هُوَ الأَجَلُ المَوقوتُ لا يَتَخَلَّفُ

وَلَيسَ يُرَدُّ الفائِتُ المُتَأَسِّفُ

It is the appointed time that does not fail

And the past cannot be regretted by the sorrowful

رَضينا قَضاءَ اللَهِ جَلَّ جَلالُهُ

وَإِن ضَلَّ فيهِ الجاهِلُ المُتَعَسِّفُ

We accept the decree of Allah, exalted is His majesty

Though the ignorant transgressor may be misguided in it

هُوَ الحَقُّ يَجزينا ثَوابَ صَنيعِهِ

وَنُنفِقُ مِن خَيراتِهِ وَهوَ يُخلِفُ

He is the Truth who rewards us for our deeds

And we spend from His bounties while He replaces

يُعافي وَيَعفو عَن كَثيرٍ وَلَم يَزَل

حَليماً وَما زِلنا نُسيءُ وَنُسرِفُ

He pardons and forgives much though we have not ceased

To do wrong while He remains Forbearing

فَكَيفَ يُؤَدّي حَمدَهُ حَقّ حَمدِهِ

كَما يَنبَغي مَجداً لِسانٌ وَأَحرُفُ

How can praise suffice His rightful praise

As befits His glory, by tongue and letters

إِلَهي عَجزنا دونَ ما أَنتَ أَهلُهُ

وَخِفنا وَنَرجو ما لَدَيكَ وَنَرجُفُ

My God we fall short of what You deserve

And we fear while hoping in what is with You and tremble

أَشارَت يَدُ الدُنيا بِتَوديعِ أَهلِها

وَكِدنا نَرى الأَشراطَ وَاللَهُ يَلطُفُ

The hand of this world has gestured farewell to its people

And we almost see the tribulations while God gentles

رَجَوناكَ مِفضالاً وَخِفناكَ عادِلاً

فَهَب ما نُرجي وَاكفُ ما نَتَخَوَّفُ

We hoped You would be gracious and feared You would be just

So grant what we hope and spare us what we dread

هِيَ الجسر لِلأُخرى فَسِر ضَيفَ لَيلَةٍ

عَلَيها فَكُل ما تُستَضافُ وَتُعلَفُ

It is the bridge to the next so journey as a guest for a night

On it for all that is hosted and fed are transient

تُكَلِّفُنا أَشياءَ لا نَستَطيعُها

وَنَعلَقُ فيها بِالمُحالِ وَنَكلَفُ

It tasks us with things beyond our capacity

And we cling to the impossible and exert

فَأَمّا هَوانا طولُها فَلِأَنفُسٍ

شَديدٍ عَلَيها تَركُ ما كانَ تَألَفُ

As for its meanness, that is from selves

Harsh upon it, leaving what they were accustomed to

تَصَرَّفَتِ الهَوجاء فينا عَلى عَمىً

فَلا غَرَضٌ تَبغيهِ فيما تُصَرِّفُ

Wayward fancies have confused us blindly

With no purpose sought in what they dispose

وَما ذاكَ إِلّا أَنَّها جَدُّ كَلبَةٍ

وَما طُبِعَت إِلّا عَلى الكَلبِ تَصرِفُ

That is but the nature of a mere dog

Its disposition is only to act doggishly

يَبَشّ مُحيّاها إِلى كُلِّ ناقِصٍ

وَتَعبَس في وَجهِ الكَريمِ وَتَصدُفُ

It smiles at every deficient one

And frowns in the face of the noble and bucks

وَلَيسَ يَفي فيها يُفيدُ سُرورُها

بِأَحزانِها فيما تُبيدُ وَتُتلِفُ

Its joy is of no benefit balancing its sorrows

In what it destroys and ruins

فَلا تَرضَها جَمعاءَ كَتعاءَ جُملَةً

تَحِلَّةَ ما تولي عَلَيهِ وَتَحلِفُ

It is not pleased to gather possessions all together

Adorned with what it turns to and swears by

وَلا دارُ سُكنى وَهيَ قَصرٌ مُشَيَّدٌ

فَكَيفَ وَهَذا قاعُها وَهوَ صَفصَفُ

It is no dwelling, though a erected palace

So how when this is its depth, a mere mirage

وَما الزُّهدُ في إلغائِها وَهيَ عَلقَمٌ

زُعاقٌ وَلَكِن وَهِيَ صَهباءُ قَرقَفُ

And asceticism in renouncing it, when it is filth

Clamor and din, though it poses as a blond lass

مَضَت غَيرَ ما سُوف عَلى زَرَجونِها

وَلَكِن عَلى مِثلِ اِبنِ يوسُفَ يوسَفُ

It passed not as one would hope but as

The like of Joseph son of Jacob, Joseph

فَتانا وَمُفتينا المُصيبُ وَشَيخُنا

وَنِبراسُنا فيما يَهُمُّ وَيَسدِفُ

