Lament for the Fall of Seville
ÑËÇÁ ÅÔÈäêÉ
Translated
from Arabic by James T. Monroe
1 äðãïäñð ÔîêòÁí ÅÐÇ åÇ Êîåñî æïâÕîÇæï
* áäÇ êïÚîÑñî Èð×êÈð ÇäÙîêÔð ÅæÓÇæï
Everything declines after reaching
perfection, therefore let no man be beguiled by the sweetness of a pleasant
life.
2 çêî ÇäÃïåèÑï ãåÇ ÔÇçÏòÊïçÇ Ïïèîäì *
åîæ ÓîÑñîçï Òåîæì ÓÇÁÊàòçï ÃÒåÇæï
As you have observed, these are the
decrees that are inconstant, he whom a single moment has made happy, has been
harmed by many other moments;
As I have observed, these are the decrees that
are inconstant
I attest [witnessed] that events are
in shifts [revolving] he whom a single moment has made happy, has been harmed
by many other moments;
3 èîçîÐðçð ÇäÏñîÇÑï äÇ ÊïÈâðê Ùäé ÃÍÏí * èäÇ êÏïèåï Ùîäîé ÍîÇäí
äîçîÇ ÔÇæï
èêÌèÒ: ’äÇÊîÈòâîé‘
Fate irrevocably destroys every
ample coat of mail when Mashrifi swords and spears glance off without effect;
4 ïêåîÒñðâï ÇäÏçÑï ÍÊòåÇë ãäñî
ÓÇÈðÚîÉí * ÅÐÇ æîÈîÊò åîÔòÑðáðêñÇÊì èÎðÑòÕÇæï
5 èêïæòÊîÖîé ãäñï Óêáí äðäáîæÇÁ èäè *
ãÇæ ÇÈæî êÒòæí è[ãÇæ] ÇäÚåÏî ÚïåòÏÇæï
It unsheathes each sword it it be an
Ibn Dhi Yazan and the scabbard Ghumdan
Swords are unsheathed only to be
destroyed even if…etc
6 Ãêæ Çäåïäïèãï Ðîèïè ÇäÊñêÌÇæð åðæ êîåîæí * èÃêæ åæçåò ÃãÇäêäì
èÊêÌÇæï
Where are the crowned kings of Yemen
and where are their jewel-studded diadems and crowns?
7 èÃêæ åÇ ÔÇÏçï ’ÔîÏñÇÏï‘ áê ÅÑîåí *
èÃêæ åÇ ÓÇÓîçï áê ÇäáïÑòÓð ’ÓÇÓÇæï‘
Where are [the buildings] Shaddad
raised in Iram and where [the empire] the Sassanians ruled in Persia?
8 èÃêæ åÇ ÍÇÒîçï ’âÇÑèæï‘ åæ ÐîçîÈí * èÃêæ ’ÙÇÏì èÔÏÇÏì èâÍ×Çæï‘
Where is the gold Qarun once
possessed; where are `Ad and Shaddad and Qahtan?
9 ÃÊé Ùäé Çäãä ÃåÑì äÇ åîÑîÏñî äçï * ÍÊé âÖîèòÇ áãÃæ Çäâèåî åÇ
ãÇæïèÇ
An irrevocable decree overcame them
all so that they passed away and the people came to be as though they had never
existed.
An irrevocable calamity befallen on
them all so that they passed away as though they had never existed.
10 èÕÇÑ åÇ ãÇæ åæ åïäòãí è åæ åîäðãí * ãåÇ Íãé Ùæ ÎêÇä Çä×êá
èÓòæÇæï
The kingdoms and kings that had been
came to be like what a sleeper has told about [his] dream vision.
What had been kingdoms and kings came
to be [became] like what a sleeper has told about [his] dream visions.
