بَكىwept عَلَيكَfor you الحُسامُthe keen sword وَالقَلَمُand the pen
بَكى عَلَيكَ الحُسامُ وَالقَلَمُ
وَاِنفَجَعَand was stricken with grief العِلمُlearning فيكَover you وَالعَلَمُand the banner
وَاِنفَجَعَ العِلمُ فيكَ وَالعَلَمُ
The keen sword and the pen wept for you,
The swords and the pens wept over you,
and learning and the banner were stricken by your loss.
And knowledge and sciences were anguished by your loss.
وَضَجَّتِand cried out الأَرضُthe earth فَالعِبادُand so the people بِهاupon it
وَضَجَّتِ الأَرضُ فَالعِبادُ بِها
لاcheek-beating (first fragment) طِمَةٌcheek-beating (second fragment) وَالبِلادُand the lands تَلتَطِمُbeat their cheeks
لا طِمَةٌ وَالبِلادُ تَلتَطِمُ
The earth cried out; the people upon it
The land quaked and its people were troubled,
beat their cheeks, and the lands beat theirs,
With no respite for the cities that crumbled.
تُظهِرُdisplays أَحزانَهاits sorrows عَلىover مَلكٍa king
تُظهِرُ أَحزانَها عَلى مَلكٍ
جُلُّmost of مُلوكِthe kings of الوَرىmankind لَهُto him خَدَمُservants
جُلُّ مُلوكِ الوَرى لَهُ خَدَمُ
displaying their sorrows for a king
It showed its sorrows for a king
to whom most of mankind's kings are servants.
The foremost of all earthly kings, served by attendants.
أَبلَجُradiant غَضُّfresh in الشَبابِyouth مُقتَبِلُat the outset of الthe (continued next line)
أَبلَجُ غَضُّ الشَبابِ مُقتَبِلُ ال
عُمرِlife وَلَكِنَّbut مَجدَهُhis glory هَرِمُaged
عُمرِ وَلَكِنَّ مَجدَهُ هَرِمُ
Radiant, fresh in youth, at the outset of
life, though his glory is ancient.
مُحَكَّمٌgiven authority فيover الوَرىmankind وَآمِلُهُand his petitioner
مُحَكَّمٌ في الوَرى وَآمِلُهُ
يَحكُمُrules فيover مالِهِhis wealth وَيَحتَكِمُand dictates terms
يَحكُمُ في مالِهِ وَيَحتَكِمُ
Sovereign over mankind, while his petitioner
rules his wealth and dictates terms.
يَجتَمِعُgathers المَجدُglory وَالثَناءِand praise لَهُfor him
يَجتَمِعُ المَجدُ وَالثَناءِ لَهُ
وَمالُهُand his wealth فيamong الوُفودِthe delegations يُقتَسَمُis divided
وَمالُهُ في الوُفودِ يُقتَسَمُ
Glory and praise gather for him,
while his wealth is divided among delegations.
قَدindeed سَئِمَتhave wearied of جودَهُhis generosity الأَنامُmankind وَلاyet no
قَد سَئِمَت جودَهُ الأَنامُ وَلا
يَلقاهُbefalls him مِنfrom بَذلِهِhis bestowing النَدىbounty سَأمُweariness
يَلقاهُ مِن بَذلِهِ النَدى سَأمُ
Mankind has wearied of his bounty, yet no
weariness befalls him from bestowing bounty.
ماnot عُرِفَتwas known مِنهُfrom him لا'no' وَلاnor نَعَمٌ'yes'
ما عُرِفَت مِنهُ لا وَلا نَعَمٌ
بَلrather دونَهُنَّbefore them الآلاءُfavors وَالنِعَمُand blessings
بَل دونَهُنَّ الآلاءُ وَالنِعَمُ
Neither 'no' nor 'yes' was known from him;
rather, favors and blessings preceded those words.
الواهِبُthe giver of الأَلفِa thousand وَهوَwhile he is مُبتَسِمٌsmiling
الواهِبُ الأَلفِ وَهوَ مُبتَسِمٌ
وَالقاتِلُand the slayer of الأَلفِa thousand وَهوَwhile he is مُقتَحِمُcharging into battle
وَالقاتِلُ الأَلفِ وَهوَ مُقتَحِمُ
The giver of a thousand, smiling,
and slayer of a thousand, charging into battle;
مُبتَسِمٌsmiling وَالكُماةُwhile the armored warriors عابِسَةٌare scowling
مُبتَسِمٌ وَالكُماةُ عابِسَةٌ
وَعابِسٌand scowling وَالسُيوفُwhile the swords تَبتَسِمُsmile
وَعابِسٌ وَالسُيوفُ تَبتَسِمُ
smiling while the armored warriors scowl,
and scowling while the swords smile.
