إن جبريلَ أتى ليلاً إلى

إن جبريلَ أتى ليلاً إلى

طاهرٍ من بعد ما كان هَجَعْ

طاهرٍ من بعد ما كان هَجَعْ

Indeed, Gabriel came to me by night,

Indeed, Gabriel came by night to

pure, after sleep had overtaken me,

a pure man, after he had fallen asleep,

بَحَنوطٍ طيّبٍ من جَنّةٍ

بَحَنوطٍ طيّبٍ من جَنّةٍ

في صِرار حُلَّ منه فَسَطَعْ

في صِرار حُلَّ منه فَسَطَعْ

bearing fragrant embalming balm from Paradise,

with fragrant burial perfume from Paradise,

in a pouch that was opened; from it, the fragrance streamed forth.

in a tied wrapping; when it was loosened, its fragrance spread.

فدعا أحمدُ من كان بهِ

فدعا أحمدُ من كان بهِ

واثِقاً عندَ مَعَضّاتِ الجَزَعْ

واثِقاً عندَ مَعَضّاتِ الجَزَعْ

Then Ahmad summoned the man in whom

Then Ahmad summoned the one in whom he

he trusted amid the ordeals of anguish—

placed his trust amid anguish’s biting pangs,

أوثقَ الناسِ معاً في نفسِه

أوثقَ الناسِ معاً في نفسِه

عند مكروهٍ إذا الخطبُ وَقَعْ

عند مكروهٍ إذا الخطبُ وَقَعْ

the most trusted of all people, a refuge in his heart,

the most trusted of all people in his own mind,

when adversity came upon him and calamity struck.

in adversity, when calamity befell.

قسَّم الصُرَّةَ أثلاثاً فلم

قسَّم الصُرَّةَ أثلاثاً فلم

يألُ عن تسويةِ القَسمِ الشَرَعْ

يألُ عن تسويةِ القَسمِ الشَرَعْ

He divided the pouch into thirds, and did not

He divided the bundle into thirds, and did not

fall short of the equal apportionment required by sacred law.

fall short of making the shares equal.

قال جزءٌ لي وجزءٌ لابنتي

قال جزءٌ لي وجزءٌ لابنتي

ولك الثالثُ فاقبِضْها جُمَعْ

ولك الثالثُ فاقبِضْها جُمَعْ

He said, “One share for me, one share for my daughter;

He said: “One share is mine, and one is for my daughter,

the third is yours, so take it all.

and the third is yours; take it all.

فإذا مِتُّ فحنّطني بها

فإذا مِتُّ فحنّطني بها

ثمّ حنّطها بهذا لا تَدَعْ

ثمّ حنّطها بهذا لا تَدَعْ

When I die, embalm me with it;

So when I die, perfume me for burial with it;

then embalm her with this—do not leave it undone.

then perfume her for burial with this; do not neglect it.

إنّها أسرع أهلي مِيتةً

إنّها أسرع أهلي مِيتةً

ولَحاقاً بي فلا تُكْثِرْ جَزَعْ

ولَحاقاً بي فلا تُكْثِرْ جَزَعْ

Indeed, she will be the soonest of my family to die

Indeed, she will be the first of my family to die

and join me; so do not deepen my grief.”

and join me, so do not grieve excessively.”

فمضى واتَّبَعَتْهُ والِهاً

فمضى واتَّبَعَتْهُ والِهاً

بعدَ غيض جُرِّعَتْهُ ووَجَعْ

بعدَ غيض جُرِّعَتْهُ ووَجَعْ

Then he passed away, and she followed him, distraught,

So he passed away, and she followed him, distraught,

after anguish she had been made to swallow, and pain.

after the anger she was made to swallow, and the pain.