Our model and guide is the Stricken One, our Shaykh

And our guiding light in what matters and rows

يُعايِنُ أَعقابَ الأُمورِ فَراسَةً

إِياسِيَّةً تُلقى إِلَيهِ وَتَهتِفُ

He observes the outcomes of matters with insight

Pessimistic, surrendered to him and hailed

وَتَسمَعُ عَنهُ بِالعَجيبِ وَما تَرى

بِأَحسَنَ مِمّا كانَ يَروي وَأَطرَفُ

You hear of him such wondrous things you do not see

Better than what he would recount, more witty

تَهُمُّ قُلوبُ الحاسِدينَ بِغَمصِهِ

فَتَسبقُهُم أَفواهُهُم فَتُشَرَّفُ

The hearts of enviers plot against him

But their mouths outpace them and expose

بَصيرٌ بِحَلِّ المُشكِلاتِ كَأَنَّما

يُكاشِفُ عَن أَسرارِها ثُمَّ يَكشِفُ

Discerning in resolving quandaries as if

Revealing their secrets then disclosing

حَكيمٌ تَلاشى فيهِ سَحبانُ وائِلٍ

وَقِسٌّ وَأَفعى الجُرهُمِيُّ وَقَلطَفُ

Wise, the clouds of Wael and the vipers

Of Jurhum and Qaltaf have faded in him

وَرِسطا وَقِسطا وَاِبنُ وَهَرمُسٌ

وإِقليدِس ذو الجَوسَفَينِ وَاِسقُفُ

And Thales, Pittacus, Ibn Waramis

And Euclid of the Elements and the Bishop

غَمامٌ بِماءِ المُزنِ يَنهَلُ مُزنُهُ

وَبَحرٌ بِأَصدافِ المَكارِمِ يَقذِفُ

A cloud with the showers of al-Muzan

And a sea with the shells of virtues tossing

تَمَلَّكَ أَطرافَ القَضاءِ وَفِقهَهُ

وَما هُوَ إِلّا مالِك وَمُطَرَّفُ

He has mastered the extremities of destiny and its ways

And he is none other than the Master and the Virtuous

تُخاطِبُنا كُبرى اِبن يوسُفَ عِندَهُ

دَعَوا كَثرَةَ الأَراءِ هَذا المُصَنّفُ

The great works of Ibn Yusuf address him

This compiled book on the multiplicity of views

دَرى في اللُّغى وَالنَّحوِ ما شاءَ في الصِبا

فَشَبَّ عَلى تَحقيقِهِ يَتَفَلسَفُ

He knows in language and grammar what he wished in youth

So he grew versed in verifying and philosophizing

يُجَوِّدُ آياتِ الكِتابِ فَصَدرُهُ

لِمَجموعِ ذي النورَينِ عُثمان مُصحَفُ

He elucidates the verses of the Book while his breast

Is for its collected entirety the Uthmanic codex

عَواطِلُ آذانٍ مِنَ العِلمِ لَم يَكُن

يُقَرِّطُها تَدريسُهُ وَيُشَنَّفُ

Lazy ears unaccustomed to knowledge

His teaching does not split and rip open

يُفَسِّرُهُ تَفسيرَ حَبرٍ مُوَفَّقٍ

يُسَنّى لَهُ فَيضُ العُلومِ فَيَغرِفُ

He explicates it with the interpretation of an accomplished scholar

Drawing from the overflowing fount of knowledge

نَضَت جودَها في كَفِّهِ كَفُّ حاتِمٍ

وَزَرَّ عَلَيهِ جُبَّة الحِلمِ أَحنَفُ

Its generosity poured into his palm, Hatim's palm

And the mantle of forbearance wrapped over him

أَشَمُّ المَعالي هَمُّهُ وَهوَ هَمُّها

وَيشغَفُ فيها مِثلَ ما فيهِ تشغَفُ

He aspires to noble virtues, those are his concern

And is passionate for them just as they are for him

قَصَرنَ عَلَيهِ الطَرفِ وَهوَ كَأَنَّما

بِرُؤيا سِواها كانَ يَقذى وَيُطرَفُ

Eyes fell short of him, yet he is as though

By seeing ought but them he was gouged and turned

وَما كُنتُ أَدري قَبلَهُ المَوتَ زَعزَعا

يُدَكدِكُ جودِيَّ المَعالي وَيَنسِفُ

I did not know before him death a shaking

That would pound and crush the noble virtues

وَلا حاجِياً أَن يَستَهِلَّ اِبنُ لَيلَةٍ

عَلى النّاسِ بَدراً كامِلاً ثُمَّ يُكسَفُ

Nor one in need that the son of Layla

Should rise upon the people a full moon then eclipse

تَوَغَّلتَ سِجنَ الهَمِّ فَاِصبِرهُ حِسبَةً

يُجازيكَ مَن مَجزِيِّ يوسُفَ يوسُفُ

You have penetrated the prison of sorrow, so be patient a reward

