الدُّودُ يزدَحِمُ
He departed with no possession except a shroud,
He passed away, owning no more than a shroud
Within a grave, where worms crowd upon him.
Wrapped in cheap fabric, with worms crowding over him
لاno خيرَgood فيin عيشةٍa life للنَّاسِfor people يعَقُبُهاfollows it
لا خيرَ في عيشةٍ للنَّاسِ يعَقُبُها
مَوتٌdeath ولاnor فيin وجودٍan existence بعدهُafter it عَدَمُnothingness
مَوتٌ ولا في وجودٍ بعدهُ عَدَمُ
There is no good in a life for people followed by
No good in a life for people followed by
Death, nor in an existence followed by nothingness.
Death, nor in existence followed by oblivion
فرقَabove (apparently intended: فوقَ) الثَّرىthe earth يَعرِفُknows المخدومُthe master خادِمَهُhis servant
فرقَ الثَّرى يَعرِفُ المخدومُ خادِمَهُ
وتحتَهُand beneath it يستويare equal المخدومُthe master والخَدَمُand the servants
وتحتَهُ يستوي المخدومُ والخَدَمُ
Above the earth, the master knows his servant;
The earth distinguishes lord from servant
Beneath it, master and servants are equal.
And under it lord and servant become equal
مَنhe who كانَwas فيin دارهِhis home قلَّwas rare الشَّبيهُan equal لهُto him
مَن كانَ في دارهِ قلَّ الشَّبيهُ لهُ
صارتbecame تشابهُهُresemble him فيin لحدِهِhis grave الرِّمَمُmoldering remains
صارت تشابهُهُ في لحدِهِ الرِّمَمُ
He who had scarcely an equal in his home
Few in his house resembled him
Is now matched by moldering remains in his grave.
In his grave, resemblance to him is by ruins
قدindeed باتَhas become منطرحاًlying prostrate فيin كفِّهِhis hand شَلَلٌparalysis
قد باتَ منطرحاً في كفِّهِ شَلَلٌ
فيin نُطْقِهِhis speech خَرَسٌmuteness فيin سَمْعهِhis hearing صَمَمُdeafness
في نُطْقِهِ خَرَسٌ في سَمْعهِ صَمَمُ
He now lies prostrate, with paralysis in his hand,
Lying with his palm paralyzed
Muteness in his speech, deafness in his hearing.
His speech muted, his hearing deafened
ركنٌa pillar عظيمٌmighty هَوَىfell فيin مصرَEgypt فارتعَدَتand so trembled
ركنٌ عظيمٌ هَوَى في مصرَ فارتعَدَت
منfrom هَوْلهِits terror عَرَبُthe Arabs of الأقطارِthe lands والعَجمُand the non-Arabs
من هَوْلهِ عَرَبُ الأقطارِ والعَجمُ
A mighty pillar fell in Egypt, and so trembled
A great pillar collapsed in Egypt so
At the dread it caused, Arabs of every land and non-Arabs.
Arabs and non-Arabs shook from its terror
ضجَّتْwailed بمصرَعهِat his death مصرٌEgypt وساحتُهاand its expanse
ضجَّتْ بمصرَعهِ مصرٌ وساحتُها
وضجَّتand wailed الشَّامُal-Sham فارتَّجتand so shook بهاin it الأكَمُthe hills
وضجَّت الشَّامُ فارتَّجت بها الأكَمُ
Egypt and its expanse wailed at his death;
Egypt roared at his death and its plains roared
And al-Sham wailed, and its hills shook.
And ash-Sham roared so its dunes rumbled
هوhe الشَّهيرُthe renowned man الذيwhose تُغنيكَfrees you شُهرتُهُhis fame
هو الشَّهيرُ الذي تُغنيكَ شُهرتُهُ
عنfrom وصفهِdescribing him فاستراحتso rested عندكَwith you الكَلِمُthe words
عن وصفهِ فاستراحت عندكَ الكَلِمُ
He is the renowned man whose fame frees you
He is the famous one whose fame
From describing him; thus words rest with you.
Suffices you from describing him, so words are spared
منwhoever فاتَهُescaped him نظرٌa sight ماnot فاتَهُescaped him خبَرٌa report
من فاتَهُ نظرٌ ما فاتَهُ خبَرٌ
كلاهماboth بينamong كلِّall النَّاسِthe people منقسمُapportioned
كلاهما بين كلِّ النَّاسِ منقسمُ
Whoever missed seeing him did not miss hearing of him;
One who did not see him did not miss news of him
Both are apportioned among all the people.
