رجلٌ ينحني لوقر الزمانِ

رجلٌ ينحني لوقر الزمانِ

شائب الرأسِ مرسل الأجفانِ

شائب الرأسِ مرسل الأجفانِ

A man bowed beneath the weight of time,

A man bows under the burden of time,

gray of head, his eyelids lowered;

Gray-haired, with drooping eyelids.

اشبع العمرُ قلبه فتخطى

اشبع العمرُ قلبه فتخطى

منه محصول تسعةٌ بثمانِ

منه محصول تسعةٌ بثمانِ

life had sated his heart, and he had passed

Life had sated his heart; he had lived beyond

beyond a harvest of nine times eight.

A span of nine times eight years.

قام في معبد يصلي خشوعاً

قام في معبد يصلي خشوعاً

عابداً ضارعاً تقي الجنان

عابداً ضارعاً تقي الجنان

He stood in a place of worship, praying humbly,

He stood in a temple, praying in reverence,

a worshiper, supplicating, pure of heart,

Worshipping, imploring, devout of heart,

طالباً أن يرى قبيل مماتٍ

طالباً أن يرى قبيل مماتٍ

مولد المرتجى لذاك الزمان

مولد المرتجى لذاك الزمان

asking, before his death, to behold

Asking to see, shortly before his death,

the newborn awaited by that age.

The birth of the One awaited in that age.

ذاك شيخ وسط المصلى مقيمٌ

ذاك شيخ وسط المصلى مقيمٌ

زاهدٌ عن مسالك الطغيان

زاهدٌ عن مسالك الطغيان

That old man dwelt within the place of prayer,

That elder remained amid the prayer hall,

an ascetic shunning the paths of tyranny.

Shunning the paths of transgression.

يرتجي رؤية المخلص قبل المو

يرتجي رؤية المخلص قبل المو

ت من ربه بغير توان

ت من ربه بغير توان

He hoped to see the Savior before dea—

He hoped for a sight of the Savior before death,

—th, asking his Lord tirelessly.

From his Lord, without slackening.

فإذا بالبتول يوسف والعذ

فإذا بالبتول يوسف والعذ

راء قد عرجا بذاك المكان

راء قد عرجا بذاك المكان

Then behold—the chaste Joseph and the Vir—

Then behold, the chaste Joseph and the Virgin

—gin had come up to that place,

Had turned aside to that place.

وعلى ساعديهما الطفل يسو

وعلى ساعديهما الطفل يسو

ع قد احضراه للاختتان

ع قد احضراه للاختتان

and in their arms the infant Jesu—

And on their forearms was the child Jesus,

—s, whom they had brought to be circumcised.

Whom they had brought for circumcision.

بلغا ذلك المصلى وما في

بلغا ذلك المصلى وما في

ه أحد غير شيخنا سمعان

ه أحد غير شيخنا سمعان

They reached that place of prayer; no one

They reached that prayer hall, and in it

was there but our elder Simeon.

There was no one but our elder Simeon.

اخذ الطفل في يديه ونادى

اخذ الطفل في يديه ونادى

انت ربي ومبدع الأكوان

انت ربي ومبدع الأكوان

He took the child into his hands and cried:

He took the child in his hands and called out:

“You are my Lord and Maker of the worlds.”

'You are my Lord and the Creator of the worlds.'

بارك اللَه ثم انشد ربي

بارك اللَه ثم انشد ربي

عبدك الأن اطلقن بأمان

عبدك الأن اطلقن بأمان

He blessed God, then chanted: “My Lord,

He blessed God, then chanted: 'My Lord,

now release Your servant in peace.

Now release Your servant in peace.

قد رأت اعيني الذي املته

قد رأت اعيني الذي املته

ورأت ما أعد للإنسان

ورأت ما أعد للإنسان

My eyes have seen the one for whom I hoped

My eyes have seen what I hoped for,

and seen what was prepared for humankind.”

And seen what was prepared for humankind.'

لفظ الشيخ ذا ومال إلى العذ

لفظ الشيخ ذا ومال إلى العذ

را بوجه تطوف فيه التهاني

را بوجه تطوف فيه التهاني

The elder uttered this, turning toward the Vir—

The elder uttered this and turned to the Virgin,

—gin, his face wreathed in rejoicing.

With a face where glad wishes circled.

قال هذا الفتى يكون لاسقا

قال هذا الفتى يكون لاسقا

ط وانهاض اكثر الفتيان

ط وانهاض اكثر الفتيان

He said: “This boy shall bring the downfa—

He said: 'This boy will bring about the fall

—ll and raising up of most of the youths.

And rising of most young men.

واعلمي ان قلبك الغض يوماً

واعلمي ان قلبك الغض يوماً

سوف تفريه حربة الأحزان

سوف تفريه حربة الأحزان

And know that one day your tender heart

And know that your tender heart one day

will be cleft by the spear of sorrows.”

Will be rent by the spear of sorrows.'

هكذا قال ذلك الشيخ سمعان

هكذا قال ذلك الشيخ سمعان

بوحي من روح باري الكيان

بوحي من روح باري الكيان

Thus spoke that elder, Simeon,

Thus spoke that elder, Simeon,

by revelation from the Spirit of the Creator of all being.

Through inspiration from the Spirit of the Creator of existence.

يوسف والبتول مريمُ كانا

يوسف والبتول مريمُ كانا

عند تلك الأقوالِ ينذهلان

عند تلك الأقوالِ ينذهلان

Joseph and the Virgin Mary both

Joseph and the Virgin Mary were

stood astonished at those words.

Amazed at those words.

قدما للإله فرخي يمام

قدما للإله فرخي يمام

طوع ناموسهم لذاك الزمان

طوع ناموسهم لذاك الزمان

They offered to God two young doves,

They offered God two young doves,

in obedience to their law in that age.

In obedience to their law of that age.

وقضى الشيخ بعدما تم وحي ال

وقضى الشيخ بعدما تم وحي ال

روح فيه ونال كل الأماني

روح فيه ونال كل الأماني

And the elder died after the revelation of the

And the elder died after the inspiration of the

Spirit was fulfilled in him, and he attained every hope.

Spirit was fulfilled in him, and he attained all his wishes.

كل هذا يا قوم سرٌّ عجيب

كل هذا يا قوم سرٌّ عجيب

أين مني بيانه ببياني

أين مني بيانه ببياني

All this, O people, is a wondrous mystery—

All this, O people, is a wondrous mystery;

how could my own words ever explain it?

How could I explain it in my own words?