إن كفّ شيخ فقد توفّي

إن كفّ شيخ فقد توفّي

وفات من موته حياته

وفات من موته حياته

If an old man goes blind, he has died,

If an old man's palm is folded over

yet his life has eluded his death.

His life has died though he lives yet

أيّ حياة لمستغيث

أيّ حياة لمستغيث

شفاء أسقامه وفاته

شفاء أسقامه وفاته

What life is there for one crying for relief,

What life can a supplicant hope for

whose death is the cure for his ailments?

When his cure is found in death's onset

صفاته كنّ مسعدات

صفاته كنّ مسعدات

فصار أعداءه صفاته

فصار أعداءه صفاته

His qualities once served him well;

His virtues made him most blessed

then his qualities became his enemies.

Now his foes wear his robes like a vest

والموت قين له أداة

والموت قين له أداة

حضور آجالنا أداته

حضور آجالنا أداته

And death is a smith with a tool:

And death an obedient servant to him

the arrival of our appointed ends is his tool.

The coming of our ends its device

وللمنايا مقدّمات

وللمنايا مقدّمات

يكون في جمعها شتاته

يكون في جمعها شتاته

And deaths have their harbingers;

With many preparations made

in their gathering lies his dispersal.

Scattered when the time is weighed