لهذا خلقنا والجديد سيخلق

وما ترتق الآمال فالموت يفتق

For this we were created, and what is new will wear out.

Whatever hopes stitch together, death tears apart.

وما فرقت أيدي المنايا مجمع

وما جمعت أيدي البرايا مفرق

What death's hands have scattered will be gathered;

What human hands have gathered will be scattered.

وها نحن كالآباء موتى ونسلنا

ومنهدم ما نحن نبني ونسمق

Behold, we are mortal like our fathers—and our offspring too;

Whatever we build and raise high will crumble.

نؤمل في الدنيا حياة طويلة

وذلك حلم في المضاجع يطرق

We hope for a long life in this world,

But that is a dream that visits us in our beds.

فكم بات مسروراً بأول رقدة

وكأس المنايا آخر الليل يغبق

How many have lain happy at their first slumber,

Only to drink death's cup at night's end!

تبيت عيون هاديات وما درت

بأن المنايا ساهرات تؤرق

Eyes pass the night at rest, unaware

That death keeps vigil, bringing sleeplessness.

يموت زعيم القوم موتة مدقع

وسيان فيه ليث غاب وخرنق

The people's chief dies the death of a pauper;

A forest lion and a leveret are alike in death.

وما تمنع الموت الجيوش كثيفة

ولم يحمه باب وسور وخندق

Massed armies cannot ward off death,

Nor has gate, wall, or moat protected him.

ويا عجباً منا نطاوع أنفساً

إِلى كل جلاب المكاره تزهق

How strange that we obey souls

That race toward everything that brings misfortune!

فلذة دنيانا يكدرها الأذى

وإِن هي كانت بالمنى تتخلق

Our worldly pleasure is clouded by suffering,

Even when it takes shape according to our wishes.

فطوبى لحر غير منخدع بها

ولا راقه منها مدى العمر ريق

Blessed is the free soul not deceived by it,

Nor ever charmed by its glitter throughout life.

على بنت موسى رحمة اللَه إنها

برحمته في ظلمة القبر أخلق

May God's mercy rest upon Musa's daughter: she

Is worthy of His mercy in the grave's darkness.

على طاعة الرحمن شابت وأيفعت

وكانت على طاعاته قبل تزهق

In obedience to the Merciful she grew gray, as she had grown to maturity,

And even before, she hastened in His service.

فمن محض تقواها مدى طول عمرها

تظن اللظى إلا لها فهي تخلق

Such was her pure piety throughout her long life

That she thought the Blaze was created for her alone.

وإن نعيم الدهر أحلام نائم

وإِن دوام العمر ظل مروق

The pleasures of time are a sleeper's dreams;

Life's continuance is a fleeting shadow.

فما برحت تستحلب الصبح بالثنا

إلى أن بدا وجه من الصبح مشرق

She kept milking the dawn with praise,

Until a radiant face of morning appeared.

وتقطع حراء الهواجر صائماً

وما كان من مال فلله منفق

She passed through the burning heat of noon while fasting,

And whatever wealth she had was spent for God

على ضعفاء المسلمين فإنها

من الوالد الساعي أبر وأشفق

Upon the weak among the Muslims; for she

Was kinder and more compassionate than a devoted father.

دليل بأن النور أشرق قلبها

فما برحت للخلق كالشمس تشرق

A sign that light had illumined her heart:

She never ceased to shine upon creation like the sun.

ولا تنطق العوراء غيباً ومشهدا

ولكنها بالصالح القول تنطق

She spoke no foul word, in private or in public,

But spoke only wholesome words.

كريمة قوم لا غراث ضيوفها

وإن قابلت عنها الرجال فأنفق

A generous lady of her people, whose guests never went hungry;

Compared with men, she was more openhanded.

ومذ علمت للموت إنذار صادق

فما برحت في طاعة اللَه تصدق

Once she knew that death's warning was true,

She remained sincere in obedience to God.

وما وافقت منها المنية غرة

ولكن رأت أن التأهب أرفق

Death did not find her unprepared;

She judged preparedness the better course.

أعدت لتلقاء المنية عدة

من الزاد يغنيها إذا القوم أملقوا

She laid up a store for her meeting with death,

Provisions to suffice her when others are destitute.

وراحت بها ركب المنون مصونة

فلا الفعل مذموم ولا العرض هيق

Death's caravan bore her away, inviolate:

Neither her deeds blameworthy nor her honor blemished [word uncertain].

