خباhas gone out مصباحُlamp عقلِintellect أبيAbu (father of) عليِّAli
خبا مصباحُ عقلِ أبي عليِّ
وكانتْand used to تستضِيءdraw light بهfrom it العقولُminds
وكانتْ تستضِيء به العقولُ
The lamp of Abu Ali's intellect has gone out,
The lamp of my father Ali's mind has gone out
and minds once drew light from it.
And intellects were illuminated by it
إذاwhen الإنسانa person ماتdies الفهمُunderstanding منهwithin him
إذا الإنسان مات الفهمُ منه
فإنthen indeed الموتdeath بالباقيfor the rest كفيلresponsible
فإن الموت بالباقي كفيل
When understanding dies within a person,
When a person dies, his understanding vanishes
then death is sure to take care of the rest.
For death takes what remains