1. الْعًمْرُ نَوْمٌ وَالْمُنَى أَحْلاَمُ

    مَاذَا عَسَى أَنْ يَسْتَمِرَّ مُقَامُ

    Life is sleep, and wishes are dreams.

    How could any stay endure?

  2. وَإِذَا تَحَقَّقْنَا لِشَيءٍ بَدْأَةً

    فَلَهُ بِمَا تَقْضِي الْعُقُولُ تَمَامُ

    And if we establish that anything has a beginning,

    then it has an end, as reason decrees.

  3. وَالنَّفْسُ تَجْمَحُ فِي مَدَى آمَالِهَا

    رَكْضَاً وَتَأْبَى ذَلِكَ الأيَّامُ

    The soul bolts across the reach of its hopes,

    at a gallop, but the days deny it this.

  4. مَنْ لَمْ يُصَبْ فِي نَفْسِهِ فَمُصَابُهُ

    بِحَبِيبِهِ نَفَذَتْ بِذَا الأَحْكَامُ

    Whoever is not stricken in his own person is stricken

    through his beloved; thus have the decrees taken effect.

  5. بَعْدَ الشَّبِيبِةِ كَبْرَةٌ وَوَرَاءَها

    هَرَمٌ وَمِنْ بَعْدِ الْحَيَاةِ حِمَامُ

    After youth comes old age, and beyond it

    decrepitude; after life comes death.

  6. وَلِحِكْمَةٍ مَا أَشْرَقَتْ شُهْبُ الدُّجَى

    وَتَعَاقَبَ الإِصْبَاحُ وَالإِظْلاَمُ

    For some wise purpose the bright stars of night shine,

    and dawn and darkness follow one another.

  7. دُنْيَاكَ يَا هَذَا مَحلَّةُ نُقْلَةٍ

    وَمُنَاخُ رَكْبٍ مَا لَدِيْهِ مَقَامُ

    Your world, O you, is a station for departure,

    and a caravan's encampment where there is no abiding.

  8. هَذَا أَمِيرُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَمَنْ بِهِ

    وُجِدَ السَّمَاحُ وَأُعْدِمَ الإِعْدَامُ

    This is the Commander of the Muslims, and he through whom

    generosity came into being and destitution was abolished.

  9. سِرُّ الأَمَانَةِ وَالْخِلاَفَةِ يُوسُفٌ

    غَيْثُ الْمُلُوكِ وَلَيْثُهَا الضِّرْغَامُ

    The essence of trustworthiness and the caliphate: Yusuf,

    the kings' life-giving rain, and their fierce lion.

  10. قَصَدَتْهُ عَادِيَةُ الزَّمَانِ فَأَقْصَدَتْ

    وَالْعِزُّ سَامٍ وَالْخَمِيسُ لُهَامُ

    Time's onslaught sought him out and struck him dead,

    while glory stood high and the army was vast.

  11. فُجِعَتْ بِهِ الدُّنْيَا وَكُدِّرَ شِرْبُهَا

    وَشَكَا الْعِرَاقُ مُصَابَهُ وَالشَّامُ

    The world was bereaved by him, and its draught was muddied,

    and Iraq and al-Sham lamented his loss.

  12. أَسَفاً عَلَى الْخُلُقِ الْجَمِيلِ كَأَنَّمَا

    بَدْرُ الدُّجُنَّةِ قَدْ جَلاَهُ تَمَامُ

    Alas for that beautiful character, as though

    night's full moon had been unveiled by its fullness.

  13. أسفاً عَلَى الْعُمُرِ الْجَدِيدِ كَأَنَّهُ

    زَهْرُ الْحَدِيقَةِ زَهْرُهُ بَسَّامُ

    Alas for that fresh life, as though it were

    the garden's bloom, its blossoms smiling.

  14. أَسَفاً عَلَى الْخُلُقِ الرَّضِيّ كَأَنَّهُ

    زَهْرُ الرِّيَاضِ هَمى عَلَيْهِ غَمَامُ

    Alas for that pleasing character, as though it were

    the gardens' bloom, on which clouds poured rain.

  15. أَسَفاً عَلَى الْوَجْهِ الَّذِي مَهْما بَدَا

    طَاشَتْ لِنُورِ جَمَالِهِ الأَفْهَامُ

    Alas for the face that, whenever it appeared,

    minds reeled at the light of its beauty.

  16. يَانَاصِرَ الثَّغْرِ الْغَرِيبِ وَأَهْلِهِ

    وَالأَرْضُ تَرْجُفُ وَالسَّمَاءُ قَتَامُ

    O defender of the remote frontier and its people,

    while earth trembled and the sky was a haze of dust.

  17. يَاصَاحِبَ الصَّدَقَاتِ فِي جُنْحِ الدُّجَى

    وَالنَّاسُ فِي فُرُشِ النَّعِيمِ نِيَامُ

    O giver of alms in the cover of night,

    while people slept in beds of comfort.