وحلت برمس أوسع اللَه ضيقه

وهيهات ما لحد الموفق ضيق

She settled in a grave—may God enlarge its narrow space!

Far from it! No grave is narrow for one granted His favor.

وسرت بها أهل المقابر جيرة

وقد كردسوا من جانبيها وأحدقوا

The grave-dwellers rejoiced to have her as a neighbor,

Gathered on either side of her, encircling her.

فأضحت قبوراً دارسات عمارة

بها وعمار بعدها فهو شيرق

Thus the timeworn graves became a thriving habitation

Through her; the inhabited place is desolate after her [word uncertain].

أيا بنت موسى أخت موسى كليمه

تزالي شفيعاً ما اختفى منك منطق

O daughter of Musa, sister of Musa, His interlocutor,

You remain an intercessor; your voice has not vanished [reading uncertain].

بكتك السواري والعوادي والورى

فما محدق إلا به الدمع محدق

The night-roving clouds, the coursers, and humankind wept for you;

No gazing eye but was encircled by tears.

وإِن يك أصل العمر منك فقد ذوى

فحسناك منه الغصن ريان مورق

Though the root of life within you has withered,

Your goodness is its branch, well-watered and leafy.

فإن صرت في الموتى فإنك حية

فذكرك باق والثنا فيك ألهق

Though you have joined the dead, you are alive;

Your memory endures, and praise of you gleams white.

فلم يخل من ذكراك بالفضل مغرب

ولم يخل من شكر لفعلك مشرق

No western land lacks remembrance of your virtue,

Nor any eastern land lacks gratitude for your deeds.

عليك صلاة اللَه بعد محمد

ومحض الثنا منا كعرضك أبلق

May God's blessing rest upon you, after Muhammad,

And pure praise from us, white-bright like your honor.

ويلقاك في الفردوس زوجك ذو النهى

غريب وتلك البنت للوصل أشيق

May your wise husband meet you in Paradise—

Gharib—and that daughter, still more eager for reunion.

فإنكم لِلّه عيبة سره

وكلكم في الوصل لِلّه يسبق

For you are the repository of God's secret,

And each of you races ahead toward union with God.

لقيتم من الدُنيا افتراقا مع التقى

فبشراكمو بين الفراديس تلتقوا

In this world you endured separation, while holding to piety;

Glad tidings to you: you shall meet amid the gardens of Paradise.

برئتم من الأحزان وهي أريثة

لنا منكم والصبر بالحر أليق

You are free of sorrows, while they linger

With us because of you; patience better befits the noble.

لنا منكم نعم الخلائف خاطر

وإخوته فالفضل باق مدى بقوا

You have left us excellent successors: Khatir

And his brothers; virtue endures as long as they remain.

فأنتم كمثل الغيث أبقى بروضة

أزاهر نبت دونه المسك يسحق

You are like rain that leaves in a meadow

Blossoms beside which even crushed musk falls short.

مطاعيم في الشهبا أساطين في الدجى

مخابيب ما يقذى به الدين تيق

Generous hosts in ash-gray famine, pillars in the darkness,

Swift runners, eager for whatever cleanses the faith.

أإخوتنا في اللَه صبرا على القضا

فما طرقتهم من منون ستطرق

O our brothers in God, be patient with His decree;

The death that visited them will visit you.

فنحن وهم سفر فراحوا أمامنا

ونحن على آثارهم سوف نلحق

We and they are travelers; they have gone ahead of us,

And we shall follow in their footsteps.

ويجمعنا بعد المقابر موقف

به سعدت قوم وقوم به شقوا

After the graves, a standing-place will gather us,

Where some are blessed and others are wretched.

عليكم بتقوى اللَه والصبر في البلا

عسى أنكم أجر المصائب ترزقوا

Hold fast to fear of God and patience in affliction,

That you may be granted the reward for your misfortunes.

ويا عجباً مني لكم أبعث العزا

وإني لمنكم في الفقيدة أولق

How strange that I should send you consolation,

When I am more distraught than you over the departed woman.

ولو أنهم يفدون من حادث الردى

لكنت بنفسي في فدى الكل أسبق

If they could be ransomed from death's calamity,

I would be first to ransom them all with my own life.

ولكن نهج الموت للخلق جامع

وكل بأرهان المنية مغلق

But death's road gathers all creation,

And each is held forfeit under death's pledges.

علينا اجتهاد في رضى اللَه مثلما

فطرنا عليه والسعيد الموفق

We must strive to please God, just as

We were created to do; blessed is the one granted His guidance.