صَبْراًbe patient أَباO father of أَحْمَدَAhmad فالْمَوْتُfor death لاnot
صَبْراً أَبا أَحْمَدَ فالْمَوْتُ لا
بُدَّescape لَناfor us مِنْهُfrom it عَلَىdespite الرَّغْمِreluctance
بُدَّ لَنا مِنْهُ عَلَى الرَّغْمِ
Be patient, Abu Ahmad, for death cannot
Patience, Abu Ahmad, for death is inevitable for us all
be escaped by us, however unwilling we may be.
Despite our resistance, each gathering leads to parting
فَكُلُّfor every جَمْعٍgathering هُوit إلىto فُرْقَةٍseparation
فَكُلُّ جَمْعٍ هُو إلى فُرْقَةٍ
وَكُلُّand every وَصْلٍunion هُوit إلَىto صَرْمِseverance
وَكُلُّ وَصْلٍ هُو إلَى صَرْمِ
For every gathering leads to separation,
And each union leads to separation
and every union leads to severance.
Whoever does not part with you will part soon
مَنْwhoever لَمْnot تُفارِقْهُyou part from him يُفارِقْكَhe parts from you فيin
مَنْ لَمْ تُفارِقْهُ يُفارِقْكَ في
قُرْبٍa short while فَفيمَthen why الهَمُّworry والغَمّand grief
قُرْبٍ فَفيمَ الهَمُّ والغَمّ
Whoever you do not part from will part from you in
So why the sorrow and grief?
a short while; why, then, the worry and grief?
If death is unavoidable, the first and last face the same fate
إنْif كانَit is لاno بُدَّescape مِنَfrom الْمَوْتِdeath فالthen the
إنْ كانَ لا بُدَّ مِنَ الْمَوْتِ فال
أَوَّلُfirst والآخِرُand the last فيunder حُكْمِa decree
أَوَّلُ والآخِرُ في حُكْمِ
If death is unavoidable, then the
And if sadness is destined, patience and forbearance are best
first and the last are under one decree.
Wailing and crying are useless to the wise
وإنْand if يَكُنْit is لاno بُدَّescape مِنْfrom صَدْمَةٍa blow
وإنْ يَكُنْ لا بُدَّ مِنْ صَدْمَةٍ
فَخَيْرُهاthen its good فيin الصَّبْرِpatience والحِلْمِand forbearance
فَخَيْرُها في الصَّبْرِ والحِلْمِ
And if a blow is unavoidable,
In times of calamity be steadfast
then its good lies in patience and forbearance.
Enduring with acceptance, you will attain reward
لاno نَفْعَbenefit فيin هايٍ'ah!' (a lament) ولاnor وايَ'oh!' (a lament) أَوْor
لا نَفْعَ في هايٍ ولا وايَ أَوْ
فيin وَيْل'woe!' أَوْor وَيْحَ'alas!' لِذِيfor one with الفَهْمِunderstanding
في وَيْل أَوْ وَيْحَ لِذِي الفَهْمِ
There is no use in 'ah!' or 'oh!', or
in 'woe!' or 'alas!' for one with understanding.
فَكُنْso be لَدَىin the face of ذاthis الخَطْبِcalamity مُسْتَرجِعاًsaying 'To God we belong and to Him we return'
فَكُنْ لَدَى ذا الخَطْبِ مُسْتَرجِعاً
مُحْتَسِباًseeking God's reward تَظْفَرُyou will attain بالغُنْمِthe gain (with it)
مُحْتَسِباً تَظْفَرُ بالغُنْمِ
So, in this calamity, say, 'To God we belong and to Him we return,'
seeking His reward; you will gain the recompense.
Partial English translation: 10 of 14 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1