يَستَصغِرُhe considers too slight العَضبَthe keen sword أَنto يَصولَcharge بِهِwith it
يَستَصغِرُ العَضبَ أَن يَصولَ بِهِ
إِنif لَمnot تُجَرَّدare unsheathed مِنfrom قَبلِهِbefore it الهِمَمُresolves
إِن لَم تُجَرَّد مِن قَبلِهِ الهِمَمُ
He deems the keen sword too slight to charge with,
if resolve has not been unsheathed before it.
وَيَستَخِفُّand he finds light القَناةَthe spear يَحمِلُهاhe carries it
وَيَستَخِفُّ القَناةَ يَحمِلُها
كَأَنَّهاas though it were فيin يَمينِهِhis right hand قَلَمُa pen
كَأَنَّها في يَمينِهِ قَلَمُ
And he finds the spear light as he bears it,
as though it were a pen in his right hand.
لَمnot يَعلَمِhave understood العالِمونَthe learned ماwhat فَقَدواthey have lost
لَم يَعلَمِ العالِمونَ ما فَقَدوا
مِنهُin him وَلاnor الأَقرَبونَthe nearest kin ماwhat عَدِمواthey lack
مِنهُ وَلا الأَقرَبونَ ما عَدِموا
The learned have not understood what they have lost
in him, nor his nearest kin what they now lack.
ماnot فَقدُthe loss of فَردٍone person مِنَamong الأَنامِmankind كَمَنlike one who
ما فَقدُ فَردٍ مِنَ الأَنامِ كَمَن
إِنif ماتَhe dies ماتَتdie لِفَقدِهِfrom losing him أُمَمُnations
إِن ماتَ ماتَت لِفَقدِهِ أُمَمُ
The loss of one among mankind is not like that of one
who, if he dies, causes nations to die of his loss.
وَالناسُand people كَالعَينِlike coinage إِنif نَقَدتَهُمُyou assay them
وَالناسُ كَالعَينِ إِن نَقَدتَهُمُ
تَفاوَتَتdiffer عِندَupon نَقدِكَyour assaying القِيَمُthe values
تَفاوَتَت عِندَ نَقدِكَ القِيَمُ
And people are like coinage: if you assay them,
their values differ under your scrutiny.
ياO طالِبَseeker of الجودِgenerosity قَدindeed قَضىhas died عُمَرٌUmar
يا طالِبَ الجودِ قَد قَضى عُمَرٌ
فَكُلُّso every جودٍbounty وُجودُهُits existence عَدَمُnothingness
فَكُلُّ جودٍ وُجودُهُ عَدَمُ
O seeker of bounty, Umar has died;
so all bounty that exists is as nothing.
وَياand O مُناديcaller to النَدىbounty لِيُدرِكَهُto attain it
وَيا مُنادي النَدى لِيُدرِكَهُ
أَقصِرdesist فَفيfor in مَسمَعِthe ear of النَدىbounty صَمَمُdeafness
أَقصِر فَفي مَسمَعِ النَدى صَمَمُ
And you who call to bounty, seeking to attain it,
desist: deafness fills the ear of bounty.
مَضىhas departed الَّذيhe who كانَwas لِلأَنامِto mankind أَباًa father
مَضى الَّذي كانَ لِلأَنامِ أَباً
فَاليَومَso today كُلُّall الأَنامِmankind قَدindeed يَتمواhave become orphans
فَاليَومَ كُلُّ الأَنامِ قَد يَتموا
He who was a father to mankind has passed;
so today all mankind have been orphaned.
وَسارَand he journeyed فَوقَabove الرِقابِthe necks مُطَّرَحاًlaid out
وَسارَ فَوقَ الرِقابِ مُطَّرَحاً
وَحَولَهُand around him الصافِناتُthe poised steeds تَزدَحِمُcrowd
وَحَولَهُ الصافِناتُ تَزدَحِمُ
And he journeyed, laid out above men's necks,
while poised steeds crowded around him,
مُقَلَّباتِwith overturned السُروجِsaddles شاخِصَةٌstaring fixedly
مُقَلَّباتِ السُروجِ شاخِصَةٌ
لَهاthey have زَفيرٌsighing ذابَتmelted بِهِfrom it اللُجُمُthe bits
لَها زَفيرٌ ذابَت بِهِ اللُجُمُ
with saddles overturned, staring fixedly;
their sighs were such that the bits melted.
