مُسدي الجَميلِ بِلا مَنٍّ يُكَدِّرُهُ

مُسدي الجَميلِ بِلا مَنٍّ يُكَدِّرُهُ

وَمُكرِمُ الضَيفِ أَمسى ضَيفَ رِضوانِ

وَمُكرِمُ الضَيفِ أَمسى ضَيفَ رِضوانِ

The giver of kindness, with no reminders of favors to mar it,

The bestower of beauty, freely, without ulterior motive,

And the gracious host has become Ridwan's guest.

The host who honors his guest has become the guest of divine pleasure.

تَجتازُنا عَبقَةٌ مِن رَوضَةٍ أُنُفٍ

تَجتازُنا عَبقَةٌ مِن رَوضَةٍ أُنُفٍ

إِذا أَلَمَّت بِنا ذِكرى سُلَيمانِ

إِذا أَلَمَّت بِنا ذِكرى سُلَيمانِ

A fragrant waft from a fresh, untouched garden passes over us,

A gentle fragrance wafts over us from a garden of delight,

When the memory of Sulayman comes to us.

Whenever the memory of Sulayman comes upon us.

فَقُل لِآلِ سُلَيمانٍ إِذا جَزِعوا

فَقُل لِآلِ سُلَيمانٍ إِذا جَزِعوا

رُدوا النُفوسَ إِلى صَبرٍ وَسُلوانِ

رُدوا النُفوسَ إِلى صَبرٍ وَسُلوانِ

So tell Sulayman's family, when they grieve:

So say to the family of Sulayman, whenever they grieve,

Bring your souls back to patience and solace.

“Calm your souls with patience and solace.”

ما إِن رَأَيتُ دَفيناً قَبلَ شَيخِكُمُ

ما إِن رَأَيتُ دَفيناً قَبلَ شَيخِكُمُ

تَحتَ التُرابِ وَفَوقَ النَجمِ في آنِ

تَحتَ التُرابِ وَفَوقَ النَجمِ في آنِ

Never before your elder had I seen a buried man

Never before have I seen a shrouded form beneath the soil

Beneath the earth and above the stars at the same instant.

And above the stars at the same moment.

قَضَيتَها مِئَةً في كُلِّ واحِدَةٍ

قَضَيتَها مِئَةً في كُلِّ واحِدَةٍ

تُعِدُّ زادَكَ مِن بِرٍّ وَإِحسانِ

تُعِدُّ زادَكَ مِن بِرٍّ وَإِحسانِ

You lived a hundred years, in each one

You completed a hundred years, and in each one

Preparing your provisions of righteousness and beneficence.

You prepared provisions of righteousness and benevolence.

فَكَم صَفَحتَ عَنِ الجاني وَلَم تَرَهُ

فَكَم صَفَحتَ عَنِ الجاني وَلَم تَرَهُ

وَكَم غَرَستَ وَكانَ المُعوِزُ الجاني

وَكَم غَرَستَ وَكانَ المُعوِزُ الجاني

For how often you pardoned the wrongdoer without seeing him,

So many times you pardoned the offender without seeing him,

And how often you planted, while the needy gathered the fruit.

And so many times you planted though the needy was the offender,

وَكَم أَقَلتَ كَريماً عِندَ عَثرَتَهُ

وَكَم أَقَلتَ كَريماً عِندَ عَثرَتَهُ

وَكَم مَشَيتَ بِصُلحٍ بَينَ إِخوانِ

وَكَم مَشَيتَ بِصُلحٍ بَينَ إِخوانِ

And how often you helped a noble man up when he stumbled,

And so many times you honored the noble in his disgrace,

And how often you walked to make peace between brothers.

And so many times you made peace between brothers.

إِنّي رَأَيتُكَ قَبلَ المَوتِ في فَلَكٍ

إِنّي رَأَيتُكَ قَبلَ المَوتِ في فَلَكٍ

مِنَ الجَلالِ عَلى جَنبَيهِ نورانِ

مِنَ الجَلالِ عَلى جَنبَيهِ نورانِ

Indeed, I saw you before death within a sphere

I saw you before death in an orbit,

Of majesty, with two lights upon its sides:

With two lights flanking you.

نورُ اليَقينِ وَنورُ الشَيبِ بَينَهُما

نورُ اليَقينِ وَنورُ الشَيبِ بَينَهُما

سَكينَةٌ حَرَّكَت نَفسي وَوِجداني

سَكينَةٌ حَرَّكَت نَفسي وَوِجداني

The light of certainty and the light of gray hair; between them

The light of certainty, and the light of old age;

Was a serenity that stirred my soul and my feelings.

Between them a tranquility that stirred my soul and essence.

عَلى جَبينِكَ آياتُ الرِضا اِرتَسَمَت

عَلى جَبينِكَ آياتُ الرِضا اِرتَسَمَت

وَبَينَ جَنَبَيكَ قَلبٌ غَيرُ وَسنانِ

وَبَينَ جَنَبَيكَ قَلبٌ غَيرُ وَسنانِ

Upon your brow, signs of contentment were inscribed,

On your brow the signs of pleasure were etched,

And within your breast was a heart that did not slumber.

And between your sides, a heart free of rancor.

