كلُّ حيّ إلى الفناء يصيرُ

والليالي تَعِلَّةٌ وغُرورُ

Every living being is destined to die,

And the nights are misleading and deceptive,

وإلى الله يرجع المَلْكُ والمُلْ

ك ويفُضِي الأمير والمأمور

And to Allah belong the kingdom and the rule,

The prince and the commanded will both perish,

وإذا لم يكن من الموت بدٌّ

فطويل الحياة نَزْرٌ حقير

And if death is inevitable,

Then long life is insignificant and trivial,

أيَّ خَطْبٍ أرى وأيُّ ليالٍ

دهم الناس صَرفُها المحذورُ

What misfortunes do I see, and what nights,

Bringing unexpected calamities to people?

كيف لا تأثِر المصائب في النف

س على من هو النفيس الأثِير

How could tragedies not affect the soul,

Of one who is precious and honourable?

وكذا الرُزْءُ بالعظيم عظيم

وكذا الرزء بالحقير حقير

And so, sorrow is great for the great,

And sorrow is trivial for the trivial,

كيف لم تسقط السماء على الأر

ض ولم تَهوِ شمسُها والبدور

How has the sky not fallen upon the earth?

And how has its sun and full moons not collapsed?

يوم مات الأمير بل يوم مات الصَّ

بر فيه بل يوم مات السرور

The day the prince died, no, the day patience died in it,

No, the day joy died in it,

يوم بُلَّ الثرى عليه من الدّم

ع وقُدّت على القلوب الصدور

The day dust was poured over him, made of blood,

And fires were lit in hearts,

يوم حُطَّت عمائم وأذاعت

سِرَّها فيه أَدْؤرٌ وخُدورُ

The day turbans were removed and their secrets were laid bare,

A day of harm and sorrows,

يوم أبكى العيون حتى بكاهُ الْ

أسَدُ الوَرْد والغزالُ الغَرِير

The day eyes cried until the lion of flowers cried for him,

And the tender, doe-eyed gazelle,

وسمعتُ الزفير وهو صُرَاخ

ورأيت الدموع وهي بحور

I heard wailing as if screaming,

And saw tears as if oceans,

في أوانٍ هو الشتاء فأمسى

بلهيب الأنفاس وهوْ هجير

At a time of winter, yet it felt

As scorching as fiery breath,

شيَّعت نعشَه ملائكة الل

ه وروَّته رحمة وطهور

The angels of God bid his funeral farewell,

Bathing him in mercy and purity,

بمقام غابت وجوهُ التعزِّي

عنه والحزن والأنام حضور

At a resting place, where faces of condolences disappeared,

While grief and people gathered,

قَبروا شخصه ووارَوْا سناه

وتولَّوا والفائز المقبور

They buried his body and hid his age,

And left, while the buried was triumphant,

كم نصيرٍ له هناك ولكن

ليس من سَوْرة الحِمام نصير

How many supporters there for him, but

No aid comes from the wall of a dove,

لو تُركنا إلى الفداء فَداهُ

من يد الموت عالمَون كثيرُ

If we were left to sacrifice ourselves for him,

Many scholars would have saved him from death′s grip,

وسيوفٌ ومثلُهنّ عبيد

ورماحٌ ومثلهنّ عَشِير

With swords and many servants like them

And spears and many tribesmen like them,

قدَّس الله رُوحه وضريحاً

حلَّه ذلك السَنَا والنور

God sanctified his soul, and made his shrine

A place of glory and light,

يا أخي أيُّ عَبْرة ليس تهمي

وفؤاد عليك ليس يطِير

My brother, what lesson is there that does not concern me,

While my heart does not fly to you?

يا أخي إن بكتك عيني فإني

بالبكا والأسى عليك جدير

My brother, if my eyes weep for you,

I deserve to cry and grieve for you,

يا أخي عبد الله أيّ مساع

لم يَفُقْهنَّ سَعْيك المبرور

My brother Abdullah, what hearing

Did not appreciate your blessed efforts?

يا أخي إن صاحبي وأخي بَعْ

دك تَلْهابُ لوعةٍ وزفير

My brother, after you my companion and brother

Burns with sorrow and moaning,

وفؤادٌ عن السلوّ عنيد

ومن الصبر والعزاء نَفُور

A heart stubbornly avoiding solace

And refusing patience and condolences

كنتَ مِلْءَ الجفون نوراً فأَمْسَتْ

مِلْؤُها مدمع عليك غزير

You were the light of my eyes, and now

They are filled with copious tears for you,

خانني بعدك التجلّد والصب

ر على أنني الجليد الصبور

After you, perseverance and patience have betrayed me

Though I am known as calm and patient

أيُّ أخلاقك الرضيَّة يُرْثَى

رأيك العَضْب أم سناك المنير

Which of your agreeable traits can one mourn?

Your pleasing opinion or your shining age?

أم محّياً يجول ماء النُهَى في

ه وماء الحِجَا القَرَاح النَمِير

Or the water of benevolence circulating in you

And the water of wisdom, sharp and pure?

أم شباب كما بدا نَبْتُه الغضْ

ضُ وعُمْر لَدْنُ الحواشي نضير

Or a youthful vigour that appeared as tender as a sapling

And a lifetime as immaculate as an unblemished page?

فالصباح الأغرّ ليل بهيم

عند فَقْدِيك والديار قبور

So the beautiful dawn has become a terrible night without you

And home is now a graveyard,