ألا في سبيل الله فرع كتابةٍ

ألا في سبيل الله فرع كتابةٍ

ثنتهُ المنايا وهو ريان مائد

ثنتهُ المنايا وهو ريان مائد

Lo, in God's cause, a branch of the scribal art,

Behold! In the path of God a branch of writing

Death bent him while he was lush and swaying.

Whose death the stars praised, and it was a pouring raincloud,

وكوكب فضل قدرُه قد سما به

وكوكب فضل قدرُه قد سما به

إلى أن بكى حزناً عليه عطارد

إلى أن بكى حزناً عليه عطارد

And a star of excellence, whose worth had raised him high,

And a star of superior merit whose value reached the skies

So high that Mercury wept for him in grief.

Until Mercury wept in sorrow for it.

ودينار وجهٍ غاله صرف دهره

ودينار وجهٍ غاله صرف دهره

سريعاً كأن الصرف للباس ناقد

سريعاً كأن الصرف للباس ناقد

And a dinar of a face, destroyed by his time's vicissitudes,

And a golden coin whose value life exchanged

Swiftly, as though fortune were an assayer of clothing.

Swiftly, as if exchanging clothes the appraiser.

وعيشك يا يحيى لو أنك تفتدي

وعيشك يا يحيى لو أنك تفتدي

لهنئتِ الدُّنيا بأنكَ خالدُ

لهنئتِ الدُّنيا بأنكَ خالدُ

By your life, O Yahya, if you could ransom yourself,

And your life, O Yahya, if you could ransom it

The world would be congratulated on your being immortal.

You would make the world happy that you are immortal.