هَوىfell لِفَقدِكَat your loss رُكنَthe pillar الشَرقِof the East وَاِحرَباalas, my grief!
هَوى لِفَقدِكَ رُكنَ الشَرقِ وَاِحرَبا
ياO كامِلَKamil مَنwho يَسليconsoles بَعدَكَafter you العَرَباthe Arabs
يا كامِلَ مَن يَسلي بَعدَكَ العَرَبا
The East's pillar has fallen at your loss—alas!
The East collapsed when you were gone, O you who perfected the Arabs
O Kamil, who will console the Arabs after you?
After you, who can console the Arabs?
كُلُّall المَصائِبِcalamities يَفنىwears away الدَهرُtime شِرَّتَهاtheir fierceness
كُلُّ المَصائِبِ يَفنى الدَهرُ شِرَّتَها
إِلّاexcept رَداكَyour death فيفنيِand so it exhausts الدَهرِtime وَالحِقَباand the ages
إِلّا رَداكَ فيفنيِ الدَهرِ وَالحِقَبا
Time wears away the fierceness of every calamity,
Time will erase all calamities
Except your death, which wears out time and the ages.
Except missing you, which time and eras cannot efface
كُنّاwe were نُرجيكَhoping in you لِلجَلِيَّfor the gravest calamity تَذَلُّلَهاyou would subdue it
كُنّا نُرجيكَ لِلجَلِيَّ تَذَلُّلَها
فَاليَومُso today مَنwho يَنبَريsteps forward لِلخُطَبِto face calamity إِنif وَثَباit springs
فَاليَومُ مَن يَنبَري لِلخُطَبِ إِن وَثَبا
We counted on you to tame the gravest calamity;
We hoped you would humble the arrogant
So who today will confront disaster when it springs?
But who now will stand up to adversities if they arise?
تَلَقّىyou met النَوازِلَmisfortunes بِالأَفعالِwith deeds صادِقَةًgenuine
تَلَقّى النَوازِلَ بِالأَفعالِ صادِقَةً
وَالناسُand people فيin الخُطَبِcalamity تُسديoffer القَولَwords وَالخُطَباand speeches
وَالناسُ في الخُطَبِ تُسدي القَولَ وَالخُطَبا
You met misfortunes with deeds that were true,
You tackled events with truthful deeds
While people, in disaster, offer words and speeches.
While people can only make claims and speeches
رَدَّتmade مُصيبَتَكَyour tragedy الأَرزاءُthe afflictions هينَةًslight
رَدَّت مُصيبَتَكَ الأَرزاءُ هينَةً
مِنfrom بَعدِهاafter it وَغَدَتand became أَكبادُناour hearts صُلباhard
مِن بَعدِها وَغَدَت أَكبادُنا صُلبا
Your tragedy has made other afflictions slight
The loss of you made misfortunes feel trivial
In its wake, and our hearts have grown hard.
And after it our hearts grew tough
هَيهاتَimpossible! تَدَّخِرِstore up الآماقَthe eye-corners سائِلَةًa flowing tear
هَيهاتَ تَدَّخِرِ الآماقَ سائِلَةً
مِنَof المَدامِعِtears تَبغيseeks بَعدَكَafter you الصَبَباan outpouring
مِنَ المَدامِعِ تَبغي بَعدَكَ الصَبَبا
Never will the corners of the eyes hold back a flowing tear
Alas! The teardrops hoard the deep wells
Among the tears that seek to pour forth after you.
Seeking you after you were gone, they overflowed
لَوif كُنتَyou were مَعَwith حاتِمِHatim الطائِيِّal-Ta'i فيin زَمَنٍan age
لَو كُنتَ مَعَ حاتِمِ الطائِيِّ في زَمَنٍ
ماnot نالَhe gained فيin الكَرَمِgenerosity الإِسمِthe renown الَّذيthat كَسَباhe earned
ما نالَ في الكَرَمِ الإِسمِ الَّذي كَسَبا
Had you lived in the same age as Hatim al-Ta'i,
Had you lived in Hatim Al-Tai's time
He would not have gained the renown for generosity he earned.
He would not have earned the reputation he got for generosity
نَداكَyour bounty بِالعَينِwith the eye مَشهودٌwitnessed وَنائِلُهُand his bounty
نَداكَ بِالعَينِ مَشهودٌ وَنائِلُهُ
هَيهاتَfar from possible نَعلَمُwe know مِنهُof it الصِدقَthe truth وَالكَذِباand falsehood
هَيهاتَ نَعلَمُ مِنهُ الصِدقَ وَالكَذِبا
Your bounty is witnessed by the eye; as for his,
Your munificence is witnessed by the eye but its beholder
We cannot tell what in it is true and what is false.
