بحرُ الفصاحةِ غاضَ يا إخواني

وأخو الإبانة لفَّ في الأكفانِ

The sea of eloquence has withdrawn, O my brothers

And the brother of clarity has been shrouded in wrappings

جبلٌ من الأجبال أضحْىَ ساقطاً

متهدمَ الأرجاءَ والأركانِ

A mountain among mountains has fallen down

Its corners and pillars demolished

كلا هو البحرُ الغزيرُ عَنَت له

فصحاء هذا الدهرِ بالإذْعَانِ

It is not the abundant sea that has shrunk away from it

But the eloquence of this age has submitted to it in obedience

لا زالَ مفتاحاً لكلِّ غريبة

تُتْلى من الآثارِ والقرآن

It still remains a key to every strange and subtle point

Recited from relics and the Quran

ولقد شغلتَ عيونَنا وقلوبنا

مُذْ هِمتَ بالهمَلانِ والخفقَانِ

You certainly preoccupied our eyes and hearts

Since you fell ill and trembled

وعمرتَ أفئدةَ الرجال وأهلها

بالهم والأوصاب والأحزانِ

And you filled the hearts of men and their households

With worries, sorrows, and griefs

ولقد نزلتَ بمنزلٍ فرداً به

مع جيرة متقاربي الأوطان

And you descended to dwell in a house alone

With neighbors of adjacent dwelling places

لو يعلمون بأن شخصك عندهم

فرحوا بما تحويه من تِبيانِ

If only they had known that your person was among them

They would have rejoiced at the elucidation you contain

عجباً لقبر يحتويك بلحدِه

ويضيقهِ وبصدرِكَ البحرانِ

How remarkable, a grave containing you in its enclosure

While it is too narrow for your expansive chest

أبكى فراقُك كلَّ حبرٍ عالمٍ

من جملةٍ الزهّادِ والرَّهْبانِ

Your separation makes every knowledgeable scholar weep

Among the ranks of the ascetics and monks

من حيثُ إنَّك للفصاحةِ مَعْدِن

وملخِّص لغرائبِ الفرقان

Because you are the mine of eloquence

And essence of the wonders of the Criterion

وغدَا محيّا العلمِ أعمى بعدما

قد كانَ تحت جبينه عينانِ

And the light of knowledge is now blinded with your loss

After it had two eyes beneath its brow

وصممُ علمِ النحو أصبحَ ذاوياً

بعد اخضرارِ العودِ والأغْصانِ

And the science of grammar has become confused

After the flourishing of its wood and branches

يَا نَازلاً بعد التنعمِ والغنى

في برزَخٍ ما عنده من ثانِ

O you who came down from comfort and wealth

To an isthmus that has no second side

من قبل كنت منعماً بلذاذةِ

مع رتبة الأصحابِ والخلانِ

Before, you enjoyed the bliss

With the rank of the righteous and caliphs

هل بعدك الدنيا تطيب لهمْ وهم

كالرأسِ أحياءٌ بغيرِ لسانِ

After you, can the world be sweet for them

When they are like a living head without a tongue?

لو يقبلُ الموت الفداءَ فدوْك

بالأموالِ والأولادِ والوِلْدَانِ

If death would accept ransom, they would ransom you

With wealth, children, and youths

يا غائبَ الجثمانِ ذكرك حاضرٌ

من سابقٍ في أعصرِ الأزْمانِ

O you absent in body, your memory is present

Among the predecessors of epochs of time

هلْ من فصيح في الورى كمحمدٍ

نسلِ الصفىّ ابن الفتى عمرانِ

Is there one eloquent in the world like Muhammad

The progeny of As-Saffah son of Imran?

هجمت عليه الحادثات بكلكل

فطواه صرفُ حوادِثِ المَلَوانِ

Misfortunes assailed him constantly

So the changes of time have destroyed him

إنّ المنيَّةَ لا تردّ إذا أَتَتْ

مأمورةً مِنْ ربنا المنَّانِ

Indeed death does not turn back when it comes

Sent from our Lord the Bestower of Favors

إخواننا ى تحزنوا واستَمسِكوا

وتوثَّقُوا بِعُرى عظيمِ الشانِ

O brothers, do not grieve, persevere

And hold firmly to the cord of the Mighty

صبراً فإن اللهَ جلَّ جلالهُ

قد قالَ أجمعُ من عليها فانِ

Have patience, for Allah, Majestic is His Majesty

Has said, "Upon it (i.e. the earth) are those who will perish"

حقّاً ويبقَى وجه ربك ذُو العلى

والطولِ والآلاء والإحسانِ

Truthfully the Face of your Lord, Full of Majesty

And Highness, Favors, and Kindness, remains

إنا خلقنا للتصبرِ والأسَى

والنوحُ والأحزانُ للنِّسْوَانِ

We were created for patience and sorrow

While crying and grief is for women

أعداءَنا لا تشمتوا بمصابِنا

فالموت مورد جملةِ القُطَّانِ

O enemies, do not gloat at our affliction

For death is the fate of all creatures

إنا لنلهو والمنايا شُرَّعٌ

لا بدَّ تأتينا على الغَفَلانِ

We may play and forget, while death is ordained

It will come upon us unexpectedly

إن كنتَ ذا عقلِ فلا تنسَ المُنَى

واذكر فراقَ الأهلِ والسكَّانِ

If you have intellect, then do not forget death

And remember the separation from family and neighbors

واتركْ هواكَ فإن عمركَ منقضٍ

وترقبنَّ لحادثِ الحدَثانِ

And leave your desires, for your life is ending

And anticipate the occurrence of events

من قبلِ أنُ يلقوكَ في بيتِ البلى

في برزخِ الأهوالِ والديدانِ

Before you are laid in the house of annihilation

In the intermediate realm of terrors and worms

ماذا تقولُ إذا حللتَ بِبَلْقَعٍ

فرداً به إما أتى المَلَكانِ

What will you say when you are laid in the grave

Alone, and the two angels come to you?

وهما النكيرُ ومنكرٌ حتى إذا

ما أقصداك وأقبَلا يَسَلاَنِ

The Questioner and the Denier, until they turn to you

And approach you and begin to question you

إن كنتَ من أهل السعادة بُشْرا

ك برحمةٍ ومسرةٍ وجنانِ

If you are among the people of happiness, glad tidings

Awaits you, of mercy, bliss, and gardens

وبراحةٍ ولذاذة وحلاوةٍ

وبرأفة من ربنا وأمانِ

And comfort, pleasure, sweetness

And kindness from our Lord and safety

أو كنتَ من أهلِ الشقاوة بش

راك بغصة ومذلةٍ وهَوانِ

But if you are among the wretched, beware

Of anguish, disgrace, and humiliation

وبِكُرْبةٍ وبحسرةٍ وندامةٍ

وإقامةٍ في جَاحِمِ النَّيرانِ

And of regret, remorse, and lamenting

And abiding in the blazing Fire

ثم الصلاةُ على النبيِّ محمدٍ

خيرِ الورَى المبعوثِ مِنْ عَدْنَانِ

Then send prayers upon the Prophet Muhammad

The best of creation, sent from ‘Adnan

صلّى عليه ما وسقَ الدُّجَى

أو لاحَ في خضرائها القَمرَانِ

Send prayers upon him for as long as

The dew drops glisten or the moon shines