1. خطب أعار لقلبي الهمّ والقلقا

    وأودع المقلتين المع والأرقا

    A calamity lent my heart grief and anxiety,

    and lodged tears and sleeplessness in both eyes.

  2. أرى سهام المنايا لم تدع أحدا

    ولا تغادر أهل الملك والسوقا

    I see that the arrows of death have spared no one,

    nor do they spare royalty or common folk.

  3. من رزء مختارنا بن الفضال انفتقا

    في الدين فتق فاعظم بالذي انفتقا

    At the loss of our Mukhtar ibn al-Faddal, there opened

    a rift in the faith—how great the rift that opened!

  4. واختل في الدين شمل كان منتظما

    به وبدر الهدى من فقده محقا

    The faith's fellowship fell apart, once held together

    by him; its full moon of guidance was effaced by his loss.

  5. يوم من الخافقات الشهب يوم قضى

    من هو له سال دمع العين وانخفقا

    A day of ashen, shaking calamities was the day there died

    the one for whom the eye's tears streamed and quivered.

  6. قد كنت أسطو على ريب الزمان به

    عضبا وادفع عني كل ما طرقا

    I used to assail time's afflictions with him,

    as with a keen sword, and ward off all that came upon me.

  7. لهفي على لوذعيّ ذي ندى وتقى

    وهيبة تملأ الأفكار والحدقا

    Alas for that keen-witted man of generosity and piety,

    and majesty that filled minds and eyes;

  8. وذي معارف ربانية وهدى

    وهمة علت العيوق والأفقا

    possessed of divine knowledge and guidance,

    and aspiration that rose above Capella and the horizon;

  9. وفرط دود وعقل كامل وذكا

    داري به ضعفاء العقل والحمقا

    of abundant affection, a consummate mind, and wit,

    with which he humored the weak-minded and the foolish.

  10. فّاح ما انغلقا مفتاح ما انطبقا

    رتّاق ما انفتقا رقاع ما انخرقا

    An opener of what was shut, a key to what was closed,

    a stitcher of what was rent, a patcher of what was torn;

  11. وزّاع من فسقا جمّاع ما افترقا

    جبّار ما انفلقا دأداء من فرقا

    a restrainer of sinners, a gatherer of what was scattered;

    a mender of what was split, a soother of those afraid;

  12. يث إذا اندفقا ليث إذا حنقا

    مسك إذا عبقا لكلّ من نشقا

    rain when he poured forth, a lion when he raged;

    musk when fragrant, for everyone who breathed it in.

  13. ماح لما اختلقا فارٍ لما خلَقا

    منج لمن غرقا ملجا لمن دحقا

    An effacer of fabrications, a cutter-away of what was forged;

    a rescuer of the drowning, a refuge for the driven-out;

  14. صدوق ان نطقا مطيع من خلقا

    عماد من زلقا مهد لمن ذلقا

    truthful when he spoke, obedient to the One who created;

    a support for whoever slipped, a resting place for the distressed.

  15. اقرانه سبقا باللّه قد وثقا

    وحاز فرط تقى ربّي به الفرقا

    He surpassed his peers; in God he placed his trust,

    and attained great piety, with which he nurtured the groups [reading uncertain].

  16. صافي الخلائق روح العدل سيف هدى

    من الشريعة حلّى الصدر والعنقا

    Pure in character, the spirit of justice, a sword of guidance,

    he adorned his breast and neck with the sacred law.

  17. حلو الشمائل تاج العارفين ومن

    بحر الحقيقة ربي القلب منه سقى

    Sweet in disposition, the crown of those who know God; and from

    the sea of Truth my Lord gave the heart to drink.

  18. علم الحقيقة والشريعة اجتمعا

    له فأضحى بربي من به النحقا

    Knowledge of Truth and of sacred law came together

    in him; so he nurtured whoever joined him [reading uncertain].

  19. وبحر جود وعلم زاخر وإذا

    ما معتفوه أتوه فاض واندفقا

    A surging sea of generosity and knowledge; and whenever

    those seeking his gifts came to him, he overflowed and poured forth.

  20. كسا الحقيقة ديباجا وطرّزه

    في عصره ثم أضحى بعده خلقا

    He clothed Truth in brocade and embroidered it

    in his age; then, after him, it grew threadbare.

  21. به تضعضع سوء المحدثات وفي

    أيامه زهق البطلان وانسحقا

    Through him, the evil of innovations crumbled, and in

    his days falsehood perished and was crushed.

  22. مبذول مال مصون العرض طاهره

    جالي دجُنّة ليل الشك ان غسقا

    His wealth freely given, his honor guarded and pure,

    he dispelled the darkness of doubt's night whenever it deepened.

  23. شعاره البر والتقوى وديدينه

    رضى الاله خديم الضيف ان طرقا

    His watchword was righteousness and piety, and his constant practice

    the pleasure of God; a servant to any guest who came by night.

  24. فالدين منتظم والجيل منتشر

    به وحسّن منه الخالق الخلقا

    Thus the faith was well ordered and the people spread out

    through him; and the Creator made his character beautiful.

  25. أعناق أهل الخطايا والذنوب غدا

    مفكّكا عنهم الأغلال والربقا

    From the necks of those guilty of faults and sins, he set about

    removing their fetters and binding collars.

  26. وقد زان شعري أن الشعر أحسنه

    مدح يقال إذا أنشدته صدقا

    And my verse is adorned by this: the finest poetry

    is praise spoken truthfully when you recite it.

  27. يا رب من نور البدرين والفلقا

    وخص أحمد بالمعراج حين رقى

    O Lord, You who illumined the two full moons and the dawn,

    and singled out Ahmad for the Ascension when he rose,

  28. عجل بفضلك للمختار مغفرة

    واجعله بالرسل والابرار ملتحقا

    hasten, by Your grace, forgiveness for Mukhtar,

    and join him to the messengers and the righteous.

  29. وأصبب سجال الرضى عليه مترعة

    وسيل عفو ولطف هامر غدقا

    Pour upon him brimming bucketfuls of Your favor,

    and a torrent of pardon and kindness, pouring abundantly.

  30. واجعله في القبر في أمن وفي سعة

    واجعله للحور في الفردوس معتنقا

    Place him in safety and spaciousness within the grave,

    and let him embrace the houris in Paradise.