11 ÏÇÑî ÇäÒåÇæï Ùäé ’ÏÇÑÇ‘ èâÇÊðäðçð * èÃåñî ’ãðÓÑîé‘ áåÇ ÂèÇçï
ÅêèÇæï
Ãåñî: âÕîÏî ÇÓÊçÏîáî» ÔÌñî
Fate turned against Darius as well
as his slayer, and as for Chosroes, no vaulted palace offered him protection.
Time revolved Darius [who is
literally the revolver] (down-turned him) as his slayer; and targeted Chosroes
(chased him) so that no vaulted palace offered him protection.
12 ãÃæåÇ ÇäÕÙÈï äå êÓòçïäò äç ÓÈÈì * êèåÇë èäÇ åäîãî ÇäÏæêÇ ’ÓäêåÇæï‘
ÇäÓÈÈ çæÇ Çä×Ñêâï. èÇäÕÙÈï èÇäÓçä ÕáÇÊì
äÊÖÇÑêÓ ÇäÃÑÖ
It is as if no cause had ever made
the hard easy to bear, and as if Solomon had never ruled the world.
It is as if there were no easy ways
in harsh terrains …, and Solomon had never ruled the world
13 áÌÇÆÙï ÇäÏçòÑð ÃæèÇÙì åïæîèñîÙÉì * èäðäÒåÇæ åÓîÑñÇÊì èÃÍÒÇæï
The misfortunes brought on by Fate
are of many different kinds, while Time has causes of joy and of sorrow.
14 èäðäÍèÇÏË ÓïäèÇæì êïÓçñðäïçÇ * èåÇ
äðåÇ Íîäñî ÈÇäÅÓäÇå ÓïäèÇæï
For the accidents [of fortune] there
is a consolation that makes them easy to bear, yet there is no consolation for
what has befallen Islam.
15 Ïîçîé ÇäÌÒêÑÉî ÃåÑì äÇ ÙÒÇÁ äçï *
çîèîé äç ÃïÍïÏì èÇæòçîÏñî ÔçòäÇæï
An event which cannot be endured has
overtaken the peninsula; one such that Uhud has collapsed because of it and
Thahlan has crumbled!
16 ÃÕÇÈçÇ ÇäÙêæï áê ÇäÅÓäÇå
áÇÑòÊïÒðÃÊï * ÍÊé ÎîäîÊò åæç Ãâ×ÇÑì èÈäÏÇæï
The evil eye has struck [the
peninsula] in its Islam so that [the land] decreased until whole regions and
districts were despoiled of [the faith]
17 áÇÓÃä (ÈäîæòÓðêñîÉë) åÇ ÔÃæï (åïÑòÓðêîÉí) * èÃêæ (ÔÇ×ðÈÉì) Ãå
Ãêæ (ÌîêñÇæï)
Therefore ask Valencia what is the
state of Murcia; and where is Jativa, and where is Jaén?
18 èÃêæ (âïÑò×ïÈîÉì) ÏÇÑï ÇäÙäèå áãå *
åðæ ÙÇäðå âÏ ÓåÇ áêçÇ äç ÔÇæï
Where is Cordoba, the home of the
sciences, and many a scholar whose rank was once lofty in it?
19 èÃêæ (ÍðåòÕì) èåÇ ÊÍèêç åæ æïÒîçí *
èæçÑïçÇ ÇäÙÐòÈï áêñÇÖì èåîäÂæï
Where is Seville and the pleasures
it contains, as well as its sweet river overflowing and brimming ful?
20 âèÇÙÏì ãïæñî ÃÑãÇæî ÇäÈäÇÏð, áåÇ *
ÙÓé ÇäÈâÇÁï ÅÐÇ äå ÊÈâî ÃÑãÇæï!
[They are] capitals which were the pillars of the land, yet when
the pillars are gone, it may no longer endure!