قَسَمتَ ما جَمَعَت كَفّاكَ مِن نَشَبٍ

قَسَمتَ ما جَمَعَت كَفّاكَ مِن نَشَبٍ

عَلى بَنيكَ فَكُنتَ الوالِدَ الحاني

عَلى بَنيكَ فَكُنتَ الوالِدَ الحاني

You divided the wealth your two hands had gathered

You divided what your hands had gathered of wealth

Among your sons, and so you were a tender father.

Among your children, so you were the affectionate father.

مالٌ حَلالٌ مُزَكّى ما خَلَطتَ بِهِ

مالٌ حَلالٌ مُزَكّى ما خَلَطتَ بِهِ

مِلّيمَ سُحتٍ وَلا حَقّاً لِإِنسانِ

مِلّيمَ سُحتٍ وَلا حَقّاً لِإِنسانِ

Lawful, purified wealth, into which you never mixed

Lawful, pure wealth, that you did not mix

A millieme of ill-gotten gain, nor anyone else's rightful due.

With a grain of suspicion, nor anyone’s right.

زَهِدتَ فيها وَهامَ العابِدونَ لَها

زَهِدتَ فيها وَهامَ العابِدونَ لَها

بِجَمعٍ فانٍ يُعاني جَمعَهُ فاني

بِجَمعٍ فانٍ يُعاني جَمعَهُ فاني

You renounced it, while its worshippers were enthralled

You were ascetic towards it, though the worshippers crave it,

By a perishable hoard that a mortal labors to amass.

With ephemeral collections that trouble their ephemeral collector.

بِكِسرَةٍ وَكِساءٍ عِشتَ مُغتَبِطاً

بِكِسرَةٍ وَكِساءٍ عِشتَ مُغتَبِطاً

تُسَبِّحُ اللَهَ في سِرٍّ وَإِعلانِ

تُسَبِّحُ اللَهَ في سِرٍّ وَإِعلانِ

With a crust of bread and a cloak, you lived content,

With a bowl and garment you lived content,

Glorifying God in private and in public.

Glorifying God secretly and openly.

أَقَرَّ عَينَيكَ في دُنياكَ أَن رَأَتا

أَقَرَّ عَينَيكَ في دُنياكَ أَن رَأَتا

مُحَمَّداً يَتَراءى فَوقَ كيوانِ

مُحَمَّداً يَتَراءى فَوقَ كيوانِ

It gladdened your eyes, in your earthly life, to see

It gladdened your eyes in your world to see

Muhammad appearing above Saturn.

Muhammad appearing above the celestial sphere.

قَضَيتَ في الأَوجِ مِن عِزَّيكُما وَكَذا

قَضَيتَ في الأَوجِ مِن عِزَّيكُما وَكَذا

يَقضي سُلَيمانُ في عِزٍّ وَسُلطانِ

يَقضي سُلَيمانُ في عِزٍّ وَسُلطانِ

You died at the zenith of the glory you both enjoyed; and thus

You passed on at the peak of your glory, and so passed

Sulayman dies in glory and dominion.

Sulayman in glory and authority.

أَنجَبتَ أَربَعَةً سادوا بِأَربَعَةٍ

أَنجَبتَ أَربَعَةً سادوا بِأَربَعَةٍ

فَضلٍ وَنُبلٍ وَإِحسانٍ وَعِرفانِ

فَضلٍ وَنُبلٍ وَإِحسانٍ وَعِرفانِ

You fathered four who rose to eminence through four qualities:

You begot four who excelled with four:

Excellence, nobility, beneficence, and knowledge.

Bounty, nobility, benevolence and gratitude.

أَورَثتَهُم شَمَماً هَشَّ الإِباءُ لَهُ

أَورَثتَهُم شَمَماً هَشَّ الإِباءُ لَهُ

وَأَورَقَت في ذُراهُ عِزَّةُ الشانِ

وَأَورَقَت في ذُراهُ عِزَّةُ الشانِ

You bequeathed them lofty pride at which dignity rejoiced,

You bequeathed to them keen discernment which the fathers esteemed,

And on its heights, the honor of high standing came into leaf.

And glory flourished among their offspring.

يَذكُرنَ بَرّاً رَحيماً قَد أَقامَ لَهُم

يَذكُرنَ بَرّاً رَحيماً قَد أَقامَ لَهُم

صَرحاً مِنَ المَجدِ أَعلى رُكنَهُ الباني

صَرحاً مِنَ المَجدِ أَعلى رُكنَهُ الباني

They remember a kind, merciful man who had raised for them

They remember a merciful and righteous man who erected for them

An edifice of glory whose builder raised its pillar high.

An edifice of glory, the highest cornerstone of the builder.

كَم نِعمَةٍ لَكَ يا مَحمودُ عِندَ أَبي

كَم نِعمَةٍ لَكَ يا مَحمودُ عِندَ أَبي

بِشُكرِها لَكَ عِندَ المَوتِ أَوصاني

بِشُكرِها لَكَ عِندَ المَوتِ أَوصاني

How many favors you bestowed on my father, O Mahmoud!

How many favors for you, O Mahmoud, from my father -

As he died, he charged me to thank you for them.

In gratitude for them, upon death he charged me.