قضى غير مأسوف عليك من الورى

فتى غره في العيش نظم القصائد

You died, unmourned by humankind,

a youth whom composing poems had deluded in life.

لقد كان كذابً وكان منافقاً

وكان لئيم الطبع نزر المحامد

He was indeed a liar and a hypocrite,

and base by nature, with few praiseworthy traits.

وكان خبيث النفس كالناس كلهم

جباناً قليل الخير جم الحقائد

And he was foul of soul, like all mankind,

cowardly, scant in goodness, full of grudges.

وقد كان مجنوناً تضاحكه المنى

وفي ريقها سم الصلال الشوارد

And he was mad, with hopes smiling at him,

while their spittle held the venom of wandering asps.

فعاش وما واساه في العيش واحد

ومات ولم يحفل به غير واحد

So he lived, and no one comforted him in life,

and died, and none but one paid him heed.

وجاء إلى الدنيا على رغم أنفه

وراح على كره الأماني الشوارد

And he came into the world against his will,

and departed despite his elusive hopes’ reluctance.

أراد خلود الذكر في الأرض ضلة

فأورده النسيان مر الموارد

In folly he sought undying remembrance on earth,

so oblivion led him to bitter watering places.

ولم يبكه إذ مات إلا أجيرةٌ

لها زفرةٌ لولا اللهى لم تصاعد

And none wept for him when he died but a hired mourner,

whose sigh would not have risen but for payment.

فلا دمع يروى يومٍ ولي ترابه

وكيف يروي تربه غير واجد

So no tears watered his dust the day he departed;

and how could one who does not grieve water his dust?

فلا تندبوه أنه ليس بالأسى

حقيقاً ولا أهل الهموم العوائد

So do not lament him: of sorrow he is not

deserving, nor worthy of recurring cares.

وخلوه للديدان تأكل لحمه

وذاك لعمري خطب كل البوائد

And leave him to the worms to eat his flesh;

that, by my life, is the lot of all that perish.

ولا تزعجوا الديدان بالندب أنها

هديٌّ لمن تطويه سود الملاحد

And do not disturb the worms with lamentation: they

are a gift to him whom dark graves enfold.

وقوموا ارقصوا قد فاز بالموت موجع

بلى ربما كان الردى خير صامد

And rise and dance: a sufferer has triumphed through death.

Yes, death may sometimes be the best of those who stand firm.