أيلتذّ بالدّنيا منعَّمُ بالِ

وللموت في الأحشاء رَشقُ نِبَال

I enjoyed the world deluded by its charm,

While death had arrows aimed at my heart's core.

عجبتُ وما الأيّامُ إلاّ عجائب

ركونٌ إلى آلٍ وطيفُ خيال

I wondered, for days are but wondrous things,

A leaning on kinship and a mirage's trace.

فهل وَاصَلَتْ إلاّ وِصالَ مُخادعٍ

وهل أَرْضَعَتْ إلاّ لِبانَ فِصَال

Did it connect me except to one who cheats?

Did it nurture me except with sundered milk?

فإيّاك والإصغاءَ منها لزخرفٍ

فما هو في التّحقيق غيرُ مِحال

Beware listening to its vain trappings,

For it is, in truth, nothing but impossibilities.

وشَمِّرْ لما تلقاه عن ساقِ جاهدٍ

له هِمَمٌ في الصّالحات عوالي

Roll up your sleeves for the journey of one who strives,

With lofty aspirations for righteous deeds,

وَعِظْ منك نفسا ما ارعوت لِمُذكِّرِ

ولا وَثِقَتْ من نَاصِحٍ بمقال

And advise a soul whom you have pastured

But never trusted the words of an adviser.

وفي موت أهل العلم أَوْعَظُ واعظٍ

لمن يَخْطُرُ الإيمانُ منه ببال

In the death of scholars lies the greatest admonition

For one whose faith is sparked within his mind,

ولا سيّما من لم يزَلْ بِعُلومِه

يحلّى نُحُورَ الطّالبينَ لآَلي

Especially one whose knowledge continuously

Adorned the minds of students with gems,

وينشرها وهي العقود كأنّما

تفوح بذاك النّشرِ منه غوالي

Who spread it as if necklaces were diffusing

From such dissemination their very scents,

وهل كان مثل الشيخ أحمدَ ناشر

على طول أيّام له وليالي

Was there anyone like Sheikh Ahmad, who proliferated

Throughout his days and nights knowledge for all souls?

أبو عبدَة الأرْضَى الإمامُ ومَنْ له

من العلم والتّوفيق أيّ خِلال

Father of Abdallah Ardha, the Imam whom no one equals

In knowledge and divine support—who rivals him?

يروح لنفع الطّالبين ويغتدي

كما هطلت مُزْنُ السّما بزُلال

He went to benefit students, attacking

Like pouring rain clouds with drizzling showers,

متى كَلَّ ذ وَجْهٍ جديدٍ فإنّه

على كِبَرٍ لم يتّسِمْ بكلال

Whenever a new face arrived, he met it

Unimpaired by age though time took its toll,

إلى أن غدا علمه الدّهر مطلعا

لِنَجْمٍ يُرى في دُجْنَةٍ وهلال

Until his knowledge illuminated the age

Like a star seen in the darkness of night's crescent.

على فقده فَلْيَبْكِ درسٌ ودارسٌ

بِدَمْعٍ على وجه الطّروس مُذَالِ

For his loss, let a lesson weep—and every student—

With tears flowing on faces like necklaces undone.

وفي مثله تأسى القلوب فإنّه

لها صيقل من رَانِها المتوالي

In the like of him hearts despair, for he

Was their burnisher with his ever-renewing grace.

ولكنّه حيث النّعيمُ مصيرُه

فكلُّ امْرِيءٍ ذو رحلة وزوال

But he has gone where bliss is his destination,

For every person has a journey and decline.

ومَنْ كان مِن قربى الرّسول وآله

فَأَوْلَى بأن يَحْظى بخير مآل

Whoever was kin to the Prophet and his family

Is worthiest of attaining the best fate.

وَمَنْ كان للدّين الحنيفِّي ساعداً

فَأَحْرَى بنزلٍ من رضى المتعالي

Whoever aided the pure religious way

Merits a place of God's supreme contentment.

فَزُرْ قبرَهُ واذْكُرْ مقال مُؤرِّخ

سقى قبره الرّحمان مُزْنَ نَوَالِ

Visit his grave and remember what the chronicler relates,

The Merciful watered his grave with pouring showers.