وَحَلَّand he settled in داراًa dwelling ضاقَتgrew cramped بِساكِنِهاaround its inhabitant
وَحَلَّ داراً ضاقَت بِساكِنِها
وَدونَand beneath أَدنىthe least of دِيارِهِhis dwellings إِرَمُIram
وَدونَ أَدنى دِيارِهِ إِرَمُ
He settled in a dwelling too narrow for its inhabitant,
though Iram fell short of his humblest home.
كَأَنَّهُas though he لَمnot يَطُلhad risen إِلىto رُتَبٍranks
كَأَنَّهُ لَم يَطُل إِلى رُتَبٍ
تَقصُرُfall short مِنfrom دونِshort of نَيلِهاattaining them الهِمَمُambitions
تَقصُرُ مِن دونِ نَيلِها الهِمَمُ
As though he had never risen to ranks
that ambitions fall short of attaining;
وَلَمand not يُمَهِّدhad laid لِلمُلكِfor kingship قاعِدَةًa foundation
وَلَم يُمَهِّد لِلمُلكِ قاعِدَةً
بِهاof it عُيونُthe eyes of العُقولِminds تَحتَلِمُdream
بِها عُيونُ العُقولِ تَحتَلِمُ
nor laid a foundation for kingship
of which the eyes of minds dream;
وَلَمand not تُقَبِّلhad kissed لَهُfor him المُلوكُthe kings يَداًa hand
وَلَم تُقَبِّل لَهُ المُلوكُ يَداً
تَرغَبُdesire فيin سِلمِهاits peace فَتَستَلِمُand so touch it reverently
تَرغَبُ في سِلمِها فَتَستَلِمُ
nor had kings kissed his hand,
seeking the peace it offered and touching it in homage;
وَلَمand not يَقُدhad led لِلحُروبِto wars أُسدَlions of وَغىًbattle
وَلَم يَقُد لِلحُروبِ أُسدَ وَغىً
تَسريtravel by night بِهاwith them مِنof رِماحِهاtheir spears أَجَمُthickets
تَسري بِها مِن رِماحِها أَجَمُ
nor led lions of battle into war,
with thickets of their spears journeying by night;
وَلَمand not يَصِلhad advanced وَالخَميسُwhile the army مُرتَكِبٌwas mounting
وَلَم يَصِل وَالخَميسُ مُرتَكِبٌ
عَبابُهُits surge وَالعَجاجُand the dust مُرتَكِمُwas piled up
عَبابُهُ وَالعَجاجُ مُرتَكِمُ
nor advanced while the army's
surge rose high and the dust piled thick.
أَينَwhere is الَّذيhe who كانَwas لِلوَرىto mankind سَنَداًa support
أَينَ الَّذي كانَ لِلوَرى سَنَداً
وَرُحبُand the breadth of أَكنافِهِhis sheltering sides لَهاfor them حَرَمُa sanctuary
وَرُحبُ أَكنافِهِ لَها حَرَمُ
Where is he who was mankind's support,
whose broad shelter was their sanctuary?
أَينَwhere is الَّذيhe who إِنif سَرىtraveled by night إِلىto بَلَدٍa land
أَينَ الَّذي إِن سَرى إِلى بَلَدٍ
لاno ظُلمَoppression يَبقىremains بِهِin it وَلاnor ظُلَمُdarkness
لا ظُلمَ يَبقى بِهِ وَلا ظُلَمُ
Where is he who, when he traveled by night to a land,
left neither oppression nor darkness there?
أَينَwhere is الَّذيhe who يَحفَظُpreserves الذِمامَthe pledge of protection لَناfor us
أَينَ الَّذي يَحفَظُ الذِمامَ لَنا
إِنif خُفِرَتare violated عِندَin the keeping of غَيرِهِsomeone other than him الذِمَمُpledges
إِن خُفِرَت عِندَ غَيرِهِ الذِمَمُ
Where is he who kept his pledges to us
when pledges were violated in others' keeping?