He who rewarded Joseph will reward you, Joseph

أَرادَ بِكَ اللَهُ الَّتي هِيَ عِندَهُ

أَحَظُّ وَأَحظى بِالمَفازِ وَأَشرَفُ

God wanted for you what is with Him

More fortunate, triumphing, and noble

وَلَو أَنَّ آثامَ البَرِيَّةِ كِفةٌ

لَخَفَّت بِما فيها ثَوابُكَ يُصرَفُ

If all of mankind's sins were in one scale

Your reward would outweigh them and prevail

وَبَخ بَخ وَبَشِّرِ أُمَّ أَحمَدَ بِالَّذي

يُثَنّى لَها مِن أَجرِهِ وَيُضَعَّفُ

Give glad tidings, glad tidings, tell the mother of Ahmad what

Will be doubled for her from its reward and amplified

فَلا تَجزَعا يا والِدَيهِ فَرَبُّهُ

أَبَرُّ بِهِ مِن والِديهِ وأَرأَفُ

So do not despair, O his parents, for his Lord

Is more merciful to him than parents, kinder

وَخَلّي وَمَن أَصفَيتِ وُدّي وَمَن بِهِ

أُقيم اِعوِجاجي كُلَّهُ وَأُثَقّفُ

And leave, and those you befriended, my love and those in whom

All my crookedness was set straight and cultivated

وأَفرَشتني شَوكَ القَتادِ وَإِنَّما

فَراشاكَ في الفِردَوسِ لاذٌ وَرَفرَفُ

You have laid me on the thorns of loss yet your resting place

In the Firdaws is shelter and plush

وَجازاكَ عَنها خَيرَ خَيرٍ يَنالَهُ

وَيُجزى بِهِ الدَيّانَةُ المُتَحَنِّفُ

And may what is best of the best reward you from it

And the Perfect Judge reward you

وَخَلّى لِمَولاهُ الحَضيضَ وَأَهلَهُ

فَلَيسَ لَهُ إِلّا إِلَيهِ التَشَوُّفُ

And he left for his Master the lowly and His people

So he has none but Him to yearn for

وَتَعزوهُ لِلأَحداثِ سِنٌّ صَغيرَةٌ

وَيَعزوهُ لِلأَشياخِ عِلمٌ يُؤَلَّفُ

Some ascribe his youth to his few years

While the learned ascribe his knowledge to the elders

تَعَجَّبتُ مِن تَقديمِهِ عِندَ عدِّهِم

وَهُم وَهوَ عَقدُ السُؤدَد المَحضِ نَيفُ

I was amazed at his precedence in their counting

When they and he are pearls unpierced, untainted

تَغَلغَلَ في عِلمِ التَصَوُّفِ آخِذاً

عَلى نَفسِهِ دونَ الحُظوظِ التَصَوُّفُ

He penetrated the knowledge of Sufism, taking

The path of asceticism, not self indulgence

وَأَدناكَ إِذا لَم تَرضَ نَفسُكَ حَيَّةً

بِما لَيسَ يُدني مِن رِضاهُ وَيُزلِفُ

You drew him near, when his soul was not pleased,

With that which does not draw near to His pleasure

وَغَلَّ لِساني فيكَ ما غَمَّ خاطِر

فَها أَنا أَرسو في الكَلامِ وَأَرسُفُ

My tongue grew tied speaking of him when he worried

So here I am, digressing in speech, excessive

وَلَم أَقضِ أَدنى حَقِّهِ غَيرَ أَنَّني

أُبَهرِجُ في تَأبينِهِ وَأُزَخرِفُ

I have not fulfilled the least of his rights

Except to ramble eulogizing him, embellishing

رَثاء الَّذي لا يُسخِطُ اللَهَ قَولُهُ

وَيَحزَنُ مِنهُ القَلبُ وَالعَينُ تَذرِفُ

An elegy that does not anger God in its words

While grieving the heart as tears flow

تَمَنَّيتُ لَو أُعطيتَ في القَولِ بِسطَةً

فَأَهتِفُ فيهِ بِالَّذي أَنا أَعرِفُ

I wished I were given eloquence in speech

That I may call out in it what I know

نَعَم كَيفَ يُفني غارِفٌ مُتَحَفِّنٍ

بِغرفَتِهِ البِحرَ المُحيطَ وَيَنزِفُ

Yes how can a fleeting vanishing mortal

Draw from the endless ocean and bleed dry

لَهُ شيمٌ مِثلُ النُجومِ عَديدَةٌ

فَمِنهُنَّ مَوصوفٌ وَما لَيسَ يوصَفُ

He has qualities like the many stars

Some described and some beyond describing

وَغاياتُ سَبقٍ في الكَمالاتِ تَنتَهي

جِيادُ القَوافي دُونَهُنَّ وَتوقَفُ

The limits of surpassing perfection which

The steeds of prose fall short of, halting