مَن عاشَ لَم يَخلُ مِن هَمٍّ وَمِن حَزَنِ

مَن عاشَ لَم يَخلُ مِن هَمٍّ وَمِن حَزَنِ

بَينَ المَصائِبِ مِن دُنياهُ وَالمِحَنِ

بَينَ المَصائِبِ مِن دُنياهُ وَالمِحَنِ

Whoever lives is never free of worry and sorrow,

Whoever lived was not free of worries and sorrows

Amid the calamities and trials of his worldly life.

Between the calamities of his worldly life and trials

وَالمَوتُ قَصدُ اِمرِئٍ مُدَّ البَقاءُ لَهُ

وَالمَوتُ قَصدُ اِمرِئٍ مُدَّ البَقاءُ لَهُ

فَكَيفَ يَسكُنُ مِن عَيشٍ إِلى سَكَنِ

فَكَيفَ يَسكُنُ مِن عَيشٍ إِلى سَكَنِ

And death is the destination of a man whose life is prolonged;

And death is the destination of every mortal though his lifespan is extended

How, then, can one rest content with any comfort life affords?

So how can he feel at peace in a life that leads to tranquility

وَإِنَّما نَحنُ في الدُنيا عَلى سَفَرٍ

وَإِنَّما نَحنُ في الدُنيا عَلى سَفَرٍ

فَراحِلٌ خَلَّفَ الباقي عَلى الظَعنِ

فَراحِلٌ خَلَّفَ الباقي عَلى الظَعنِ

And we are but travelers in this world;

We are in this world but travelers

So the departing traveler leaves the one who remains still on the journey.

Who left the survivors in agony

وَلا أَرى زَمَناً أَردى أَبا حَسَنٍ

وَلا أَرى زَمَناً أَردى أَبا حَسَنٍ

وَخانَ فيهِ عَلى حُرٍّ بِمُؤتَمَنِ

وَخانَ فيهِ عَلى حُرٍّ بِمُؤتَمَنِ

Nor do I deem an age that slew Abu Hasan

And I don’t see a time worse than that which betrayed Abu Hasan

And betrayed him fit to be trusted with a noble man.

And was treacherous to the free with the trusted one

لَقَد هَوى جَبَلٌ لِلمَجدِ لَو وُزِنَت

لَقَد هَوى جَبَلٌ لِلمَجدِ لَو وُزِنَت

بِهِ الجِبالُ الرَواسي الشُمُّ لَم تَزِنِ

بِهِ الجِبالُ الرَواسي الشُمُّ لَم تَزِنِ

Indeed, a mountain of glory has fallen; if weighed

A mountain of glory fell if the mountains were weighed

Against him, the firmly rooted, lofty mountains would not match his weight.

Against it the firm towering mountains would not weigh

وَأَصبَحَ الحَبلُ حَبلُ الدينِ مُنتَثِراً

وَأَصبَحَ الحَبلُ حَبلُ الدينِ مُنتَثِراً

وَأُدرِجَ العِلمُ والطُوسِيُّ في كَفَنِ

وَأُدرِجَ العِلمُ والطُوسِيُّ في كَفَنِ

And the rope—the rope of faith—has come unraveled,

The rope of religion became scattered

And knowledge and al-Tusi have been wrapped in a shroud:

And knowledge and Tusi were shrouded in a coffin

مَن لَم يَكُن مِثلهُ في سالِفِ الزَمَنِ

مَن لَم يَكُن مِثلهُ في سالِفِ الزَمَنِ

وَلَم يَكُن مِثلهُ في غابِرِ الزَمَنِ

وَلَم يَكُن مِثلهُ في غابِرِ الزَمَنِ

One whose like had never existed in times past,

There was none like him in the eras of old

Nor would his like exist in time to come.

Nor will there be anyone like him in times to come