21 ÊÈãê ÇäÍîæêáêÉï ÇäÈêÖÇÁï åæ ÃÓáí *
ãåÇ Èãé äðáðÑÇâð ÇäÅðäòáð çîêòåÇæï
ÇäÍæêáêÉ ÇäÈêÖÇÁ êåãæ Ãæ ÊÑåÒ áê
ÇäÑËÇÁ Åäé ÇäêåÇåÉ dove
Ãè Åäé ÇäæÇáèÑÉ – ãåÇ áçåçÇ ÇäåÊÑÌå Åäé ÇäÅæãäêÒêÉ – Ãè Åäé ÇäåÏæ ÇäÊê ÙÏñÏçÇ
ÂæðáÇë, Ãè Åäé ÌÒêÑÉ ÇäÃæÏäÓ ãäçÇ» áÇäÍæêáêÉ çê ÇäåÓäåÉ.
The tap of the white ablution fount
weeps in despair, like a passionate lover weeping at the departure of the
beloved,
22 Ùäé ÏêÇÑí åæ ÇäÅÓäÇåð ÎÇäêÉí * âÏ
ÃâòáîÑîÊò èäçÇ ÈÇäãáÑ ÙïåÑÇæï
Over dwellings emptied of Islam that
were first vacated and are now inhabited by unbelief;
23 ÍêË ÇäåÓÇÌÏï [âÏ] ÕÇÑÊ ãæÇÆÓî åÇ *
áêçðæñî ÅäÇñ æèÇâêÓì èÕïäÈÇæï
In which the mosques have become
churches wherein only bells and crosses may be found.
24 ÍÊé ÇäåÍÇÑêÈ ÊÈãê èçê ÌÇåÏÉì * ÍÊé
ÇäåæÇÈÑï ÊÈãê èçê ÙêÏÇæï
Even the mihrabs weep though they
are solid; even the pulpits mourn though they are wooden!
25 êÇÚÇáðäÇë èäîçï áê ÇäÏçòÑð
åîèòÙðØÉì * Åæ ãæÊî áê ÓðæîÉí áÇäÏçÑï êâØÇæï
O you who remain heedless though you
have a warning in Fate: if you are asleep, Fate is always awake!
26 èåÇÔêÇë åîÑîÍÇë êïäçêç åè×ðæïçï *
ÃÈîÙòÏî (ÍðåòÕí) ÊîÚïÑñï ÇäåÑÁî Ãè×Çæï
âÇä ÊÙÇäé ’èäÇ ÊåÔð áê ÇäÃÑÖð åîÑîÍÇë‘
áê åèÖÙêæ: ÇäÅÓÑÇÁ37 èäâåÇæ18
And you who walk forth cheerfully
while your homeland diverts you [from cares], can a homeland beguile any man
after [the loss of] Seville?
27 Êäã ÇäåïÕêÈÉï ÃæòÓîÊò åÇÊîâîÏñîåîçÇ
* èåÇäîçÇ åÙî ×ïèäð ÇäÏçÑð æðÓêÇæï
This misfortune has caused those
that preceded it to be forgotten, nor can it ever be forgotten for the length
of all time!
28 êÇ ÃêñçÇ Çäåäðãï ÇäÈêÖÇÁï ÑÇêîÊïçï
* ÃÏòÑðãò ÈðÓêáðãî Ãçäë ÇäãïáÑð¬ äÇ ãÇæèÇ!
29 êÇÑÇãÈêæ ÙÊÇâî ÇäÎêäð ÖÇåÑÉë *
ãÃæçÇ áê åÌÇä ÇäÓÈòâð ÙïâÈÇæï
you who ride lean, thoroughbred
steeds which seem like eagles in the racecourse;
30 èÍÇåðäêæ Óïêèáî ÇäçæÏ åïÑçîáÉë *
ãÃæçÇ áê ØäÇå ÇäæâòÙ æêÑÇæï
And you who carry slender, Indian
blades which seem like fires in the darkness caused by the dust cloud [of war]
31 èîÑîÇÊðÙðêæ èÑÇÁ ÇäÈÍÑ áê ÏîÙîÉí *
äîçïå ÈðÃè×Çæçå ÙðÒñì èÓä×Çæï
And you who are living in luxury
beyond the sea enjoying life, you who have strength and power in your homelands,
32 ÃÙðæÏîãïå æîÈîÃì åæ Ãçäð ÃæÏäïÓí *
áâÏ ÓîÑîé ÈðÍÏêËð Çäâèåð ÑïãòÈÇæï
Have you no news of the people of
Andalus, for riders have carried forth what men have said [about them]?
