متع اللَه سَيدي بِحياة

متع اللَه سَيدي بِحياة

وَفَداهُ بِكُلّ ضد عَنيد

وَفَداهُ بِكُلّ ضد عَنيد

May God let my master enjoy life,

May Allah honor my master with life

and ransom him with every obstinate foe.

And ransom him from every stubborn foe

عَش عَزيزاً كَما تُريد حَميداً

عَش عَزيزاً كَما تُريد حَميداً

وَمَعزى بِغُصن رَوض السُعود

وَمَعزى بِغُصن رَوض السُعود

Live honored, as you wish, and worthy of praise,

Live honored as you wish, virtuous one

and consoled for the loss of a bough from the garden of good fortune.

And find solace in the branch of blissful cheer

كانَ فينا كَالروح للجسم أَوكال

كانَ فينا كَالروح للجسم أَوكال

سحر في أَعيُن المِلاح الغيد

سحر في أَعيُن المِلاح الغيد

He was among us like the soul to the body, or like

You were to us as the soul is to the body

the magic in the eyes of graceful beauties.

Or as the spell of magic in a seafarer’s eye

كُل ماءٍ لِفَقدِهِ فَأَجاج

كُل ماءٍ لِفَقدِهِ فَأَجاج

وَسُدى كُل طارف وَتَليد

وَسُدى كُل طارف وَتَليد

All water, at his loss, is bitter brine,

For your loss, every water is bitter

and all newly gained and inherited wealth is worthless.

And every gentle breeze, vain and insipid

وَزَئير الأُسود نوح حَمام

وَزَئير الأُسود نوح حَمام

وَصَليل السُيوف صَوت نَهيد

وَصَليل السُيوف صَوت نَهيد

And the lions’ roar is the lament of doves,

The roaring of lions, a dove’s lament

and the ringing of swords is the sound of sighing.

The hissing of swords, the sound of anguished sighs

وَخُفوق الرِياح شَق جُيوب

وَخُفوق الرِياح شَق جُيوب

وَبُكاء الغَمام نَثر عُقود

وَبُكاء الغَمام نَثر عُقود

And the gusting of winds is the rending of collars,

The fluttering winds, rending garments

and the clouds’ weeping is the scattering of necklaces.

The weeping clouds, scattering pearls

ما رَأَينا وَلا سَمعنا بِبَدر

ما رَأَينا وَلا سَمعنا بِبَدر

قَبلَهُ حلَّ في بُروج لحود

قَبلَهُ حلَّ في بُروج لحود

We have never seen nor heard of a full moon

We never saw the like of you, nor heard

before him, that dwelt in the constellations of tombs.

Of any full moon that rose in the starry vault

وَكَذا الطل في لَواحظ نور

وَكَذا الطل في لَواحظ نور

أَدمُع قَد بَكَتهُ مِن مَفقود

أَدمُع قَد بَكَتهُ مِن مَفقود

And likewise, the dew in the eyes of blossoms

Just as no brilliant light ever shone

is tears that have wept for him, the departed.

In sleeping eyes, but tears for one missed

تَتَمنى الأَبكار لَو أَفرَشتهُ

تَتَمنى الأَبكار لَو أَفرَشتهُ

عَوضاً عَن ثَراهُ وَرد الخُدود

عَوضاً عَن ثَراهُ وَرد الخُدود

The maidens wish they could spread beneath him,

The maidens wish they could line your grave

instead of his grave-soil, the roses of their cheeks.

Instead of earth, with the roses of their cheeks

فَسَقى قَبرَهُ سَحابة أُنس

فَسَقى قَبرَهُ سَحابة أُنس

تَتَوالى أَنواؤها لِلخُلود

تَتَوالى أَنواؤها لِلخُلود

So may a cloud of solace water his grave,

A friendly cloud watered your tomb

its showers following one another for eternity.

With showers that will flow for eternity