نادَتcalled out بِوَشكِof the nearness of رَحيلِكَyour departure الأَيّامُthe days
نادَت بِوَشكِ رَحيلِكَ الأَيّامُ
أَفَلَستَare you not, then? تَسمَعُyou hear أَمor بِكَin you اِستِصمامُfeigned deafness
أَفَلَستَ تَسمَعُ أَم بِكَ اِستِصمامُ
The days have cried out that your departure is near.
The days have announced your impending departure.
Do you not hear, or are you feigning deafness?
Are you not listening or has deafness come upon you?
وَمَضىand passed on أَمامَكَahead of you مَنthose whom رَأَيتَyou saw وَأَنتَand you لِلfor the
وَمَضى أَمامَكَ مَن رَأَيتَ وَأَنتَ لِل
باقينَremaining ones حَتّىuntil يَلحَقوكَthey catch up with you أَمامُahead
باقينَ حَتّى يَلحَقوكَ أَمامُ
Those you saw have passed on ahead of you, and you stand before
Those you saw have passed before you
those who remain, until they catch up with you.
While you remain for those left behind to catch up with you.
ماwhat ليfor me أَراكَI see you كَأَنَّas though عَينَكَyour eye لاnot تَرىsees
ما لي أَراكَ كَأَنَّ عَينَكَ لا تَرى
عِبَراًlessons تَمُرُّpass by كَأَنَّهُنَّas though they سِهامُarrows
عِبَراً تَمُرُّ كَأَنَّهُنَّ سِهامُ
Why do I see you as though your eye could not see
Why do I see you as though your eyes do not see
lessons passing by as though they were arrows?
Tears flowing as if they were arrows.
تَأتيcome الخُطوبُcalamities وَأَنتَand you مُنتَبِهٌattentive لَهَاto them
تَأتي الخُطوبُ وَأَنتَ مُنتَبِهٌ لَهَا
فَإِذاthen when مَضَتthey have passed فَكَأَنَّهاthen as though they أَحلامُdreams
فَإِذا مَضَت فَكَأَنَّها أَحلامُ
Calamities come while you are alert to them,
Hardships come while you remain oblivious to them,
but once they pass, they seem like dreams.
Then pass as though they were dreams.
قَدalready وَدَّعَتكَhave bid you farewell مِنَfrom الصِباyouth نَزَواتُهُits caprices
قَد وَدَّعَتكَ مِنَ الصِبا نَزَواتُهُ
فَاِحذَرso beware فَماfor there is no لَكَfor you بَعدَهُنَّafter them مُقامُa stay
فَاِحذَر فَما لَكَ بَعدَهُنَّ مُقامُ
The caprices of youth have already bid you farewell;
The impetuosities of youth have bid you farewell,
so beware: after them, no lasting stay is yours.
So beware, for after them you have no respite.
عَرَضَappeared المَشيبُgray hair مِنَfrom الشَبابِyouth خَليفَةًas a successor
عَرَضَ المَشيبُ مِنَ الشَبابِ خَليفَةً
وَكِلاهُماand both of them لَكَfor you حِليَةٌan adornment وَنِظامُand a necklace
وَكِلاهُما لَكَ حِليَةٌ وَنِظامُ
Gray hair has appeared as youth's successor,
Gray hair has succeeded youth as your companion,
and both are an adornment and a necklace for you.
And both are beautiful adornments and decorum for you.
وَكِلاهُماand both of them حُجَجٌproofs عَلَيكَagainst you قَوِيَّةٌstrong
وَكِلاهُما حُجَجٌ عَلَيكَ قَوِيَّةٌ
وَكِلاهُماand both of them نِعَمٌblessings عَلَيكَupon you جِسامُgreat
وَكِلاهُما نِعَمٌ عَلَيكَ جِسامُ
And both are strong proofs against you,
And both are compelling proofs against you,
and both are great blessings upon you.
And both are blessings bestowed generously upon you.
أَهلاًwelcome وَسَهلاًand welcome بِالمَشيبِto gray hair مُؤَدَّباًwell-mannered
أَهلاً وَسَهلاً بِالمَشيبِ مُؤَدَّباً
وَعَلىand upon الشَبابِyouth تَحِيَّةٌa greeting وَسَلامُand peace
وَعَلى الشَبابِ تَحِيَّةٌ وَسَلامُ
A warm welcome to well-mannered gray hair,
Greetings and welcome to gray hair, well-mannered,
and greetings and peace upon youth.
And to youth, regards and peace.