Both are split between all people
يبكيكَweeps for you ياO ابنَson of عُبيدٍUbayd كلُّevery ذيone with أمَلٍhope
يبكيكَ يا ابنَ عُبيدٍ كلُّ ذي أمَلٍ
قدindeed كانused to منfrom راحتَيَكَyour two palms الخيرَbounty يَغتنِمُgain
قد كان من راحتَيَكَ الخيرَ يَغتنِمُ
Every bearer of hope weeps for you, O son of Ubayd,
Every hopeful weeps for you O son of Ubayd
Who used to gain bounty from your two palms.
Who made tranquility a gain
تبكيكَweeps for you مدرسةٌa school شيَّدتَهاyou built it فبنَتْand so it built
تبكيكَ مدرسةٌ شيَّدتَها فبنَتْ
فيin جنَّةٍParadise لكَfor you قصراًa palace فيكَbecause of you يبتسِمُsmiles
في جنَّةٍ لكَ قصراً فيكَ يبتسِمُ
A school you built weeps for you; in turn it built
A school you built weeps for you and flourishes
A palace for you in Paradise, smiling because of you.
In a paradise, a palace in you smiles
يبكيweeps عليكَfor you التُّقىpiety والبِرُّand righteousness منتخِباًsobbing (apparently intended: منتحباً)
يبكي عليكَ التُّقى والبِرُّ منتخِباً
والجودُand generosity والحِلمُand forbearance والأخلاقُand character والشِّيَمُand noble traits
والجودُ والحِلمُ والأخلاقُ والشِّيَمُ
Piety and righteousness weep for you, sobbing,
Piety, goodness, benevolence, forbearance and manners weep for you
And generosity, forbearance, character, and noble traits.
Chastity clung to you like the chosen vessel
عِفَّةٌchastity كالإناءِlike the vessel المُصطفَىchosen اعتَصَمتْheld fast
عِفَّةٌ كالإناءِ المُصطفَى اعتَصَمتْ
فكُنتَso you were فيهاin it بحبلِto the rope of اللهGod تعتَصِمُyou hold fast
فكُنتَ فيها بحبلِ الله تعتَصِمُ
Chastity, like the chosen vessel, held fast,
So you held to God's rope firmly
So in it you held fast to the rope of God.
O God's mercy, dawn upon
ياO رحمةَmercy of اللهGod حلِّيsettle كالسَّحابlike a cloud علىupon
يا رحمةَ الله حلِّي كالسَّحاب على
وجهٍa face كريمٍnoble بنورِin the light of اللهGod يلتثِمُveils itself
وجهٍ كريمٍ بنورِ الله يلتثِمُ
O mercy of God, settle like a cloud upon
A generous face with God's light wrapped around
A noble face that veils itself in God's light.
And greet soil made fragrant by his rest
وصافحيand clasp hands with تُربةًsoil قدindeed طابَgrew sweet مضَجَعُهاits resting place
وصافحي تُربةً قد طابَ مضَجَعُها
وصافَحتْهاand clasped hands with it منfrom اللُّطفِgrace الخَفيِّhidden النَّسَمُthe breezes
وصافَحتْها من اللُّطفِ الخَفيِّ النَّسَمُ
And clasp hands with soil whose resting place has grown sweet,
Greeted by gentle, hidden zephyrs
And with which breezes of unseen grace have clasped hands.
And give glad tidings that Rufa'il
وبَشِّريand proclaim glad tidings أنَّthat روفائيلَRaphael عنwith ثقةٍcertainty
وبَشِّري أنَّ روفائيلَ عن ثقةٍ
بينamong الملائكِthe angels قدindeed رَنَّتْrang out لهُfor him النَّغَمُthe melodies
بين الملائكِ قد رَنَّتْ لهُ النَّغَمُ
And proclaim with certainty that for Raphael
Trusted among angels, hymns have rung for him
Melodies have rung out among the angels.
As his virtuous qualities began,
كماjust as ابتدتْbegan فيin صفاتِqualities of الخيرِgoodness مُدَّتُهُhis lifetime
كما ابتدتْ في صفاتِ الخيرِ مُدَّتُهُ
كانتwere عواقِبُهُhis final outcomes بالخيرِwith goodness تَختَتِمُcame to a close
كانت عواقِبُهُ بالخيرِ تَختَتِمُ
Just as his lifetime began with qualities of goodness,
So did his outcome conclude with virtue
So his ending was sealed with goodness.
Partial English translation: 45 of 46 Arabic lines translated.