يا يوسُفُ اِبنَ أَبي سَعيدٍ دَعوَةً

أَوحى إِلَيكَ بِها ضَميرٌ موجَعُ

O Yusuf son of Abi Saeed, a call

That an aching conscience has inspired you with

إِنَّ الفَجائِعَ بِالرَجالِ كَثيرَةٌ

وَلَقَلَّ مَن يَرعى وَمَن يَتَفَجَّعُ

Though men face many tragedies

Few care for and lament them

لَمّا رَأَيتُ الناسَ بَعدَكَ نَكَّبوا

سُنَنَ الحِفاظِ فَغادِرٌ وَمُضَيِّعُ

When I saw people turning away

From keeping with tradition, neglecting and forfeiting

قَرطَستُ في غَرَضِ الوَفاءِ بِقَولَةٍ

لَأَكونَ بَعدَكَ حافِظاً ما ضَيَّعوا

I vowed to remain true to fidelity with a few words

To preserve what they neglected after you

مَن كانَ أَسرَعَ عِندَ أَمرِكَ نَهضَةً

قَد باتَ وَهوَ إِلى سُلُوِّكَ أَسرَعُ

Whoever was quickest to rise at your command

Remains so inclined towards your ways

كَم مِن أَخٍ لَكَ لَم يَدُم لَكَ عَهدُهُ

قَد كانَ مِنكَ بِحَيثُ تُثنى الإِصبَعُ

How many a brother of yours did not keep faith

Who once stood so close he could touch your finger

لَم يُنسِنا كافي الكُفاةِ مُصابَهُ

حَتّى رَمانا فيكَ خَطبٌ مُظلِعُ

The sufficient mentor did not forget us in his affliction

Until he burdened us with grave concerns in your memory

قِرفٌ عَلى قَرحٍ تَقارَبَ عَهدُهُ

إِنَّ القُروفَ عَلى القُروحِ لَأَوجَعُ

An injury upon a wound, its pain still fresh

For injuries upon wounds hurt the most

وَتَلاحُقُ الفُضَلاءِ أَعظَمُ شاهِدٍ

إِنَّ الحِمامَ بِغَيرِ عِلقٍ مولَعُ

And the falling of the virtuous is the greatest witness

That a pigeon without a neckband is out of control

واهاً لَهُ لَو كانَ أَسرٌ يُفتَدى

بِرَغيبَةٍ أَو كانَ خَرقٌ يُرقَعُ

Alas, if only he were a hostage to be ransomed

Or a tear to be mended

في كُلِّ يَومٍ لِلنُعوشِ مُشَيِّعٌ

مِنّا يَرُفُّ وَراجِعٌ يَستَرجِعُ

Each day we walk behind one funeral bier or another

One of us escorting, another retrieving what is lost

كَيفَ الغُرورُ وَلِلفَناءِ ثَنِيَّةٌ

وَيَدُ المَنونِ تُشيرُ ثُمَّ المَطلَعُ

How can there be heedlessness when death beckons

And the hand of fate points then waves us through

وَلَرُبَّ أَصغَرَ عاقِدٍ عِرنينَهُ

أَمسى لَهُ في الأَرضِ خَدٌّ أَضرَعُ

When many a baby still on the breast

Finds himself with a cheek buried in the earth

ما كُنتُ أَبخَلُ أَن أُطيلَ لَوَ أَنَّهُ

يُجدي المُطيلُ إِذا أَطالَ وَيَنفَعُ

I would not begrudge elaborating if it helped

Though rambling avails not if it lengthens yet brings no benefit

لَكِنَّهُ سِيّانِ مَن تَجري لَهُ

عِندَ الفَجائِعِ دَمعَةٌ أَو أَدمُعُ

To weep or well up serves equally

When faced with tragedies