وَلَقَدand indeed غَنيتَyou lived مِنَfrom الشَبابِyouth بِغِبطَةٍin bliss
وَلَقَد غَنيتَ مِنَ الشَبابِ بِغِبطَةٍ
وَلَقَدand indeed كَساكَclothed you وَقارَهُin its dignity الإِسلامُIslam
وَلَقَد كَساكَ وَقارَهُ الإِسلامُ
And indeed you lived in the bliss of youth,
You were blessed with the glory of youth,
and Islam has indeed clothed you in its dignity.
And gray hair has clothed you with dignity and faith.
لِلَّهِto God أَزمِنَةٌtimes عَهِدتُI knew رِجالَهاtheir men
لِلَّهِ أَزمِنَةٌ عَهِدتُ رِجالَها
فيin النائِباتِadversities وَإِنَّهُمand indeed they لَكِرامُare truly generous
في النائِباتِ وَإِنَّهُم لَكِرامُ
God bless those times whose men I knew
To God belong eras whose men I knew
in adversity; they were truly generous.
To be honorable in vicissitudes, and they are noblemen.
أَيّامَdays when أَعطِيَةُgifts الأَكُفِّof hands جَزيلَةٌabundant
أَيّامَ أَعطِيَةُ الأَكُفِّ جَزيلَةٌ
إِذwhen لاnot يَضيعُis lost لِذيfor one possessing الذِمامِprotection ذِمامُprotection
إِذ لا يَضيعُ لِذي الذِمامِ ذِمامُ
Days when the gifts of hands were abundant,
Days when the generous hands gave abundantly,
when one owed protection never lost that protection.
For the honored man does not lose his honor.
فَلِعِبرَةٍso as a lesson أُخِّرتَyou were kept back لِلزَمَنِuntil the age الَّذيwhich
فَلِعِبرَةٍ أُخِّرتَ لِلزَمَنِ الَّذي
هَلَكَperished الأَرامِلُwidows فيهِin it وَالأَيتامُand orphans
هَلَكَ الأَرامِلُ فيهِ وَالأَيتامُ
So, as a lesson, you have been spared until the age in which
You have been spared for the lessons of an era in which
widows and orphans have perished.
Widows and orphans have perished.
زَمَنٌan age مَكاسِبُearnings أَهلِهِof its people مَدخولَةٌtainted
زَمَنٌ مَكاسِبُ أَهلِهِ مَدخولَةٌ
دَخَلاًwith corruption فُروعُbranches أُصولِهِof its roots الآثامُsins
دَخَلاً فُروعُ أُصولِهِ الآثامُ
An age whose people's earnings are tainted
An era whose earnings are ill-gotten,
with corruption whose roots bear sins as branches.
Whose origins and branches are sins.
زَمَنٌan age تَحامىshunned المَكرُماتِnoble deeds سَراتُهُits nobles
زَمَنٌ تَحامى المَكرُماتِ سَراتُهُ
حَتّىuntil كَأَنَّas though المَكرُماتِnoble deeds حَرامُforbidden
حَتّى كَأَنَّ المَكرُماتِ حَرامُ
An age whose nobles have shunned noble deeds,
An era whose generous deeds are rare,
until noble deeds seem forbidden.
As though acts of generosity have become forbidden.
زَمَنٌan age هَوَتfell أَعلامُهُits banners وَتَقَطَّعَتand were torn apart
زَمَنٌ هَوَت أَعلامُهُ وَتَقَطَّعَت
قِطَعاًinto pieces فَلَيسَso there are no لِأَهلِهِfor its people أَعلامُbanners
قِطَعاً فَلَيسَ لِأَهلِهِ أَعلامُ
An age whose banners have fallen and been torn
An era whose luminaries have fallen and whose banners are torn,
to pieces, so its people have no banners.
So its people no longer have banners.
وَلَقَدand indeed رَأَيتُI saw الطاعِمينَthose eating لِماof what اِشتَهَواthey desired
وَلَقَد رَأَيتُ الطاعِمينَ لِما اِشتَهَوا
وَهُمُand they لِأَطباقِfor the layers of التُرابِearth طَعامُfood
وَهُمُ لِأَطباقِ التُرابِ طَعامُ
And I have indeed seen those who ate what they desired,
I have seen those who gorged on what they lusted for,
while they themselves are food for the layers of earth.
Yet became a repast of dust over their plates.
ماnot زُخرُفُthe finery of الدُنياthe world وَزِبرِجُand the glitter of أَهلِهاits people
ما زُخرُفُ الدُنيا وَزِبرِجُ أَهلِها
إِلّاexcept غُرورٌdelusion كُلُّهُall of it وَحُطامُand crumbling debris
إِلّا غُرورٌ كُلُّهُ وَحُطامُ
The world's finery and its people's glitter
The ornaments and glitter of this life and its people
are all mere delusion and crumbling debris.