  18. يَاحَافِظَ الْحَرَمِ الَّذِي بِظِلاَلِهِ

    سُتِرَ الأَرَامِلُ وَاكْتَسَى الأَيْتَامُ

    O guardian of the sanctuary, in whose shade

    widows were sheltered and orphans clothed.

  19. مَوْلاَيَ هَلْ لَكَ للْقُصُورِ زِيَارَةٌ

    بَعْدَ انْتِزَاحِ الدَّارِ أَوْ إِلْمَامُ

    My lord, will you visit the palaces

    after your dwelling has grown distant—or pay a passing call?

  20. مَوْلاَيَ هَلْ لَكَ للْعَبِيدِ تَذَكُّرٌ

    حَاشَاكَ أَنْ يُنْسَى لَدَيْكَ ذِمَامُ

    My lord, will you remember your servants?

    Far be it from you to let a bond of duty be forgotten.

  21. يَا وَاحِدَ الآحَادِ وَالْعَلَمُ الَّذِي

    خَفَقَتْ بِعِزَّةِ نَصْرِهِ الأَعْلاَمُ

    O peerless among the peerless, and the standard whose

    victorious glory set the banners fluttering.

  22. وَافَاكَ أَمْرُ اللهِ حِينَ تَكَامَلَتْ

    فِيكَ النُّهَى وَالْجُودُ وَالإِقْدَامُ

    God's decree reached you when there came to perfection

    in you wisdom, generosity, and courage.

  23. وَرَحَلْتَ عَنَّا الرَّكْبَ خَيْرَ خَلِيفَةٍ

    أَثْنَى عَلَيْكَ اللهُ وَالإِسْلاَمُ

    And you departed from us, the caravan, best of caliphs;

    God and Islam praised you.

  24. نِعْمَ الطَّرِيقُ سَكْتَ كَانَ رَفِيقُهُ

    وَالزَّادُ فِيهِ تَهَجُّدٌ وَصِيَامُ

    Excellent was the road [you trod]; its companion

    and its provisions were night prayer and fasting.

  25. وَكَسَفْتَ يَا شَمْسَ الْمَحَاسِنِ ضَحْوَةً

    فَالْيَوْمُ لَيْلٌ وَالضِّياءُ ظَلاَمُ

    And you were eclipsed, O sun of virtues, at midmorning;

    so the day is night, and light is darkness.

  26. وَسَقَاكَ عِيدُ الْفِطْرِ كَأَسَ شَهَادَةٍ

    فِيهَا مِنَ الأَجَلِ الْوُحِيِّ مُدَامُ

    And Eid al-Fitr gave you a cup of martyrdom to drink;

    within it was wine of swift death.

  27. وَخَتَمْتَ عُمْرَكَ بِالصَّلاَةِ فَحَبَّذَا

    عَمَلٌ كَرِيمٌ سَعْيُهُ وَخِتَامُ

    And you ended your life with prayer—how excellent

    a deed whose striving and conclusion are noble!

  28. مَوْلاَيَ كَمْ هَذَا الرُّقَادُ إِلَى مَتَى

    بَيْنَ الصَّفَائِحِ وَالُّترَابِ تَنَامُ

    My lord, how long this sleep—until when

    will you sleep between the stone slabs and the earth?

  29. أَعِدِ التَّحِيَّةَ وَاحْتَسِبْهَا قُرْبَةً

    إِنْ كَانَ يُمْكِنُكَ الْغَدَاةَ كَلاَمُ

    Return the greeting, and count it as an act of devotion,

    if speech is possible for you this morning.

  30. تَبْكِي عَلَيْكَ مَصَانِعٌ شَيَّدْتَهَا

    بِيضٌ كَمَا تَبْكِي الْهَدِيلَ حَمَامُ

    Edifices that you raised weep for you,

    white, as doves mourn Hadeel.

  31. تَبْكِي عَلَيْكَ مَسَاجِدٌ عَمَّرْتَهَا

    فَالنَّاسُ فِيهَا سُجَّدٌ وَقِيَامُ

    Mosques that you built weep for you,

    for within them people prostrate themselves and stand in prayer.

  32. تَبْكِي عَلَيْكَ خَلاَئِقٌ أَمَّنْتَهَا

    بِالسِّلْمِ وَهْيَ كَأَنَّهَا أَنْعَامُ

    Multitudes whom you made secure weep for you,

    through peace, while they were like livestock.

  33. عَامَلْتَ وَجْهَ اللهِ فِيمَا رُمْتَهُ

    مِنْهَا فَلَمْ يَبْعُدْ عَلَيْكَ مَرَامُ

    You acted for God's countenance in what you sought

    from them, so no goal lay beyond your reach.

