تَمْهِيدٌIntroduction(١)قِصَّةُThe story ofعَجُوزٍan old womanكَانَتْwho wasمَمْلَكَةُthe kingdom of«إنْجِلْتِرَا»‘England’—حِينَwhenوَقَعَتْoccurredحَوَادِثُthe incidents ofهَذِهِthisالْقِصَّةِstory—تَمُرُّpassed throughبِأَحْدَاثٍeventsوَخُطُوبٍand calamities(مَصَائِبَ)(disasters),لَاnoعَهْدَperiodلَهَاfor itبِأَمْثَالِهَاlike itمِنfromقَبْلُbefore.
Introduction (1) The story of an old woman who was the kingdom of ‘England’ — when the incidents of this story occurred — passed through events and calamities (disasters) that it had never experienced before.
وَإِلَيْكَAnd here isمَاwhatتَقُصُّهُshe narratesعَجُوزٌan old womanنَيَّفَتْwho has exceeded(زَادَتْ)(has added)عَلَىoverخَمْسِينَfiftyوَمِئَةٍand one hundredمِنofالسِّنِينَyears.
And here is what an old woman who has exceeded fifty and one hundred years narrates.
قَالَتِShe saidالْعَجُوزُthe old woman:«لَقَدْ‘I haveعِشْتُlivedأَكْثَرَmoreمِنthanمِئَةٍone hundredوَخَمْسِينَand fiftyعَامًاyears.ورَأَيْتُAnd I have seenفِيinطُفُولَتِيmy childhood ——مِنofالْكَوَارِثِthe disastersوَالْمِحَنِand ordeals—مَاwhatلَمْnotيَخْطُرْoccur toلِإِنْسَانٍa human beingعَلَىonبَالٍmind.
The old woman said: ‘I have lived more than one hundred and fifty years, and I have seen in my childhood — of the disasters and ordeals — what has not occurred to a human being.
وَلَاAnd I stillأَزَالُrememberأَذْكُرُthat I rememberتِلْكَthoseالْعَوَاصِفَtempestsالْهُوجَfierceحِينَwhenالْاِكْتِسَاحِswept awayالْغَابَاتِthe forests،ثُمَّthenأَعْقَبَهَاfollowed byفَيَضَانُthe flood ofالْأَنْهَارِthe rivers;فَأَغْرَقَthat drownedمِنَofالْبِلَادِthe landمَاwhatأَغْرَقَdrowned,،وَأَهْلَكَand destroyedمِنofالْحَرْثِthe crops(الزَّرْعِ)(the harvest)وَالنَّسْلِand offspring(الأَوْلَادِ)(the children),مَاwhatأَهْلَكَ!destroyed!
And I still remember those fierce tempests when they swept through the forests, then followed by the flood of the rivers; that drowned what of the land was drowned, and destroyed what of the crops (the harvest) and offspring (the children) was destroyed!
لَاI stillأَزَالُrememberأَذْكُرُremember ——إِلَىtoالْيَوْمَthis day,ذَٰلِكَthatالْعَهْدَperiodالَّذِيthat I witnessedشَهِدْتُهُit in my childhoodفِيinطُفُولَتِيmy childhood,وَأَتَمَثَّلُand I envision(أَتَصَوَّرُ)(imagine)حَوَادِثَهُits incidentsالْبَعِيدَةَdistant,كَأَنَّمَاas ifوَقَعَتْit occurredأَمْسِyesterday.
I still remember — to this day — that period that I witnessed in my childhood, and I envision (imagine) its distant incidents, as if they occurred yesterday.