Are nothing but delusions and rubble.
وَلَرُبَّand many a أَقوامٍpeople مَضَواhave passed on لِسَبيلِهِمon their way
وَلَرُبَّ أَقوامٍ مَضَوا لِسَبيلِهِم
وَلَتَمضِيَنَّand you will surely pass on كَماjust as مَضىpassed on الأَقوامُthe peoples
وَلَتَمضِيَنَّ كَما مَضى الأَقوامُ
And many peoples have gone their way,
Many a people have passed away on their path,
and you will surely go as those peoples went.
And so too will pass as passed the ancients.
وَلَرُبَّand many a ذيpossessor of فُرُشٍbeds مُمَهَّدَةٍmade ready لَهُfor him
وَلَرُبَّ ذي فُرُشٍ مُمَهَّدَةٍ لَهُ
أَمسىhas come to be عَلَيهِabove him مِنَof التُرابِearth رُكامُa heap
أَمسى عَلَيهِ مِنَ التُرابِ رُكامُ
And many a man with beds made ready for him
Many who slept on cushioned beds,
has come to lie beneath a heap of earth.
Awoke to rubble piled upon them from dust.
وَعَجِبتُand I marveled إِذsince عِلَلُcauses الحُتوفِof death كَثيرَةٌmany
وَعَجِبتُ إِذ عِلَلُ الحُتوفِ كَثيرَةٌ
وَالناسُand people عَنaway from عِلَلِthe causes الحُتوفِof death نِيامُasleep
وَالناسُ عَن عِلَلِ الحُتوفِ نِيامُ
And I have marveled: the causes of death are many,
I wondered that the ailments of graves are numerous
yet people sleep, heedless of the causes of death.
While people sleep to the ailments of their graves.
الغَيُّerror مُزدَحَمٌcrowded عَلَيهِupon it وُعورَةٌruggedness
الغَيُّ مُزدَحَمٌ عَلَيهِ وُعورَةٌ
وَالرُشدُand right guidance سَهلٌsmooth ماnot عَلَيهِupon it زِحامُcrowding
وَالرُشدُ سَهلٌ ما عَلَيهِ زِحامُ
The way of error is crowded despite its ruggedness,
Misguidance is crowded with perils
while right guidance is smooth, with no crowd upon it.
While righteousness is smooth, unencumbered.
وَالمَوتُand death يَعمَلُworks وَالعُيونُwhile eyes قَريرَةٌcontent
وَالمَوتُ يَعمَلُ وَالعُيونُ قَريرَةٌ
تَلهوamuse themselves وَتَلعَبُand play بِالمُنىwith wishes وَتَنامُand sleep
تَلهو وَتَلعَبُ بِالمُنى وَتَنامُ
And death is at work while eyes rest content,
Death wages on while eyes are content,
amusing themselves, playing with wishes, and sleeping.
Playing and sleeping in wishes and slumber.
وَاللَهُand God يَقضيdecrees فيin الأُمورِaffairs بِعِلمِهِwith His knowledge
وَاللَهُ يَقضي في الأُمورِ بِعِلمِهِ
وَالمَرءُand a person يُحمَدُis praised مَرَّةًat one time وَيُلامُand is blamed
وَالمَرءُ يُحمَدُ مَرَّةً وَيُلامُ
And God decrees affairs with His knowledge,
God decrees all matters with His knowledge,
while a person is now praised, now blamed.
And man is sometimes praised and sometimes blamed.
وَالخَلقُand creatures يَقدُمُgo ahead of بَعضُهُsome of them بَعضاًothers يَقوleads (first part)
وَالخَلقُ يَقدُمُ بَعضُهُ بَعضاً يَقو
دُcompletion of 'leads' الخَلفَthose behind مِنهُamong them إِلىtoward البِلىdecay القُدّامُthose in front
دُ الخَلفَ مِنهُ إِلى البِلى القُدّامُ
And creatures precede one another; leading
People present each other, the latter
those behind them toward decay are those in front.
Driving the former to old ruins.
كُلٌّeach يَدورُrevolves عَلىaround البَقاءِsurvival مُؤَمِّلاًhoping
كُلٌّ يَدورُ عَلى البَقاءِ مُؤَمِّلاً
وَعَلىand toward الفَناءِperishing تُديرُهُturns him الأَيّامُthe days
وَعَلى الفَناءِ تُديرُهُ الأَيّامُ
Each revolves around survival, full of hope,
All hope for survival, while days
while the days turn him toward death.
Spin them round to oblivion.