33 ãå êÓÊÚêËï ÈæÇ ÇäåïÓÊÖÙáïèæî èçå *
âîÊòäîé èÃÓòÑîé áåÇ êçÊÒñï ÅæÓÇæï
How often have the weak, who were
being killed and captured while no man stirred, asked our help?
34 åÇÐÇ ÇäÊâÇ×ïÙï áê ÇäÅÓäÇåð Èêòæîãïåï * èÃæÊïåï êÇ ÙðÈÇÏî
Çääçð ÅÎèÇæï
What means this severing of the
bonds of Islam on your behalf, when you, 0 worshipers of God, are [our]
brethren?
35 ÃäÇî æïáèÓì ÃÈðêñÇÊì äîçÇ çðåîåì¿ *
ÃåîÇ Ùäé ÇäÎêÑð ÃæÕÇÑì èÃÙèÇæï¿
Are there no heroic souls with lofty
ambitions; are there no helpers and defenders of righteousness?
36 êÇ åîæò äðÐðäñîÉð âèåí ÈÙÏî
ÙðÒñðçðåï! * ÃÍÇäî ÍÇäîçïåï ãïáÑì è×ïÚêÇæï
0, who will
redress the humiliation of a people who were once powerful, a people whose
condition injustice and tyrants have changed?
37 ÈÇäÃåÓ ãÇæèÇ åïäèãÇë áê åæÇÒäðçðåò * èÇäêèòåî çïåò áê ÈäÇÏð
ÇäãïáòÑð ÙïÈòÏÇæï
Yesterday they were kings in their
own homes, but today they are slaves in the land of the infidel!
38 áäèò ÊîÑÇçïåò ÍîêÇÑîé äÇ Ïîäêäî
äîçïåò * Ùäêçðåï åæ ËêÇÈð ÇäÐñïäñð ÃäòèÇæï
Thus, were you to see them
perplexed, with no one to guide them, wearing the cloth of shame in its
different shades,
39 èäè ÑÃêÊî ÈïãÇçïåò ÙæÏî ÈêÙðçðåï *
äîçÇäîãî ÇäÃåÑï èÇÓòÊîçòèîÊòãî ÃÍÒÇæï
And were you to behold their weeping
when they are sold, the matter would strike fear into your heart, and sorrow
would seize you.
40 êÇ ÑïÈñî Ãïåñí è×ðáòäí Íðêäî
ÈêæîçïåÇ * ãåÇ ÊïáîÑñîâï ÃÑèÇÍì èÃÈÏÇæï
èêÌèÒ: ãåÇ ÊîáîÑñîâî
Alas, many a mother and child have
been parted as souls and bodies are separated!
41 è×ðáòäîÉí åÇ ÑîÃîÊòçÇ ÇäÔåÓï ÅÐò
ÈÑÒîÊò * ãÃæñîåÇ çê êÇâèÊì èåîÑÌÇæï
And many a maiden fair as the sun
when it rises, as though she were rubies and pearls,
42 êâèÏïçÇ ÇäÙðäòÌï äðäòåîãÑèçï åïãÑîçîÉë
* èÇäÙêæï ÈÇãêîÉì èÇäâäÈï ÍîêòÑÇæï
Is led off to abomination by a
barbarian against her will, while her eye is in tears and her heart is stunned.
42 – äåËäð çÐÇ êÐèÈï ÇäâäÈ åæ ãîåîÏí *
- Åæ ãÇæ áê ÇäâäÈð ÅÓäÇåì èÅêåÇæï
The heart melts with sorrow at such
[sights], if there is any Islam or belief in that heart!
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