وَلَكِنَّButمَاwhatحَدَثَhappenedفِيinهَذَاthisالْعَامِyear,قَدْhasمَحَاerased —أَوْorكَادَalmost—كُلَّeveryمَاwhatاسْتَعْظَمْتُهُI have cherishedمِنofالأَحْدَاثِthe past eventsالْمَاضِيَةِ؛وَلَيْسَتْAnd those disastersتِلْكَthoseالْمَصَائِبُdisastersالَّتِيthatحَلَّتْbefell.بِبِلَادِنَاUpon our country—فِيinذَٰلِكَthatالزَّمَنِtimeالْبَعِيدِthe distant —إِلَّاbutشَيْئًاa small thingيَسِيرًاtrivialتَفِهًا(inconsequential)(لَا(of noقِيمَةَvalue)لَهُ)،to it)
But what happened in this year has erased — or almost — every cherished memory I had of past events. And those disasters that befell upon our country — in that distant time — were but a small and inconsequential thing (of no value to it), compared to what has happened this year.
فَقَدْFor indeedتَأَلَّبَتْthe forces of(تَجَمَّعَتْ)(gathered)
For indeed the forces of evil have gathered,
قُوَىthe forces ofالشَّرِّevil,وَاجْتَمَعَتِand calamities gathered,الْكَوَارِثُthe calamities,وَتَاتَبَعَتِand followedالأَحْدَاثُevents,وَتَفَنَّنَتِand have variedالأَبَالِسَةُthe devilsوَالشَّيَاطِينُand demonsفِيinإِغْرَاءِtemptingالنَّاسَthe peopleبِضُرُوبٍwith kinds of(أَصْنَافٍ)(types of)
The forces of evil have gathered, and calamities have followed, and the events have varied, and the devils and demons have been tempting the people with kinds of injustice.
مِنَofالظُّلْمِinjusticeوَالقَسْوَةِand crueltyوَالأَنانِيَّةِand selfishness(حُبِّ(the loveالذَّاتِ)of self),وَمَاand whatإِلَىtoذَٰلِكَthatمِنofأَلْوَانِthe shades ofالشَّرِّevil,وَأَفَانِينِand variousالشَّقَاءِforms of
with kinds (types) of injustice, cruelty, and selfishness (the love of self), and to that is included the forms of evil, and various forms of misery.
(أَنْوَاعِ(types ofالشِّدَّةِhardshipوَالْعُسْرِ)and adversity).وَفِيAnd inشَمَالِthe north of«إنْجِلْتِرَا»‘England’طَغَتْhad surgedأَمْوَاهُthe waters ofالْبُحَيْرَاتِthe lakes,وَأَغْرَقَتْand drownedمِنَofالسُّكَّانِthe inhabitantsوَالمَسَاكِنِand the homesآلافًاthousands.
And in the north of ‘England’ the waters of the lakes had surged, and drowned thousands of the inhabitants and the homes.
ثُمَّThenجَاءَcameالشِّتَاءُwinter;فَخَرَجَتِso the wolves andالذِّئَابُthe wild beastsوَأَصْنَافُof various kindsالْوُحُوشِof wild animals came outالضَّارِيَةِferociousمِنْfromمَكَامِنِهَاtheir lairs,وَالتَّهَمَتِand devouredالأَغْنَامَthe sheepفِيinرَائِعَةِthe brightالنَّهَارِday,دُونَwithoutأَنْthatتُبَالِيَcareكَائِنًاfor any beingكَانَ.that existed.
Then came winter; so the wolves and various wild beasts came out from their lairs and devoured the sheep in the bright day, without caring for any being that existed.
وَعَاثَتِAnd the wild pigsالْخَنازِيرُran rampantالْبَرِّيَّةُin the countryside;فَمَلَأَتِfillingالْقُلُوبَthe heartsذُعْرًاwith fear(خَوْفًا)(fear),وَقَسَتْand hardenedقُلُوبُthe hearts ofالنَّاسِthe people,وَنَمَتْand grewبَيْنَهُمْamong themبُذُورُthe seeds ofالشِّقَاقِdisunionوَالتَّفْرِقَةِand separation,وَحَلَّتْand strife settledالْخِصَامُof disputesمَحَلًّاin place ofالْوِئَامِthe harmony(الْوِفَاقِ).(agreement).
