أَقولُ لِمَولى نَفسُهُ مِن هِبانِهِ

سَبيلُ الوَفا إِنفقُها في سَبيلِهِ

I say to the master of my soul from his love:

The way of loyalty is to spend it in his way

أَقَمنا قَليلاً بَعدَهُ وَكَثيرُنا

فَأَكثَرُ ما يَهوى اِنقِضاءُ قَليلِهِ

We stayed a little after him, while most of us

What he desires most is the passing of that little

بِمِقدارِ ما تَبكي العُيونُ وَنُصدَع

قُلوبُ وَيُشقي الحُزنُ بَعدَ غَليلِهِ

To the extent that eyes weep and hearts crack

And sorrow grieves after its illness

وَإِلّا لَقيناهُ وَلَيسَ لِحُزنِهِ

عَلَينا دَليلٌ يَهتَدي بِدَليلِهِ

Otherwise we would have met him, and there would be for his sorrow upon us

No guide guided by his guide

وَظَنٍّ بِأَنَّ الدَهرَ أَنسى مُصابَهُ

وَعَفّى عَلى أَثرِ الأَسى بِذُيولِهِ

And thinking that time has forgotten his affliction

And healed over the trace of sorrow with its trains