  34. لَوْ كُنْتَ تُفْدَى أَوْ تُجَارُ مِنَ الرَّدَى

    بُذِلَتْ نُفُوسٌ مِنْ لَدُنْكَ كِرَامُ

    If you could have been ransomed or sheltered from death,

    noble lives among your own would have been offered.

  35. لَوْ كُنْتَ تُمْنَعُ بِالصَّوارِمِ وَالْقَنَا

    مَا كَانَ رَكْبُكَ بِالْغِلاَبِ يُرَامُ

    Had you been protected by sharp swords and spears,

    your caravan would not have been challenged by force.

  36. لَكِنَّهُ أَمْرُ الإِلَهِ وَمَا لَنَا

    إِلاَّ رِضاً بِالْحُكْمِ وَاسْتِسْلاَمُ

    But it is God's command, and we have nothing

    but acceptance of the decree and submission.

  37. وَاللهُ قَدْ كَتَبَ الْفَنَا عَلَى الْوَرَى

    وَقَضَاؤُهُ جَفَّتْ بِهِ الأَقْلاَمُ

    And God has written death upon all humankind,

    and upon His decree the pens have dried.

  38. نَمْ فِي جِوَارِ اللهِ مَسْرُوراً بِمَا

    قّدَّمْتَ يَوْمَ تُزَلْزَلُ الأَقْدَامُ

    Sleep in God's shelter, rejoicing in what

    you sent ahead, on the day when feet are shaken.

  39. وَاعْلَمْ بِأَنَّ سَلِيلَ مُلْكِكَ قَدْ غَدَا

    فِي مُسْتَقَرِّ عُلاَكَ وَهْوَ إِمَامُ

    And know that the scion of your kingdom now stands

    in the seat of your eminence, as imam.

  40. سِتْرٌ تَكَنَّفَ مِنْهُ مَنْ خَلَّفْتَهُ

    ظِلُّ ظَلِيلٌ فَهْوَ لَيْسَ يُضَامُ

    A shelter from him surrounds those you left behind,

    a sheltering shade, so they are not wronged.

  41. كُنْتَ الْحُسَامَ فَصِرْتَ فِي غِمْدِ الثَّرَى

    وَلِنَصْرِ مُلْكِكَ سُلَّ مِنْهُ حُسَامُ

    You were the sword and came to lie in earth's scabbard,

    and to defend your kingdom, from it a sword was drawn.

  42. خَلَّفْتَ أُمَّةَ أَحْمَدٍ لِمُحَمَدٍ

    فَقَضَتْ بِسَعْدِ الأُمَّةِ الأَحْكَامُ

    You left Ahmad's community in Muhammad's care,

    so the decrees ordained the community's good fortune.

  43. فَهُوَ الْخَلِيفَةُ لِلْوَرَى فِي عَهْدِهِ

    تُرْعَى الْعُهُودُ وَتُوصَلُ الأرْحَامُ

    He is the caliph of humankind; in his reign

    covenants are honored and kinship ties maintained.

  44. أَبْقَى رُسُومَكَ كَلَّهَا مَحْفُوظَةً

    لَمْ يَنْتَثِرْ مِنْهَا عَلَيْكَ نِظَامُ

    He kept all your established ways intact;

    no strand of their order came undone to your loss:

  45. الْعَدْلُ وَالشِّيَمُ الْكَرِيمَةُ وَالتُّقَى

    وَالدَّارُ وَالأَلْقَابُ وَالْخُدَّامُ

    justice, noble qualities, and piety,

    and the household, the titles, and the servants.

  46. حَسْبِي بِأَنْ أَغْشَى ضَرِيحَكَ لاَثِماً

    وَأَقُولُ وَالدَّمْعُ السَّفُوحُ سِجَامُ

    It suffices me to visit your tomb, kissing it,

    and say, while flowing tears stream down:

  47. يَا مَدْفَنَ التَّقْوَى وَيَا مَثْوَى الْهُدَى

    مِنِّي عَلَيْكَ تَحِيَّةٌ وَسَلاَمُ

    O burial place of piety, and O resting place of guidance,

    from me to you, a greeting and peace.

  48. أَخْفَيْتُ مِنْ حُزْنِي عَلَيْكَ وَفِي الْحَشَا

    نَارٌ لَهَا بَيْنَ الضُّلُوعِ ضِرَامُ

    I have concealed some of my grief for you, while within my breast

    a fire blazes between my ribs.

  49. وَلَو أَنَّنِي أَدَيْتُ حَقَّكَ لَمْ يَكُنْ

    لِي بَعْدَ فَقْدِكَ فِي الْوُجُودِ مُقَامُ

    And had I paid you your due, there would be no

    place for me in existence after losing you.

  50. وَإِذَا الْفَتَى أَدَّى الَّذِي فِي وِسْعِهِ

    وَأَتَى بِجُهْدٍ مَا عَلَيْهِ مَلاَمُ

    And when a young man has done what lies within his power,

    and made an effort, no blame rests upon him.