Alas! We cannot know his truthfulness or lies
قَدindeed كُنتَyou were تَهويloving مِنَof الأَخلاقِvirtues أَسمَحَهاthe most generous of them
قَد كُنتَ تَهوي مِنَ الأَخلاقِ أَسمَحَها
لِقاصِدٍtoward a petitioner وَمِنَand of العَلياءِglory ماwhat صَعُباwas difficult
لِقاصِدٍ وَمِنَ العَلياءِ ما صَعُبا
You loved the most generous of virtues
You naturally inclined toward the most sublime morals
Toward a petitioner, and the hardest heights of glory.
To the earnest and the loftiest things though difficult
لِلَهِto God دَركُyour excellence سَبّاقاًever first لِمَكرُمَةٍtoward a noble deed
لِلَهِ دَركُ سَبّاقاً لِمَكرُمَةٍ
كَالسَيفِlike a sword مُنصَلِتاًunsheathed وَالسَيلُand the torrent قَدalready زَعَباsurged
كَالسَيفِ مُنصَلِتاً وَالسَيلُ قَد زَعَبا
God bless you, ever first to a noble deed,
By God, you hastened like a drawn sword to generosity
Like an unsheathed sword, and a torrent overflowing.
Like a torrential flood if it rushed forth
ياO أُمَّةَpeople سَكَنَتdwelt أَكنافُthe reaches of عامِلَةٍAmila
يا أُمَّةَ سَكَنَت أَكنافُ عامِلَةٍ
وَأَوطَنَتand settled شِعفاتُthe peaks of العِزِّglory وَالهَضَباand the uplands
وَأَوطَنَت شِعفاتُ العِزِّ وَالهَضَبا
O people who dwelt in the reaches of Amila,
O people of the land of grace and lofty glory
And made the peaks of glory and the uplands your home,
Is there anyone among you who knows of Kamil and can inform us?
هَلis there? عِندَكُمwith you قَومَناour people عَنabout كامِلِKamil خَبَرٍany news
هَل عِندَكُم قَومَنا عَن كامِلِ خَبَرٍ
فَقَدfor indeed أَتاناreached us نَباnews أَنthat قَدalready نَأىhe went far away وَنَباand departed
فَقَد أَتانا نَبا أَن قَد نَأى وَنَبا
Have you, our people, any news of Kamil?
For we have received the news that Kamil passed away
For word has reached us that he has gone far away and departed.
If hard times befall you, O people of brilliant minds
اللامِعِbrilliant الرَأيِin judgment إِنif يَدجُgrows dark الزَمانُtime بِكُمaround you
اللامِعِ الرَأيِ إِن يَدجُ الزَمانُ بِكُم
وَالخالِفُand the substitute for الغَيثِrain إِنif تَستَبطِئواyou find slow السُحُباthe clouds
وَالخالِفُ الغَيثِ إِن تَستَبطِئوا السُحُبا
Bright in judgment when times grow dark around you,
And the successor tarries like rain clouds
And taking rain's place when you find the clouds slow.
Many groups of you were his dependents
كانَتwere عِيالاًdependants عَلَيهِupon him مِنكُمamong you زُمَرٌgroups
كانَت عِيالاً عَلَيهِ مِنكُم زُمَرٌ
مَنwhoever كانَwas مِنهُمamong them يَتيماًan orphan راءَsaw فيهِin him أَباa father
مَن كانَ مِنهُم يَتيماً راءَ فيهِ أَبا
Groups among you depended on him;
And whoever was an orphan among them found a father in him
Any orphan among them saw in him a father.
All parts of your land were astonished by Kamil
كانَتwere بِكامِلِكُمthrough your Kamil أَرجاءَthe reaches of عامِلِكُمyour Amil
كانَت بِكامِلِكُم أَرجاءَ عامِلِكُم
تَتيهُgloried عَجَباًproudly عَلىover الدُنياthe world وَلاand no عَجَباwonder
تَتيهُ عَجَباً عَلى الدُنيا وَلا عَجَبا
Through your Kamil, the reaches of your Amil
Bewildered by the world, and no wonder!
Gloried proudly over the world—and no wonder.
