أَمرdecree الإِلَهGod محتمinevitable
أَمر الإِلَه محتم
وَلَهُand to Him الأُمورaffairs تَسلمare surrendered
وَلَهُ الأُمور تَسلم
God's decree is inevitable,
And to Him all affairs are surrendered.
وَالمَوتand death سَهمarrow قَضائهHis decree
وَالمَوت سَهم قَضائه
مَنwho مِنهُfrom it يَوماًon any day يَسلمis safe
مَن مِنهُ يَوماً يَسلم
Death is the arrow of His decree—
Who can ever be safe from it?
سَهمarrow المَنيةdeath صائِبٌstriking true
سَهم المَنية صائِبٌ
وَبِهِand through it القَضاءthe decree المُبرمirrevocable
وَبِهِ القَضاء المُبرم
Death's arrow strikes true,
And with it comes the irrevocable decree.
مَنwhoever ماتَdies يَكسبgains راحَةrest
مَن ماتَ يَكسب راحَة
وَلَدىand in الحَياةlife تَألمsuffering
وَلَدى الحَياة تَألم
Whoever dies gains rest,
While in life there is suffering.
مَنwhoever ماتَdies يَلقيmeets رَبهhis Lord
مَن ماتَ يَلقي رَبه
وَهُوَand He is الآلهGod الأَكرَمthe Most Generous
وَهُوَ الآله الأَكرَم
Whoever dies meets his Lord,
And He is God, the Most Generous.
فَيحفهso He surrounds him بِنَعيمهwith His bliss
فَيحفه بِنَعيمه
وَمِنand of الرضاfavor لاnot يَحرمdeprives
وَمِن الرضا لا يَحرم
So He surrounds him with His bliss,
And does not deny him His favor.
وَمُحمدand Muhammad القُوصيal-Qusi منone who
وَمُحمد القُوصي من
هُوَhe فيamong الرِجالmen معظمhonored
هُوَ في الرِجال معظم
And Muhammad al-Qusi is one
Who is honored among men.
تَركhe left الحَياةlife مُفارِقاًdeparting
تَرك الحَياة مُفارِقاً
وَمُوَدِعاًand bidding farewell لاnot يَندَمhe regrets
وَمُوَدِعاً لا يَندَم
He left life, departing,
And bidding farewell without regret.
كُناwe used to نَوَدwish فِداءهransoming him
كُنا نَوَد فِداءه
بِالنَفسwith our lives لَكنbut يَعظمis too great
بِالنَفس لَكن يَعظم
We wished to ransom him
With our lives, but the ransom is too great.
كُلall القُلوبhearts تَودهlove him
كُل القُلوب تَوده
وَلَهُand his is المَقامthe station الأَفخَمthe most magnificent
وَلَهُ المَقام الأَفخَم
All hearts love him,
And his is the most magnificent station.
فَليبكهso let them weep for him كُلall الوَرىhumankind
فَليبكه كُل الوَرى
وَدُموعand the tears أَعيُنهمtheir eyes دَمblood
وَدُموع أَعيُنهم دَم
So let all humankind weep for him,
And let their eyes' tears be blood.
كَيفَhow التَصَبرsummoning patience بَعدَهafter him
كَيفَ التَصَبر بَعدَه
هَلquestion marker بَعدafter ذَلِكَthat يَلزَمis required
هَل بَعد ذَلِكَ يَلزَم
How can we summon patience after him?
Is it still required after that?
سَكَنhe settled الثَرىthe earth وَقُلوبُناwhile our hearts
سَكَن الثَرى وَقُلوبُنا
نيرانهاtheir fires تَتَضرمblaze
نيرانها تَتَضرم
He has settled in the earth, while our hearts—
Their fires blaze.
كَانَتwere مَلافظهhis utterances الحِساthe beauti-
كَانَت مَلافظه الحِسا
ن-ful (completes 'beautiful') لِكُلfor every درpearl تَنظمstring
ن لِكُل در تَنظم
His beautiful utterances
Would string every pearl.
كَانَتwere مَجالسgatherings أنسهhis fellowship
كَانَت مَجالس أنسه
عَماof what يَسرdelights تَترجمexpress
عَما يَسر تَترجم
His gatherings of fellowship
Spoke of what brings delight.
وَبِهِand with him اللَطائفpleasantries تَبتدىbegin
وَبِهِ اللَطائف تَبتدى
وَبِهِand with him المَحاسنvirtues تَختمare completed
وَبِهِ المَحاسن تَختم
And with him, pleasantries begin,
And with him, virtues find completion.
مَنwho لِلمُروءةfor noble conduct بَعدهafter him
مَن لِلمُروءة بَعده
مِنwho (contextual reading) لِلمَشاكلfor problems يَحسمresolves decisively
مِن لِلمَشاكل يَحسم
Who will uphold noble conduct after him?
Who will resolve problems?
مَنwho لِلفَصاحةfor eloquence كُلَهاall of it
مَن لِلفَصاحة كُلَها
مِنwho (contextual reading) لِلأَنامfor humankind يَعلمteaches (contextual reading)
مِن لِلأَنام يَعلم
Who will uphold eloquence in all its fullness?
Who will teach humankind?
شَهَدتbore witness إِلَيهِto him مَنابرpulpits
شَهَدت إِلَيهِ مَنابر
ياoh لَيتَهاif only they تَتَكلمcould speak
يا لَيتَها تَتَكلم
Pulpits bore witness to him—
Oh, if only they could speak!
وَلَهُand his are أَجلthe loftiest مَكارمnoble qualities
وَلَهُ أَجل مَكارم
فيin كُلevery قَلبheart تَرسمare inscribed
في كُل قَلب تَرسم
And his are the noblest virtues,
Inscribed in every heart.
تَركhe left الحَياةlife لِأَهلهto his family
تَرك الحَياة لِأَهله
وَإِلىand to الإِلَهGod يَسلمhe is surrendered
وَإِلى الإِلَه يَسلم
He left life to his family,
And is surrendered to God,
لِيَرىso that he may see أَخاهhis brother بِجَنبهbeside him
لِيَرى أَخاه بِجَنبه
مَحفوظMahfuz وَهُوَwhile he يَنعمenjoys bliss
مَحفوظ وَهُوَ يَنعم
To see his brother beside him,
Mahfuz, enjoying bliss.
فَكِلاهُماso both of them فيin جَنةParadise
فَكِلاهُما في جَنة
فيin حفظthe protection مَولىa Lord يَرحمwho shows mercy
في حفظ مَولى يَرحم
So both are in Paradise,
In the protection of a Lord who shows mercy.