وسألتُ عنه فقيلَ مَاتَ لِمَا به

وسألتُ عنه فقيلَ مَاتَ لِمَا به

قلبُ النَّدى لا شكَّ ماتَ لِما به

قلبُ النَّدى لا شكَّ ماتَ لِما به

And I asked about him; I was told, "He died of what ailed him."

I asked about him, and was told he had died because of what ailed him

The heart of generosity, no doubt, died of what ailed him.

The heart of dew certainly died because of what ailed him

وكأنَّما بَخُلَ الزَّمانُ على الوَرى

وكأنَّما بَخُلَ الزَّمانُ على الوَرى

ببقائِه أو هابَه فبدا به

ببقائِه أو هابَه فبدا به

And it is as though Time begrudged humankind

As if time was stingy in keeping him alive for the people

his continued life—or feared him and struck him first.

Or feared him, so did away with him

فلِمَن أصونُ مَدامعي من بعدِه

فلِمَن أصونُ مَدامعي من بعدِه

ولأيِّما أبكيهِ من أسبابِه

ولأيِّما أبكيهِ من أسبابِه

For whom, then, should I save my tears after him?

For whom shall I now preserve my tears after him?

And for which of his qualities should I weep for him?

And for what cause shall I weep for him?

لخِطابِه لجوابِه لِصوابِه

لخِطابِه لجوابِه لِصوابِه

لِحفاظِه لِثوابِه لِعقابِه

لِحفاظِه لِثوابِه لِعقابِه

For his speech, for his replies, for his sound judgment;

For his address, his response, his propriety

for his loyalty, for his rewards, for his punishments;

For his safekeeping, his reward, his punishment

للحَملِ عن مُنتابِه للنُّصْحِ عن

للحَملِ عن مُنتابِه للنُّصْحِ عن

أسبابِه للصَّفْحِ عن مُغتابِه

أسبابِه للصَّفْحِ عن مُغتابِه

for bearing his visitor's burdens, for sincere counsel concerning

For bearing others' faults, for advising properly

his affairs, for forgiving his backbiter;

For pardoning detractors,

لِلبيضِ من أثوابِه للزُّهرِ من

لِلبيضِ من أثوابِه للزُّهرِ من

آرائِهِ للغُرِّ من آدابِه

آرائِهِ للغُرِّ من آدابِه

for his white garments, for the brilliance of

For his fair raiment, for the flowers of his views

his opinions, for his radiant manners;

For his gravity, or manners, or his reciting the Quran

لِحجاه أم لِنُهاهُ أم لِقراه أم

لِحجاه أم لِنُهاهُ أم لِقراه أم

لعُلاه أم لنَداه في أصحابِه

لعُلاه أم لنَداه في أصحابِه

for his wisdom, or his reason, or his hospitality, or

Or his excellence, or his liberality among his comrades

his eminence, or his generosity among his companions?

Or one who hoped after him to ward off harm

أم من يُرَجِّي بعدَه صرَفَ الرَّدى

أم من يُرَجِّي بعدَه صرَفَ الرَّدى

عن نفسِه بجِلادِه وضِرابِه

عن نفسِه بجِلادِه وضِرابِه

Or who, after him, hopes to turn death away

From himself by his firmness and punishment?

from himself with his fighting and his blows?

Alas! weeping avails naught when the lion of time

هيهاتَ لا يُغني البُكاءُ إذا سَطا

هيهاتَ لا يُغني البُكاءُ إذا سَطا

أَسَدُ الزمانِ بمِخلَبيْهِ ونابِه

أَسَدُ الزمانِ بمِخلَبيْهِ ونابِه

Far from it! Weeping is useless at the onslaught

Rends with his claws and fangs.

of Time's lion, with its two claws and its fang.

And if death made him drink a bitter cup,

ولَئِنْ سَقاهُ الموتُ كأساً مُرَّةً

ولَئِنْ سَقاهُ الموتُ كأساً مُرَّةً

فلْيَشربنَّ الموتُ مثلَ شَرابِه

فلْيَشربنَّ الموتُ مثلَ شَرابِه

And if indeed Death has made him drink a bitter cup,

Then death should drink the like of his draught!

then let Death surely drink a draught like his!