They said the chief of the Christians, but I said to them:
قالواthey said عَميدَchief of بَنيthe sons of النُصارِal-Nassar قُلتُI said لَهُمto them
قالوا عَميدَ بَني النُصارِ قُلتُ لَهُم
بَلrather رُكنِthe pillar of كُلِّevery اِمرِئٍman فيto يَعرُبٍYa'rub اِنتَسَباtraced his descent
بَل رُكنِ كُلِّ اِمرِئٍ في يَعرُبٍ اِنتَسَبا
They said, 'Chief of Banu al-Nassar'; I told them,
“Nay! He is the pillar of every honorable Arab”
'Rather, the pillar of every man descended from Ya'rub.'
If the outskirts of your land render Kamil his due
لَوif أَنصَفتَdid justice to حَقَّهُhis due أَفناءُthe clans of عامِلَةٍAmila
لَو أَنصَفتَ حَقَّهُ أَفناءُ عامِلَةٍ
مِنَfrom البُكاweeping رَقَّsoftened فيهاin it الصَخرُthe rocks وَاِنتَحَباand sobbed
مِنَ البُكا رَقَّ فيها الصَخرُ وَاِنتَحَبا
Had the clans of Amila done justice to his due,
With weeping, even rocks would crack and hills slide
Their weeping would have softened its rocks and made them sob.
I yearn for the perfect Kamil, how he lies
لَهفيmy grief عَلىfor كامِلِperfect in الأَوصافِqualities كَيفَhow ثَوىcame to rest
لَهفي عَلى كامِلِ الأَوصافِ كَيفَ ثَوى
ذاكَthat المُحَيّاface ظَلامَthe darkness of الرَمسِthe grave وَاِحتَجَباand was concealed
ذاكَ المُحَيّا ظَلامَ الرَمسِ وَاِحتَجَبا
Alas for him, perfect in every quality! How could it rest—
In the darkness of the tomb, shrouded
That face—in the grave's darkness, hidden from sight?
I yearn for the full moon, for its rising is gone
لَهفيmy grief عَلىfor البَدرِthe full moon قَدalready غابَتvanished مَطالِعُهُits rising places
لَهفي عَلى البَدرِ قَد غابَت مَطالِعُهُ
لَهفيmy grief عَلىfor البَحرِthe sea ذيpossessing الأَمواجِwaves قَدalready نَضَباran dry
لَهفي عَلى البَحرِ ذي الأَمواجِ قَد نَضَبا
Alas for the full moon: its rising places have vanished!
I yearn for the tumultuous sea, for its water has run dry
Alas for the sea with its waves, now run dry!
I yearn for the noble master, denied by groups
لَهفيmy grief عَلىfor السَيدِّthe lord الغَطريفُnoble-born تُحرِمَهُare deprived of him
لَهفي عَلى السَيدِّ الغَطريفُ تُحرِمَهُ
طَوائِفٌcommunities طالَماlong اِستَكفَتsought protection against بِهِthrough him النُوَباmisfortunes
طَوائِفٌ طالَما اِستَكفَت بِهِ النُوَبا
Alas for the noble, highborn lord, lost to
That for so long relied on him in hard times
Communities that long relied on him against misfortunes.
I yearn for the sublime paragon that when gone
لَهفيmy grief عَلىfor الكامِلِthe perfect one (Kamil) الفَذِّpeerless الَّذيwhom فَقَدَتlost
لَهفي عَلى الكامِلِ الفَذِّ الَّذي فَقَدَت
بِهِwith him الوَرىhumanity المَثَلُthe example الأَعلىhighest لِمَنfor whoever وَهَباgave
بِهِ الوَرى المَثَلُ الأَعلى لِمَن وَهَبا
Alas for the peerless Kamil, whose loss has cost
The world lost the finest role model for the gifted
Humanity its highest model of one who gives.
For one whom, if you accompanied all your life
عَلىfor الَّذيthe one whom لَوif قَضَيتَyou spent الدَهرَall time تَصحَبُهُkeeping his company
عَلى الَّذي لَو قَضَيتَ الدَهرَ تَصحَبُهُ
لَمnot تَلقَyou would meet إِلّاexcept الوَفاloyalty وَالصِدقُand truthfulness وَالأَدَباand courtesy
لَم تَلقَ إِلّا الوَفا وَالصِدقُ وَالأَدَبا
For him: had you spent your lifetime in his company,
You would find none but loyalty, honesty and grace
You would have found only loyalty, truthfulness, and courtesy.
On his face you read verses of his virtues
تَقراyou read عَلىon وَجهِهِhis face آياتُthe signs of شيمَتِهِhis character
تَقرا عَلى وَجهِهِ آياتُ شيمَتِهِ
وَتَنثَنيand turn away قائِلاًsaying سُبحانَglory to مَنthe One who كَتَباinscribed
وَتَنثَني قائِلاً سُبحانَ مَن كَتَبا
On his face you read the signs of his character,
And say: Glory to He who destined this
And turn away saying, 'Glory to Him who inscribed them!'
