كُنْتَ في المَوْتِ وَالْحَيَاةِ كَبِيراً

هَكَذَا المَجْدُ أَوَّلاً وَأخِيرَا

In life and death, you were great

Such is glory, first and last

ظَلْتَ في الْخَلْقِ راجِحَ الْخُلْقِ حَتَّى

نِلْتَ فِيهِمْ ذَاكَ المقَامَ الْخَطِيرَا

You excelled in creation, until

You attained that momentous station

فَوْقَ هَام الرِّجَالِ هَامَتُكَ الشـ

ـمَّاءُ تَزْهُو عُلىً وَتَزْهَرُ نُورا

Above the heads of men your lofty

Glory rises high, shining with light

عِبْرَةُ الدَّهْرِ أَنْ تَرَى بعْدَ ذَاكَ الْـ

ـجَاهِ في حَدِّ كُلّ حيِ مَصِيرَا

A lesson of fate, that after such

Glory one sees in each living being an end

مَا حَسِبْنَا الزَّمَانَ إِنْ طَالَ مَا طَا

لَ مُزِيلاً ذَاكَ الشَّبابَ النَّضيرَا

We did not think time, however long it lingered

Could remove that bright youth

إِنَّ يَوْماً بَكَيْنا حَبِيباً

لَيسَ بِدْعاً أَنْ كَانَ يَوْماً مَطِيرَا

Indeed one day we wept for a beloved

It's no wonder that day was rainy

يا له من عميد قوم تولى

لم يكن مزدهى ولا مغرورا

O what a leader of his people he assumed

He was neither conceited nor arrogant

جعل الحلم دأبه وتوخى السلم

ما اسطاعه سماحا وخيرا

He made forbearance his habit and pursued peace

As much as he could, graciously and with goodness

وهو من لا تنال منه الأعادي

لو غدا بعضهم لبعض ظهيرا

He whom adversaries could not reach

If some of them helped others

ناط بالعقل أمره كله والعقل

خير في كل حال مشيرا

He based all his affairs on reason and reason

Is in every situation the best advisor

حزمه علم الضعيف إذا استبصر

أنى بالحزم يغدو قديرا

His prudence taught the weak, when he saw clearly

With prudence, how to become capable

فإذا ما استقاله عشرة الجد

عزيز أقال جدا عثورا

And when manhood's prime supported him

Dear, he made the difficult easy

وإذا أعوز الوفي نصير

يدرأ الضيم كان ذاك النصيرا

And when a loyal ally was in need

He warded off harm, and was that ally

بلغ المنتهى من الحظ في الدنيا

ثراء وصحة وسرورا

He reached the height of fortune in life

Wealth, health and joy

وحياة مديدة ومن الأبتاء

شمسا مضيئة وبدورا

And a long life, and from the righteous

A shining sun, with full moons

أسفي أن يقوض الرجل الباني

وإن ظل بيته معمورا

I grieve that man destroys what man builds

Though his house remains inhabited

أشكاة من الزمان ومن يعهده

في نهاية مشكورا

I complain of fate, and who would entrust it

In the end, with thanks

أيها المنتحي من الغيب دارا

خل دار البكاء والق حبورا

O you who chose the abode of the grave

Leave the abode of weeping, and meet your ruin

أعلى الفانيات يؤسى وقد كنت

عليما بها وكنت خبيرا

Over the ephemeral I grieve, and you had been

Knowledgeable of it and had been wise

إن أشبالك الأعزاء أيقاظ

فنم عنهم أمينا قريرا

Indeed your beloved cubs are wakeful

So sleep soundly, serenely, as a trustee

كلهم عند ما تحب المعالي

خلقا نابها وفكرا منيرا

All of them, when you loved the heights

Were of noble character and enlightened thought

يجد النبل أن يسر حزينا

ويرى الفضل أن يبر فقيرا

Nobility feels it should gladden the grieving

And merit sees that it should aid the needy