يُفْدِيكَ عَبْدَ اللهِ نجْلٌ قضى

يُفْدِيكَ عَبْدَ اللهِ نجْلٌ قضى

وَقلَّ مِمَّن جَلَّ أَنْ يَفْدِيكَ

وَقلَّ مِمَّن جَلَّ أَنْ يَفْدِيكَ

A son who died ransoms you, O Abd Allah;

Abdullah's son has ransomed you, though few

and few among the great could ransom you.

Of high rank would ransom you, as he did.

كَانَ لَكَ ابْناً ثُمَّ أضْحَى أَخاً

كَانَ لَكَ ابْناً ثُمَّ أضْحَى أَخاً

يُوشِك بِالأَوْصَافِ أَنْ يَحْكِيكَ

يُوشِك بِالأَوْصَافِ أَنْ يَحْكِيكَ

He was your son, then became your brother,

He was your son, but now he is your brother,

nearly resembling you in his qualities.

Soon in qualities to be your peer.

فَمَا لَهُ هَانَ عَلَيْهِ وَقَدْ

فَمَا لَهُ هَانَ عَلَيْهِ وَقَدْ

أَسْعَدْتَهُ مَا عَاشَ أَنْ يَبْكِيكَ

أَسْعَدْتَهُ مَا عَاشَ أَنْ يَبْكِيكَ

So why was it easy for him—though

Why did he not think it base to ransom you,

you had made him happy all his life—to make you weep?

When in life you gave him all joy could give?

وَلَوْ قَضى الدَّهْرُ لَهُ مَا اشْتَهَى

وَلَوْ قَضى الدَّهْرُ لَهُ مَا اشْتَهَى

لَسَامَ مَا تَشْكُوهُ أَنْ يَشْكِيكَ

لَسَامَ مَا تَشْكُوهُ أَنْ يَشْكِيكَ

And had Time granted him what he wished,

Had fate allowed him all he wished, be sure

he would have bidden what ails you to ease your pain.

He would have shared all grief that you now bear.

لِكن إلى اللهِ مَضَى عَنْ رِضَى

لِكن إلى اللهِ مَضَى عَنْ رِضَى

وَكان مَا أَغْناهُ أَنْ يَرْضِيكَ

وَكان مَا أَغْناهُ أَنْ يَرْضِيكَ

But he went to God content,

But he departed, satisfied with God,

and pleasing you was wealth enough for him.

And what enriched him was to enrich you.

سَأَلتُ مَنْ عَاجَلَ فَرْعَ النَّدَى

سَأَلتُ مَنْ عَاجَلَ فَرْعَ النَّدَى

أَنْ يُبْقِيَ الأَصْلَ وأَنْ يُبْقِيكَ

أَنْ يُبْقِيَ الأَصْلَ وأَنْ يُبْقِيكَ

I asked Him who swiftly took generosity's branch

I asked the fresh young branch of glory to

to preserve the root, and to preserve you.

Preserve its root, and to preserve you too.