1. أقيموا على العذل أو فارجعوا

    وهب تعذلوني فمن يسمع

    Persist in reproach, or else turn back.

    And suppose you reproach me—who will listen?

  2. وكيف وهذي صروف الزمان

    ذواهب ما بيننا رجع

    And how could I, when these turns of time

    are departures, with none among us returning?

  3. وربع عفا رسمه فانمحى

    سقيت الحيا أيها المريع

    And a dwelling whose traces faded and were erased—

    May rain water you, O fertile place!

  4. تحكم فيه سيول البلا

    فها هو طوع البلا بلقع

    The torrents of decay have held sway over it;

    behold it, subject to decay, a barren waste.

  5. أسائله أين شط الألى

    عهدتهم ومتى ودعوا

    I ask it: where have those wandered off

    whom I knew, and when did they bid farewell?

  6. مضى أحمد فعفت بعده

    معالم وانطمست لربع

    Ahmad passed away; after him faded

    a dwelling's landmarks, and they were effaced.

  7. فللَه خطب دهى فاغتدى

    على الشمس من وقفه وقع

    By God, a calamity struck, and there came to be

    an impact upon the sun from its halt.

  8. يقل مقالي لمحيي الليالي

    بكف ابتهال له ترفع

    My words fall short for the one who kept nights alive

    with a hand raised to Him in supplication.

  9. غياث البلا وغيث العهاد

    وأمن العباد إذا روعوا

    Relief in affliction, rain for rain-watered lands,

    and safety for the people when they were terrified;

  10. وسامي الفخار وحامي الذمار

    إذا أهمل الناس أو ضيعوا

    and exalted in glory, defender of honor,

    when people neglected or squandered it.

  11. برغم المعالي أن أضجعوك الث

    رى ويلهم من ترى أضجعوا

    Against glory's will, they laid you in the

    earth—woe to them! Whom, do you think, have they laid to rest?

  12. فقيد بكاه التقى بالأسى

    وهل لسواه التقى يجزع

    A departed one for whom piety wept in sorrow—

    and does piety grieve for anyone else?

  13. ونعش يسير وورق الفخار

    يشيعه والندى يتبع

    And a bier moves on, while glory's doves

    escort it, and generosity follows.

  14. فيا نعش رفقاً بمن يقتفيك

    ففيك انطوى الشرف الأرفع

    So, O bier, be gentle with whoever follows you;

    for within you the loftiest honor is enfolded.

  15. عزاءً أيا كاظم الغيظ يا

    من له فوق هام السهى موضع

    Take comfort, O Kazim, restrainer of anger, O

    you whose station is above Suha's crown.

  16. ويا محسن الخلق يا من له

    خلائق كالمسك أو أضوع

    And O Muhsin, of good character, O you whose

    traits are like musk, or more fragrant.

  17. فكل ابن أنثى وإن جل قد

    راً لداعي الردى سامع طيع

    For every son of woman, however great his

    rank, heeds death's caller and obeys.

  18. فللموت ما تلد الوالدات

    كما أن للحصد ما يزرع

    For whatever mothers bear belongs to death,

    just as whatever is sown belongs to the harvest.

  19. فما خلد الملك كسرى ولا

    تمنع سابور أو تبع

    For King Kisra did not live forever, nor

    did Sabur or Tubbaʿ ward death off.

  20. ولا زلتما المالكين زمام

    المكارم وهي لكم تخضع

    And may you two never cease to hold the reins

    of noble deeds, which submit to you.

  21. ولا زلتما في ظلال الرضى

    عليم لأهل النهى مرجع

    And may you two ever remain in the shade of favor.

    A learned man, an authority for people of reason;

  22. عليم عدا العلم من رفده

    فها هو في روضه يرتع

    a learned man, from whose bounty knowledge has sped forth—

    behold it grazing in his garden.

  23. في جدثاً حله أحمد

    سحاب من العفو لا يقلع

    In a grave where Ahmad has settled

    is a cloud of pardon that never lifts.