A brother who supports me in adversities
أَخٌa brother أَشُدُّI strengthen بِهِthrough him أَزريmy back لِنائِبَةٍagainst a misfortune
أَخٌ أَشُدُّ بِهِ أَزري لِنائِبَةٍ
وَلاand not أَعِزُّI prize عَلَيهِabove him إِخوَتيmy brothers نَسَباby blood
وَلا أَعِزُّ عَلَيهِ إِخوَتي نَسَبا
A brother through whom I strengthen my back against misfortune,
I cherish no one among my kin more than him
And I do not prize my brothers by blood above him.
Each day I see in him a trusted brother
فيin كُلِّevery يَومٍday أَرىI see مِنهُin him أَخاًa brother ثِقَةًtrustworthy
في كُلِّ يَومٍ أَرى مِنهُ أَخاً ثِقَةً
إِذwhereas مَنin سِواهُothers besides him أَرىI see الحُسّادَthe envious وَالرَقَباand the watchers
إِذ مَن سِواهُ أَرى الحُسّادَ وَالرَقَبا
Each day I see in him a trustworthy brother,
While in others I see enviers and schemers
While in others I see enviers and watchers.
How much I hoped to enjoy his company one day
كَمhow often كُنتُI was آمُلُhoping أَنto أَحظىattain بِطَلعَتِهِthe sight of his face
كَم كُنتُ آمُلُ أَن أَحظى بِطَلعَتِهِ
يَوماًone day وَأَطفىand quench مِنfrom أَشواقيmy longings اللَهَباthe flame
يَوماً وَأَطفى مِن أَشواقي اللَهَبا
How often I hoped to behold his face
And quench with his vision the fires of longing
One day, and quench the flame of my longing.
How much I remembered him in my estrangement
كَمhow often كُنتُI was أَذكُرُهُremembering him فيin غَربَتيmy exile كَلِفاًpassionately attached
كَم كُنتُ أَذكُرُهُ في غَربَتي كَلِفاً
أَحدةواI urge onward (unclear spelling) إِلىtoward وَجهِهِhis face الوَضّاحِradiant ريحٌa wind صَباfrom the east
أَحدةوا إِلى وَجهِهِ الوَضّاحِ ريحٌ صَبا
How often I remembered him in my exile, full of longing,
hoping a morning breeze would blow his smile to me
Urging an east wind toward his radiant face.
Until the unexpected news reached me
حَتّىuntil أَتانيreached me نَعِيٌّa death announcement غَيرَnot مُنتَظِرٍexpected
حَتّى أَتاني نَعِيٌّ غَيرَ مُنتَظِرٍ
أَلفَيتُI found ناضِرَthe fresh growth of آماليmy hopes بِهِin him حَطَباfirewood
أَلفَيتُ ناضِرَ آمالي بِهِ حَطَبا
Until an unexpected death announcement reached me,
And with it made kindling of the saplings of my hopes
I found my verdant hopes in him turned to firewood.
And a bundle of calamities when I saw them
وَيُلِمَّهاwoe to it! جُملَةٌa sentence لَماwhen بَصَرتَyou looked بِهاat it
وَيُلِمَّها جُملَةٌ لَما بَصَرتَ بِها
خِلتَyou deemed المَناياdeaths أَمانيwishes وَالحَياةُand life هَباdust
خِلتَ المَنايا أَماني وَالحَياةُ هَبا
What a dreadful sentence! When you saw it,
Made my wishes vain and life nonsense
You deemed death something to wish for, and life mere dust.
Who can help me hold back the falling teardrops
مَنwho ليfor me بِأَنto أَمسَكَI hold back الدَمعَthe tears الهَتونَstreaming عَلىon
مَن لي بِأَن أَمسَكَ الدَمعَ الهَتونَ عَلى
خَدّيmy cheek وَإِنand even if أَدرَكَovertakes النَومُsleep الَّذيwhich هَرَباfled
خَدّي وَإِن أَدرَكَ النَومُ الَّذي هَرَبا
Who can help me hold back the streaming tears on
On my cheek, and the sleep that has fled?
My cheek, even if the sleep that fled should overtake me?