And the wild pigs ran rampant in the countryside; filling the hearts with fear (fear), and hardened the hearts of the people, and the seeds of disunion and separation grew among them, and strife settled in place of the harmony (agreement).
وَسَرَىAnd the discord spreadالْخُلْفُthe strifeبَيْنَbetweenالأَزْوَاجِthe couples;ثُمَّthenانتَقَلَتْtransferredعَدْوَاهُits contagionإِلَىtoالأَطْفَالِthe children;فَأَصْبَحَتِand the countries becameالْبِلَادُthe landsجَحِيمًاa hellلَاthat cannot beيُطَاقُ.bore.
And the discord spread between the couples; then its contagion transferred to the children; and the lands became a hell that could not be borne.
(٢)مِهْرَجانُFestivalالْمَلِكِof the kingهَذَاthisبَعْضُis part ofمَاwhatقَصَّتْهُshe narratedعَجُوزُthe old womanذَٰلِكُمof that time,الزَّمَانِthe time,وَرَأَتْهُand she sawرُؤْيَةَa vision ofالْعِيَانِ.the seen.
(2) The Festival of the king is part of what the old woman narrated of that time, and she saw it as a vision of the seen.
وَقَدْAnd I haveتَوَخَّيتُdeliberately aimed(تَعَمَّدْتُ)(intended)
And I have deliberately aimed to establish it for you — O dear friends —
لِتَعْرِفُواto knowمَتَىwhenوَقَعَتْthe incidents occurredحَوَادِثُthe incidents ofهَذِهِthisالْقِصَّةِ؟story?
to know when the incidents of this story occurred?
وَفِيAnd duringأَيِّwhichعَهْدٍera—مِنofعُهُودِthe eras ofالِاضْطِرَابِturmoil—مُثِّلَتْthe chapters ofفُصُولُهَاits storyالْمُحْزِنَةِ؟sad?
And during which era — of the eras of turmoil — the chapters of its story were represented?
وَكَانَAnd it wasبَدْءُthe beginning ofهَذِهِtheseالْأَحْدَاثِeventsالْمُفَزِّعَةِterrifyingيَوْمَthe day ofالْمِهْرَجانِthe festivalالَّذِيwhichأُقِيمَwas held byالْمَلِكُthe king«لِير»‘Lear’فِيinقَصْرِهِhis palaceالْكَبِيرِ،the great,مُنْذُsinceأَلْفَيْtwo thousandعَامٍ.years.
And it was the beginning of these terrifying events on the day of the festival which was held by the king ‘Lear’ in his great palace, since two thousand years.
وَقَدِAnd the king hasاعْتَزَمَdecidedالْمَلِكُthe kingأَنْtoيَقْسِمَdivideمُلْكَهُhis kingdomالْعَظِيمَgreat among hisبَيْنَbetweenبَنَاتِهِdaughtersالثَّلاثِ،three,وَيَرْفَعَand to liftعَنْfromكاهِلِهِhis shouldersأَعْبَاءَthe burdensالْمُلْكِof kingship(أَثْقَالَ(the weights ofالْحُكْمِ)rulership),
And the king has decided to divide his great kingdom between his three daughters, and to lift from his shoulders the burdens of kingship (the weights of rulership)
وَيُرِيحَand to bring peace toشَيْخُوخَتَهُ،his old age,وَيَقْضِيَand to spendأَيَّامَهُhis last daysالأَخِيرَةَin peace and security,فِيinأَمْنٍserenity,وَسَلاَمٍ،and safety,وَادِعَand resting inالْخَلَدِeternity,(مُسْتَرِيحَ(resting ofالْقَلْبِ)،the heart),نَاعِمَhaving a tranquilالْبَالِ.mind.
and to bring peace to his old age, and to spend his last days in peace and security, resting in eternity (resting of the heart), having a tranquil mind.
