كلُّ حيّ إلى الفناء يصيرُ

كلُّ حيّ إلى الفناء يصيرُ

والليالي تَعِلَّةٌ وغُرورُ

والليالي تَعِلَّةٌ وغُرورُ

Every living being is bound to perish;

Every living being is destined to die,

and the nights are diversion and delusion.

And the nights are misleading and deceptive,

وإلى الله يرجع المَلْكُ والمُلْ

وإلى الله يرجع المَلْكُ والمُلْ

ك ويفُضِي الأمير والمأمور

ك ويفُضِي الأمير والمأمور

And to God return the king and the kingdom,

And to Allah belong the kingdom and the rule,

and ruler and ruled pass away.

The prince and the commanded will both perish,

وإذا لم يكن من الموت بدٌّ

وإذا لم يكن من الموت بدٌّ

فطويل الحياة نَزْرٌ حقير

فطويل الحياة نَزْرٌ حقير

And if there is no escape from death,

And if death is inevitable,

then a long life is scant and paltry.

Then long life is insignificant and trivial,

أيَّ خَطْبٍ أرى وأيُّ ليالٍ

أيَّ خَطْبٍ أرى وأيُّ ليالٍ

دهم الناس صَرفُها المحذورُ

دهم الناس صَرفُها المحذورُ

What a calamity I see, and what nights,

What misfortunes do I see, and what nights,

whose dreaded reversals have overwhelmed the people!

Bringing unexpected calamities to people?

كيف لا تأثِر المصائب في النف

كيف لا تأثِر المصائب في النف

س على من هو النفيس الأثِير

س على من هو النفيس الأثِير

How could calamities not leave their mark upon the soul

How could tragedies not affect the soul,

in grief for one so precious and cherished?

Of one who is precious and honourable?

وكذا الرُزْءُ بالعظيم عظيم

وكذا الرُزْءُ بالعظيم عظيم

وكذا الرزء بالحقير حقير

وكذا الرزء بالحقير حقير

And so the loss of the great is great,

And so, sorrow is great for the great,

and so the loss of the insignificant is insignificant.

And sorrow is trivial for the trivial,

كيف لم تسقط السماء على الأر

كيف لم تسقط السماء على الأر

ض ولم تَهوِ شمسُها والبدور

ض ولم تَهوِ شمسُها والبدور

How did the sky not fall upon the earth,

How has the sky not fallen upon the earth?

nor its sun and full moons plunge down,

And how has its sun and full moons not collapsed?

يوم مات الأمير بل يوم مات الصَّ

يوم مات الأمير بل يوم مات الصَّ

بر فيه بل يوم مات السرور

بر فيه بل يوم مات السرور

on the day the prince died—rather, the day patience

The day the prince died, no, the day patience died in it,

died—rather, the day joy died?

No, the day joy died in it,

يوم بُلَّ الثرى عليه من الدّم

يوم بُلَّ الثرى عليه من الدّم

ع وقُدّت على القلوب الصدور

ع وقُدّت على القلوب الصدور

The day the earth above him was drenched with tears,

The day dust was poured over him, made of blood,

and chests were rent over hearts;

And fires were lit in hearts,

يوم حُطَّت عمائم وأذاعت

يوم حُطَّت عمائم وأذاعت

سِرَّها فيه أَدْؤرٌ وخُدورُ

سِرَّها فيه أَدْؤرٌ وخُدورُ

the day turbans were laid down, and there was revealed

The day turbans were removed and their secrets were laid bare,

the secret of houses and curtained chambers that day;

A day of harm and sorrows,

يوم أبكى العيون حتى بكاهُ الْ

يوم أبكى العيون حتى بكاهُ الْ

أسَدُ الوَرْد والغزالُ الغَرِير

أسَدُ الوَرْد والغزالُ الغَرِير

the day he made eyes weep, until even the

The day eyes cried until the lion of flowers cried for him,

tawny lion and the guileless gazelle wept for him.

And the tender, doe-eyed gazelle,

وسمعتُ الزفير وهو صُرَاخ

وسمعتُ الزفير وهو صُرَاخ

ورأيت الدموع وهي بحور

ورأيت الدموع وهي بحور

And I heard the sighing—it was a scream;

I heard wailing as if screaming,

and I saw the tears—they were seas,

And saw tears as if oceans,

في أوانٍ هو الشتاء فأمسى

في أوانٍ هو الشتاء فأمسى

بلهيب الأنفاس وهوْ هجير

بلهيب الأنفاس وهوْ هجير

in a season that was winter, yet became,

At a time of winter, yet it felt

through the blaze of breaths, scorching noonday heat.

As scorching as fiery breath,

شيَّعت نعشَه ملائكة الل

شيَّعت نعشَه ملائكة الل

ه وروَّته رحمة وطهور

ه وروَّته رحمة وطهور

God's angels escorted his bier,

The angels of God bid his funeral farewell,

and mercy and purifying water drenched it,

Bathing him in mercy and purity,

بمقام غابت وجوهُ التعزِّي

بمقام غابت وجوهُ التعزِّي

عنه والحزن والأنام حضور

عنه والحزن والأنام حضور

at a place where all forms of consolation were absent,

At a resting place, where faces of condolences disappeared,

while grief and humankind were present.

While grief and people gathered,

قَبروا شخصه ووارَوْا سناه

قَبروا شخصه ووارَوْا سناه

وتولَّوا والفائز المقبور

وتولَّوا والفائز المقبور

They buried his body and concealed his radiance,

They buried his body and hid his age,

and departed; the buried one was the victor.

