رحل الأحبة بالفؤاد فشيّعوا

رحل الأحبة بالفؤاد فشيّعوا

من لا يعود عليَّ حتى يرجعوا

من لا يعود عليَّ حتى يرجعوا

The beloved have departed, taking my heart; so bid farewell

The loved ones departed with my heart; so bid farewell

to one who will not return to them until they return.

to one who will not return to me until they return.

فالقبر أرحب بعدهم من بلدةٍ

فالقبر أرحب بعدهم من بلدةٍ

ضاقت علي وضاق فيها المضجع

ضاقت علي وضاق فيها المضجع

For after them, the grave is roomier than a town

For after them, the grave is roomier than a town

that has closed in on me, where even the resting place is cramped.

that grew cramped for me, as did my resting place within it.

أفبعد أحمد تحمد الدنيا وبع

أفبعد أحمد تحمد الدنيا وبع

دك يا علاء الدين يحلو المربع

دك يا علاء الدين يحلو المربع

After Ahmad, can one praise this world—and after

Can the world, then, be praised after Ahmad, and after

you, O ʿAlāʾ al-Dīn, can any dwelling be sweet?

you, O Ala al-Din, can the dwelling be sweet?

يا صاح صح بالآفلين لعلهم

يا صاح صح بالآفلين لعلهم

أن يرجعوا فهمُ البدور الطلع

أن يرجعوا فهمُ البدور الطلع

O friend, cry out to those who have set, in hope that they

O friend, call out to those who have set; perhaps they

may return—for they are full moons rising.

may return, for they are the rising full moons.

هيهات خاب الظن وانقطع الرجا

هيهات خاب الظن وانقطع الرجا

وازدادت البلوى وقل المطمع

وازدادت البلوى وقل المطمع

Impossible! Expectation has failed and hope is cut off;

Far from it! Expectation failed, and hope was cut off.

affliction has grown, and all grounds for hope have dwindled.

And affliction increased, and hope diminished.

والدمع أرخ ما البكاء بنافعٍ

والدمع أرخ ما البكاء بنافعٍ

أمرُ الإله محتَّمٌ لا يُدفع

أمرُ الإله محتَّمٌ لا يُدفع

Let the tears flow; weeping is of no avail.

And tears recorded the date: weeping is of no avail;

God’s decree is inevitable; it cannot be repelled.

God’s decree is inevitable; it cannot be averted.