فَديناك لو أَنَّ الرَدى يقبل الفدى

فَديناك لو أَنَّ الرَدى يقبل الفدى

وَمثلك تَفديهِ الاحبَّة والعِدى

وَمثلك تَفديهِ الاحبَّة والعِدى

We would have ransomed you, if death accepted ransom;

We would pay to ransom you had death accepted payment,

and one like you would be ransomed by loved ones and foes alike.

And ones like you are redeemed by loved ones and enemies alike.

وَمِثلُك لا يُبكى عليهِ مدامِعاً

وَمِثلُك لا يُبكى عليهِ مدامِعاً

وَلكن نفوساً سائِلاتٍ على المَدى

وَلكن نفوساً سائِلاتٍ على المَدى

And one like you is mourned not with tears,

And those like you are not mourned with tears

but with souls flowing for all time.

But with souls pouring out grief indefinitely.

وَمَن لَم يُسِل في مدَّة العيش دمعةً

وَمَن لَم يُسِل في مدَّة العيش دمعةً

فان لَم يُسِل في الموت دمعاً فما اِعتَدى

فان لَم يُسِل في الموت دمعاً فما اِعتَدى

And one who caused no tear to flow throughout life,

He who in life has not shed a single tear

if he causes no tears to flow in death, has done no wrong.

If he sheds no tears in death, has not transgressed.

والّا فقد كنتَ المُسيلَ دموعَنا

والّا فقد كنتَ المُسيلَ دموعَنا

سروراً فلا بدعٌ اذا سلنَ في الردى

سروراً فلا بدعٌ اذا سلنَ في الردى

Yet you indeed made our tears flow

Otherwise you had always made us shed tears

in joy; no wonder, then, if they flow in death.

In joy, so it's no wonder we cry in loss

محبتُنا في العيش حالَت الى الأَسى

محبتُنا في العيش حالَت الى الأَسى

وكنتَ معي فيها فاصبحتُ مفردا

وكنتَ معي فيها فاصبحتُ مفردا

Our love in life has turned to sorrow,

Our love in life turned into sorrow

and you were with me in it; now I am left alone.

And you were with me in it, so I was left alone

أَلا يا رعاك اللَه من راحِلٍ مضى

أَلا يا رعاك اللَه من راحِلٍ مضى

مضت مَعَهُ الارواح مَثنى وَموحِدا

مضت مَعَهُ الارواح مَثنى وَموحِدا

Ah, may God guard you, O departed one who has gone—

Oh he who's gone on his way may God protect you

with him went souls, two by two and singly.

The spirits departed two-by-two and alone

حبيبٌ الى قَلبي وعيني ومهجَتي

حبيبٌ الى قَلبي وعيني ومهجَتي

فَلَم يَكُ حزني فيهِ حزناً موحَّدا

فَلَم يَكُ حزني فيهِ حزناً موحَّدا

Beloved to my heart, my eye, and my soul,

A beloved of my heart, eyes and deepest feelings

so my grief for him was not a single grief.

So my grief for him was not solitary

تُذَكرنيهِ الريح كيفَ تنسَّمت

تُذَكرنيهِ الريح كيفَ تنسَّمت

وَيُذكرُنيهِ الغصنُ أَنّى تأَوَّدا

وَيُذكرُنيهِ الغصنُ أَنّى تأَوَّدا

The wind reminds me of him, however it breathes,

The wind reminds me as it gently blew

and the branch reminds me of him, whichever way it sways.

The branch reminds me as it softly bent

بكَيتُ عليهِ ادمعاً كُلُّ دمعَةٍ

بكَيتُ عليهِ ادمعاً كُلُّ دمعَةٍ

مضمَّنةٌ بحراً من الدمع مُزبدا

مضمَّنةٌ بحراً من الدمع مُزبدا

I wept tears for him, each tear

I cried tears for him each tear

holding within it a foaming sea of tears.

Containing a sea of tears turbulently flowing

لانيَ ابكي منهُ اشيآءَ جمَّةً

لانيَ ابكي منهُ اشيآءَ جمَّةً

من الحسن والاحسان والفضل وَالهدى

من الحسن والاحسان والفضل وَالهدى

For I mourn so many things in him:

Because I cry for the many perfect things about him

beauty, kindness, virtue, and guidance,

Of beauty, kindness, excellence and guidance

وامثالِها من كُلّ خُلقٍ مكمَّلٍ

وامثالِها من كُلّ خُلقٍ مكمَّلٍ

فما هو شَخصٌ واحِدٌ بل تعدَّدا

فما هو شَخصٌ واحِدٌ بل تعدَّدا

and their like in every perfected trait of character.

And the likes thereof from every perfect trait

So he was not one person, but many.

So he's not one being but multitudes embodied

عليك سَلام اللَه يا قيصراً غدا

عليك سَلام اللَه يا قيصراً غدا

عَلى القَلب مني مالِكاً متسودا

عَلى القَلب مني مالِكاً متسودا

God's peace be upon you, O Qaysar, who became

Peace be upon you oh you who tomorrow will be a ruler

the master of my heart, reigning supreme.

Reigning powerfully in my heart though now darkened

رحلتَ ولست اليوم تشعرُ بالاسى

رحلتَ ولست اليوم تشعرُ بالاسى

وابقينا في حرّ حزنٍ توقَّدا

وابقينا في حرّ حزنٍ توقَّدا

You have departed, and today you feel no sorrow,

You left and today feel no sorrow

and we were left in the heat of blazing grief.

While we remain in burning anguish kindled

فهُنئِّتَ وانهلَّت عليك مراحمٌ

فهُنئِّتَ وانهلَّت عليك مراحمٌ

تَزور بهنَّ السُحبُ لحدَك بالنَدى

تَزور بهنَّ السُحبُ لحدَك بالنَدى

So may you be felicitated, and may mercies pour down upon you,

You are congratulated and blessings poured upon you

which the clouds bring as they visit your grave with dew.

Clouds visiting your grave to dampen it with dew