وَالدائِمُand everlasting المَلَكوتِsovereignty رَبٌّa Lord لَمhas not يَزَلceased
وَالدائِمُ المَلَكوتِ رَبٌّ لَم يَزَل
مَلِكاًa King تَقَطَّعُfail دونَهُshort of Him الأَوهامُimaginings
مَلِكاً تَقَطَّعُ دونَهُ الأَوهامُ
And He whose sovereignty endures is a Lord who has always been
Everlasting is the Kingship of the Lord of Majesty,
a King whom imaginings fall short of reaching.
The One beyond all limitations of thought.
وَالناسُand people يَبتَدِعونَinvent فيin أَهوائِهِمtheir whims
وَالناسُ يَبتَدِعونَ في أَهوائِهِم
بِدَعاًinnovations فَقَدfor indeed قَعَدواthey have sat بِهِنَّby them وَقامواand stood
بِدَعاً فَقَد قَعَدوا بِهِنَّ وَقاموا
And people invent, according to their whims,
People innovate in their whims,
innovations; indeed, by them they have sat and stood.
Innovations they have sat and stood by.
وَتَخَيَّرَand chose الشُبَهاتِdoubtful matters مَنwhoever لَمdid not يَنهَهُrestrain him
وَتَخَيَّرَ الشُبَهاتِ مَن لَم يَنهَهُ
عَنهُنَّfrom them تَسليمٌacceptance وَلاnor اِستِسلامُsubmission
عَنهُنَّ تَسليمٌ وَلا اِستِسلامُ
And doubtful matters are chosen by whoever is not restrained
Whoever does not forbid himself
from them by acceptance or submission.
From dubious matters has neither yielded nor found peace.
وَمُحَمَّدٌand Muhammad لَكَfor you إِنif سَلَكتَyou followed سَبيلَهُhis path
وَمُحَمَّدٌ لَكَ إِن سَلَكتَ سَبيلَهُ
فيin كُلِّevery خَيرٍgood قائِدٌa leader وَإِمامُand a guide
في كُلِّ خَيرٍ قائِدٌ وَإِمامُ
And Muhammad, if you follow his path, is for you
Muhammad, if you follow his path
in every good a leader and a guide.
In all good, is your guide and imam.
ماnot كُلُّevery شَيءٍthing كانَwas أَوor هُوَit كائِنٌcoming into being
ما كُلُّ شَيءٍ كانَ أَو هُوَ كائِنٌ
إِلّاexcept وَقَدand already جَفَّتhave dried بِهِconcerning it الأَقلامُthe pens
إِلّا وَقَد جَفَّت بِهِ الأَقلامُ
There is nothing that has been or is to be
All that was or is to be
but the pens have already dried concerning it.
Has been transcribed by the pens.
فَالحَمدُso praise لِلَّهِto God الَّذيwho هُوَHe دائِمٌeverlasting
فَالحَمدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذي هُوَ دائِمٌ
أَبَداًforever وَلَيسَand there is no لِماfor what سِواهُis other than Him دَوامُpermanence
أَبَداً وَلَيسَ لِما سِواهُ دَوامُ
So praise be to God, who endures
So praise be to God, the Everlasting,
forever; nothing besides Him endures.
Beyond whom nothing endures eternally.
وَالحَمدُand praise لِلَّهِto God الَّذيwho لِجَلالِهِbefore His majesty
وَالحَمدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذي لِجَلالِهِ
وَلِحِلمِهِand before His forbearance تَتَصاغَرُgrow small الأَحلامُminds
وَلِحِلمِهِ تَتَصاغَرُ الأَحلامُ
And praise be to God, before whose majesty
And praise be to God whose Majesty and Forbearance
and forbearance all minds grow small.
Dwarf all aspirations.
وَالحَمدُand praise لِلَّهِto God الَّذيwho هُوَHe لَمhas not يَزَلceased
وَالحَمدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذي هُوَ لَم يَزَل
لاnot تَستَقِلُّcan encompass بِعِلمِهِHis knowledge الأَوهامُimaginings
لا تَستَقِلُّ بِعِلمِهِ الأَوهامُ
And praise be to God, whose knowledge has never
And praise be to God, who has always been,
been encompassed by imaginings.
Beyond the grasp of thoughts.
سُبحانَهُglory be to Him مَلِكٌa King تَعالىis exalted جَدُّهُHis majesty
سُبحانَهُ مَلِكٌ تَعالى جَدُّهُ
وَلِوَجهِهِand to His countenance الإِجلالُreverence وَالإِكرامُand honor
وَلِوَجهِهِ الإِجلالُ وَالإِكرامُ
Glory be to Him, a King exalted in majesty;
Glorified is He, the Exalted King,
and to His countenance belong reverence and honor.
To His Essence is awe and honor.
Sol 6.1