وَكَانَتِAnd the lights wereالْأَنْوَارُshiningسَاطِعَةًbrightlyفِيinكُلِّeveryمَكَانٍplaceمِنْofقَصْرِthe palace ofالْمَلِكِ،the king,تَنْعَكِسُreflectedأَضْوَاؤُهَاits lightsالْبَهِيجَةُbeautifullyعَلَىonأَعْمِدَةِthe columnsالْقَصْرِof the palaceالذَّهَبِيَّةِ،golden,وَتَصَاوِيرِهِand its artistic imagesالْمُبْدِعَةِartful.وَهِيَAnd they representتُمَثِّلُthe victoryانْتِصَارَof king ‘Lear’الْمَلِكِthe king«لِير»‘Lear’عَلَىoverأَعْدَائِهِ،his enemies,فِيinزَمَنِthe time ofصِبَاهُ.his youth.
And the lights were shining brightly in every place of the palace of the king, reflected beautifully on the columns of the palace, its artistic images, and they represent the victory of king ‘Lear’ over his enemies, in the time of his youth.
•••وَكَانَAnd the one who contemplatedالمُتَأَمِّلُupon it wasلَاnotيَمْلِكُable to controlنَفْسَهُhimselfمِنfromالْحَسْرَةِregretوَالْأَسَف،and sorrow,كُلَّمَاwheneverوَقَعَتْhe laid eyes uponعَيْنَاهُit.عَلَىonهَذَاthisالشَّابِstrong young manالْقَوِيِّpowerful ‘Lear,’«لِيرَ»،‘Lear,’الْجَريءُbraveالْبَاطِشُ(aggressive),الَّذِيwho is representedتُمَثِّلُهُhere byتِلْكَthoseالتَّصَاوِيرُimages,الْمُعْجِبَةُ،and admired,وَقَابَلَتْهَاand faced it,بِهَذَاwith thisالشَّيْخِold man«لِير»،‘Lear,’الْمَاثِلِstandingفِيinالْحَفْلِ،the gathering,وَقَدْand nowجَلَّلَhas coveredالشَّيْبُthe gray hairsرَأْسَهُ،his head,وَقَوَّسَتْand bentقَنَاتَهُhis statureالسُّنُونَthe years.(حَنَتِ(have bentالْأَعْوَامُthe years)ظَهَرَهُ)،his back),فَانْتَظَمَتِso the quiveringالرِّعْشَةُshiveredيَدَيْهِhis weak hands,النَّاحِلَتَيْن،thin,وَأَصْبَحَand becameيَمْشِيwalkingإِلَىtowardالْمَـنَايَاthe demise(المَوْتِ)،(death),بِخُطُواتٍwith stepsسَرِيعَةٍ.quick.
And the one who contemplated upon it was not able to control himself from regret and sorrow, whenever he laid eyes upon this strong young man ‘Lear,’ brave and aggressive (who is represented here by those admired images), and faced it with this old man ‘Lear,’ standing in the gathering, now covered with gray hairs on his head, and bent stature of his back (the years have bent it), so the quivering shivered his weak hands, thin, and he began walking toward the demise (death), with quick steps.
وَقَدِAnd the royal retinueاجْتَمَعَتْcollectedفِيinذَٰلِكَthatالْمِهْرَجانِfestivalحَاشِيَةُthe court membersالْمَلِكِof the kingوَقُوَّادُهُand his warriorsوَسَرَاتُand the influentialالْبِلَادِof the country(رُؤَسَاؤُهَا)،(its leaders),
And the royal retinue gathered in that festival the members of the court of the king and his warriors and the influential of the country (its leaders),
وَجَلَسَand satإِلَىbesideجَانِبِهِhim
and sat beside him.
وَزِيرُهُHis ministerالْمُخْلِصُthe loyalالأَمِينُtrusted: ‘كَنْت’:«كَنْتُ»‘Kant’،وَنَدِيمُهand his companion(صَاحِبُهُ)(friend of him)
His minister the loyal trusted, ‘Kant’, and his companion (friend of him) 'Buhlul'.