ياO ناصِرَdefender of الدينِthe faith وَاِبنَand son of ناصِرِهِits defender
يا ناصِرَ الدينِ وَاِبنَ ناصِرِهِ
وَمَنand one who بِهِin him فيamid الخُطوبِcalamities يُعتَصَمُrefuge is sought
وَمَن بِهِ في الخُطوبِ يُعتَصَمُ
O Nasir al-Din, son of the faith's defender,
and you in whom refuge is sought amid calamities;
وَصاحِبَand holder of الرُتبَةِthe rank الَّتيwhich وَطِئَتtrod
وَصاحِبَ الرُتبَةِ الَّتي وَطِئَت
لَهاfor it عَلىupon هامَةِthe crown of السُهىSuha قَدَمُa foot
لَها عَلى هامَةِ السُهى قَدَمُ
and holder of the rank for which a foot has trodden
upon the crown of Suha;
تُثنيpraises عَليكَyou الوَرىmankind وَماand not شَهِدواhave testified
تُثني عَليكَ الوَرى وَما شَهِدوا
مِنَto السَجاياcharacter traits إِلّاexcept بِماaccording to what عَلِمواthey knew
مِنَ السَجايا إِلّا بِما عَلِموا
mankind praises you, and they have not testified
to any virtues save those they knew.
يَبكيكَweeps for you مَألوفُكَyour intimate companion التُقىpiety أَسَفاًin sorrow
يَبكيكَ مَألوفُكَ التُقى أَسَفاً
وَصاحِباكَand your two companions العَفافُchastity وَالكَرَمُand generosity
وَصاحِباكَ العَفافُ وَالكَرَمُ
Your intimate companion, piety, weeps for you in sorrow,
and your two companions, chastity and generosity.
لَمnot يَشقَsuffered misery يَوماًever بِكَon your account الجَليسُthe companion وَلاnor
لَم يَشقَ يَوماً بِكَ الجَليسُ وَلا
مَسَّtouched نَداماكَyour boon companions عِندَكَin your presence النَدَمُregret
مَسَّ نَداماكَ عِندَكَ النَدَمُ
No companion ever suffered on your account, nor
did regret touch your boon companions in your presence.
أَغنَيتَنيyou made me independent بِالوِدادِthrough affection عَنof نَسَبيmy lineage
أَغنَيتَني بِالوِدادِ عَن نَسَبي
كَأَنَّماas though الوُدُّaffection بَينَناbetween us رَحِمُkinship
كَأَنَّما الوُدُّ بَينَنا رَحِمُ
By your affection you made my lineage needless,
as though the love between us were kinship.
لَولاwere it not for التَسَلّيconsolation بِمَنin the one whom تَرَكتَyou left لَناfor us
لَولا التَسَلّي بِمَن تَرَكتَ لَنا
أَلَمَّwould have befallen بيme مِنfrom تَدَلُّهيmy distraught grief لَمَمُa touch of madness
أَلَمَّ بي مِن تَدَلُّهي لَمَمُ
Were it not for solace in the one you left us,
a touch of madness would have seized me in my distraught grief.
وَفيand in بَقاءِthe continued life of السُلطانِthe sultan تَسلِيَةٌconsolation
وَفي بَقاءِ السُلطانِ تَسلِيَةٌ
لِكُلِّfor every قَلبٍheart بِالحُزنِwith grief يَضطَرِمُburns
لِكُلِّ قَلبٍ بِالحُزنِ يَضطَرِمُ
And in the sultan's continued life is consolation
for every heart ablaze with sorrow:
المَلِكُthe king الصالِحُal-Salih (the righteous) الَّذيwho ظَهَرَتappeared
المَلِكُ الصالِحُ الَّذي ظَهَرَت
مِنهُfrom him السَجاياinnate virtues وَطابَتِand were noble الشِيَمُcharacter traits
مِنهُ السَجايا وَطابَتِ الشِيَمُ
King al-Salih, who has shown
his virtues, and whose character is noble.
لازالَmay he never cease يُغنيenriching الزَمانَthe age فيin دَعَةٍtranquility
لازالَ يُغني الزَمانَ في دَعَةٍ
وَالذِكرُand renown عالٍis exalted وَالمُلكُand the kingdom مُنتَظِمُis well ordered
وَالذِكرُ عالٍ وَالمُلكُ مُنتَظِمُ
May he ever enrich the age in tranquility,
with renown exalted and the kingdom well ordered.
Partial English translation: 6 of 78 Arabic lines translated.