And left, while the buried was triumphant,

كم نصيرٍ له هناك ولكن

كم نصيرٍ له هناك ولكن

ليس من سَوْرة الحِمام نصير

ليس من سَوْرة الحِمام نصير

How many helpers he had there! And yet

How many supporters there for him, but

against death's onslaught there is no helper.

No aid comes from the wall of a dove,

لو تُركنا إلى الفداء فَداهُ

لو تُركنا إلى الفداء فَداهُ

من يد الموت عالمَون كثيرُ

من يد الموت عالمَون كثيرُ

Had we been allowed to offer ransom, he would have been ransomed

If we were left to sacrifice ourselves for him,

from death's hand by many multitudes,

Many scholars would have saved him from death′s grip,

وسيوفٌ ومثلُهنّ عبيد

وسيوفٌ ومثلُهنّ عبيد

ورماحٌ ومثلهنّ عَشِير

ورماحٌ ومثلهنّ عَشِير

and swords, and slaves in equal number,

With swords and many servants like them

and spears, and kinsmen in equal number.

And spears and many tribesmen like them,

قدَّس الله رُوحه وضريحاً

قدَّس الله رُوحه وضريحاً

حلَّه ذلك السَنَا والنور

حلَّه ذلك السَنَا والنور

May God sanctify his spirit and the tomb

God sanctified his soul, and made his shrine

inhabited by that radiance and light.

A place of glory and light,

يا أخي أيُّ عَبْرة ليس تهمي

يا أخي أيُّ عَبْرة ليس تهمي

وفؤاد عليك ليس يطِير

وفؤاد عليك ليس يطِير

O my brother, what tear does not stream,

My brother, what lesson is there that does not concern me,

and what heart does not take flight in grief for you?

While my heart does not fly to you?

يا أخي إن بكتك عيني فإني

يا أخي إن بكتك عيني فإني

بالبكا والأسى عليك جدير

بالبكا والأسى عليك جدير

O my brother, if my eye weeps for you, I

My brother, if my eyes weep for you,

have every right to weep and grieve for you.

I deserve to cry and grieve for you,

يا أخي عبد الله أيّ مساع

يا أخي عبد الله أيّ مساع

لم يَفُقْهنَّ سَعْيك المبرور

لم يَفُقْهنَّ سَعْيك المبرور

O my brother, Abdullah, what endeavors

My brother Abdullah, what hearing

were not surpassed by your meritorious striving?

Did not appreciate your blessed efforts?

يا أخي إن صاحبي وأخي بَعْ

يا أخي إن صاحبي وأخي بَعْ

دك تَلْهابُ لوعةٍ وزفير

دك تَلْهابُ لوعةٍ وزفير

O my brother, my companion and my brother after

My brother, after you my companion and brother

you are a blaze of anguish and sighing,

Burns with sorrow and moaning,

وفؤادٌ عن السلوّ عنيد

وفؤادٌ عن السلوّ عنيد

ومن الصبر والعزاء نَفُور

ومن الصبر والعزاء نَفُور

and a heart stubbornly refusing forgetfulness,

A heart stubbornly avoiding solace

and shunning patience and consolation.

And refusing patience and condolences

كنتَ مِلْءَ الجفون نوراً فأَمْسَتْ

كنتَ مِلْءَ الجفون نوراً فأَمْسَتْ

مِلْؤُها مدمع عليك غزير

مِلْؤُها مدمع عليك غزير

You were light filling my eyelids; now

You were the light of my eyes, and now

they are filled with abundant tears for you.

They are filled with copious tears for you,

خانني بعدك التجلّد والصب

خانني بعدك التجلّد والصب

ر على أنني الجليد الصبور

ر على أنني الجليد الصبور

Fortitude and patience betrayed me after you,

After you, perseverance and patience have betrayed me

though I am steadfast and patient.

Though I am known as calm and patient

أيُّ أخلاقك الرضيَّة يُرْثَى

أيُّ أخلاقك الرضيَّة يُرْثَى

رأيك العَضْب أم سناك المنير

رأيك العَضْب أم سناك المنير

Which of your admirable qualities should be mourned:

Which of your agreeable traits can one mourn?

your incisive judgment, or your shining radiance,

Your pleasing opinion or your shining age?

أم محّياً يجول ماء النُهَى في

أم محّياً يجول ماء النُهَى في

ه وماء الحِجَا القَرَاح النَمِير

ه وماء الحِجَا القَرَاح النَمِير

or a face through which the waters of reason course,

Or the water of benevolence circulating in you

and the pure, sweet waters of understanding,

And the water of wisdom, sharp and pure?

أم شباب كما بدا نَبْتُه الغضْ

أم شباب كما بدا نَبْتُه الغضْ

ضُ وعُمْر لَدْنُ الحواشي نضير

ضُ وعُمْر لَدْنُ الحواشي نضير

or youth whose tender growth had just appeared,

Or a youthful vigour that appeared as tender as a sapling

and a life supple at its edges and fresh?

And a lifetime as immaculate as an unblemished page?

فالصباح الأغرّ ليل بهيم

فالصباح الأغرّ ليل بهيم

عند فَقْدِيك والديار قبور

عند فَقْدِيك والديار قبور

So the radiant morning is pitch-black night

So the beautiful dawn has become a terrible night without you

at your loss, and the dwellings are graves.

And home is now a graveyard,