بِنا لا بِكَ الخَطبُ الَّذي أَحدَثَ الدَهرُ

بِنا لا بِكَ الخَطبُ الَّذي أَحدَثَ الدَهرُ

وَعُمِّرتَ مَرضِيّا لِأَيّامِكَ العُمرُ

وَعُمِّرتَ مَرضِيّا لِأَيّامِكَ العُمرُ

May the calamity wrought by Time fall upon us, not you.

Not for you the speech which time has brought,

And may you live long, with a lifetime pleasing to your days.

And you were given a long life as wished,

تَعيشُ وَيَأتيكَ البَنونَ بِكَثرَةٍ

تَعيشُ وَيَأتيكَ البَنونَ بِكَثرَةٍ

تَتِمُّ بِها النُعمى وَيُستَوجَبُ الشُكرُ

تَتِمُّ بِها النُعمى وَيُستَوجَبُ الشُكرُ

May you live, and may sons come to you in abundance,

You live and are given many children,

through which blessing is made complete and gratitude becomes due.

With them blessings are completed and thanks deserved.

لَئِن أَفَلَ النَجمُ الَّذي لاحَ آنِفاً

لَئِن أَفَلَ النَجمُ الَّذي لاحَ آنِفاً

فَسَوفَ تَلالا بَعدَهُ أَنجُمٌ زُهرُ

فَسَوفَ تَلالا بَعدَهُ أَنجُمٌ زُهرُ

If indeed the star that shone just now has set,

If the star that shone just now has set,

then radiant stars will glitter after it.

After it stars of flowers will rise.

مَضى وَهوَ مَفقودٌ وَما فَقدُ كَوكَبٍ

مَضى وَهوَ مَفقودٌ وَما فَقدُ كَوكَبٍ

وَلاسِيَّما إِذ كانَ يُفدى بِهِ البَدرُ

وَلاسِيَّما إِذ كانَ يُفدى بِهِ البَدرُ

He has gone and is missed—but what is the loss of a star,

It has gone and is missed, but the loss of a planet,

especially when the full moon was ransomed with him?

Especially when the full moon can redeem it, is nothing.

هُوَ الذُخرُ مِن دُنياكَ قَدَّمتَ فَضلَهُ

هُوَ الذُخرُ مِن دُنياكَ قَدَّمتَ فَضلَهُ

وَلا خَيرَ في الدُنيا إِذا لَم يَكُن ذُخرُ

وَلا خَيرَ في الدُنيا إِذا لَم يَكُن ذُخرُ

He is the treasure from your earthly life; you have sent his merit ahead.

It was treasure from your world you offered,

And there is no good in this world without a treasure laid up.

And there is no good in the world if it is not treasure.

نُعَزّيكَ عَن هَذي الرَزِيَّةِ إِنَّها

نُعَزّيكَ عَن هَذي الرَزِيَّةِ إِنَّها

عَلى قَدرِ ما في عُظمِها يَعظُمُ الأَجرُ

عَلى قَدرِ ما في عُظمِها يَعظُمُ الأَجرُ

We console you for this calamity; indeed,

We console you for this calamity, indeed

the reward grows in proportion to its enormity.

According to its magnitude, the reward is great.

فَصَبراً أَميرَ المُؤمِنينِ فَرُبَّما

فَصَبراً أَميرَ المُؤمِنينِ فَرُبَّما

حَمِدتَ الَّذي أَبلاكَ في عُقبِهِ الصَبرُ

حَمِدتَ الَّذي أَبلاكَ في عُقبِهِ الصَبرُ

So be patient, Commander of the Faithful; for perhaps

So patience, O Commander of the Faithful, maybe

you will praise what patience has bestowed on you in its aftermath.

You will praise what has tested you, in the wake of patience.