Wait, O noble house of glories, your misfortune
مَهلاًbe patient بَنيsons of الأَسعَدِal-As'ad الأَمجادِnoble خَطبَكُمyour calamity
مَهلاً بَني الأَسعَدِ الأَمجادِ خَطبَكُم
خَطبٌa calamity بِهِthrough which الوَطَنُthe homeland المَحبوبِbeloved قَدalready نَكَباwas stricken
خَطبٌ بِهِ الوَطَنُ المَحبوبِ قَد نَكَبا
Be patient, noble Banu al-As'ad! Your calamity
Has brought misfortune to the beloved homeland
Is a calamity that has stricken the beloved homeland.
All purebred Arabs weep for him
تَبكيweep لَهُfor him العَرَبُthe Arabs العُرباءَtrue-born أَجمَعُهاall of them
تَبكي لَهُ العَرَبُ العُرباءَ أَجمَعُها
مِنamong ساكِنٍone dwelling in مَدَراًclay houses أَوor ضارِبٍone stretching طَنَباa tent-rope
مِن ساكِنٍ مَدَراً أَو ضارِبٍ طَنَبا
All the true-born Arabs weep for him,
Those settled in towns and nomads in the desert
Whether dwelling in clay houses or stretching tent-ropes.
Had we gathered elegies from all continents
وَلَوand even if عَقَدناwe held عَلَيهِfor him كُلِّevery شارِقَةٍsunrise
وَلَو عَقَدنا عَلَيهِ كُلِّ شارِقَةٍ
مَناحَةًa mourning assembly ماnot قَضَيناwe fulfilled بَعضَa part of ماwhat وَجَباwas owed
مَناحَةً ما قَضَينا بَعضَ ما وَجَبا
And even if at every sunrise we held for him
We could not fulfill the rightful dues for him
A mourning assembly, we would not fulfill a fraction of what is owed.
But death is inevitable, it cannot be resisted with
لَكِنَّماbut المَوتُdeath حَتمٌinevitable لاnot يُحيكَaffects بِهِit
لَكِنَّما المَوتُ حَتمٌ لا يُحيكَ بِهِ
حَزَنٌgrief وَلاand no عارِضُa cloud للدَمعِof tears مُنسَكِباpouring forth
حَزَنٌ وَلا عارِضُ للدَمعِ مُنسَكِبا
But death is inevitable, untouched by
Sorrow, nor can tears cease flowing for it
Grief or a cloud of streaming tears.
I thought I would console you with my sermon
زَعَمتُI thought أَنّيthat I أُعزيكُمconsole you بِمَوعِظَتيwith my counsel
زَعَمتُ أَنّي أُعزيكُم بِمَوعِظَتي
فَياso, oh تَرىdo you think مَنwho يُعَزّينيconsoles me بِمَنfor the one who ذَهَباdeparted
فَيا تَرى مَن يُعَزّيني بِمَن ذَهَبا
I thought I would console you with my counsel;
But who will console me for the one who left?
So who, I wonder, will console me for the one who has gone?
We are only passengers who rode in a caravan
وَإِنَّماand only نَحنُwe طَرّاًall رَكبَriders in قافِلَةٍa caravan
وَإِنَّما نَحنُ طَرّاً رَكبَ قافِلَةٍ
وَكُلُّناand all of us شارِبُwill drink الكَأسِthe cup الَّذيthat شَرِباhe drank
وَكُلُّنا شارِبُ الكَأسِ الَّذي شَرِبا
We are all but riders in a caravan,
And we will all drink the cup he drank
And every one of us will drink the cup he drank.
O Lord, shower his tomb with any passerby
ياO رُبَّLord أَمطَرَrain upon ثَراهُhis grave-soil كُلَّevery غادِيَةٍmorning raincloud
يا رُبَّ أَمطَرَ ثَراهُ كُلَّ غادِيَةٍ
تَخضَلُّgrow moist مِنهاfrom it بِقاعٌlands حَولَهُaround him وَرُبىand hills
تَخضَلُّ مِنها بِقاعٌ حَولَهُ وَرُبى
O Lord, shower his grave with every morning raincloud,
So places around it flourish and thrive
With which the lands and hills around him are moistened.
I gifted him the vine of sublime traits
آتَيتُهُYou bestowed on him كَرَمَnobility of الأَخلاقِcharacter مُنقِبَةًas a virtue
آتَيتُهُ كَرَمَ الأَخلاقِ مُنقِبَةً
فَكُنso be كَرماُgenerously عَلَيهِtoward him رَبَّناour Lord حَدِباcompassionate
فَكُن كَرماُ عَلَيهِ رَبَّنا حَدِبا
You granted him nobility of character as a virtue;
So bestow generosity upon him, our Lord
So, in your generosity, our Lord, be compassionate toward him.
Partial English translation: 75 of 76 Arabic lines translated.