تروح المنايا في البرايا وتغتدي

تروح المنايا في البرايا وتغتدي

وتعدل في أحكامها ليس تعتدي

وتعدل في أحكامها ليس تعتدي

Deaths go among all creatures at evening and at morn,

The fates of death pass among mortals at evening and at dawn,

and are just in their judgments, committing no wrong.

And act justly in their judgments, never transgressing.

فما سابق إِلا ويتلوه لاحق

فما سابق إِلا ويتلوه لاحق

فآخرنا منا بأولاه مقتدي

فآخرنا منا بأولاه مقتدي

No one goes before but another follows after;

For none goes before without another following him;

the last of us takes the first as his guide.

So the last among us follows the example of the first.

وما جازع منا من الموت سالم

وما جازع منا من الموت سالم

وما هارب منا لنهج بمهتد

وما هارب منا لنهج بمهتد

No one among us who quails before death is safe,

And no one among us who despairs is safe from death,

nor does any fugitive among us find a path of escape.

Nor does anyone fleeing among us find a path of escape.

وما هذه الدنيا مسرمدة لنا

وما هذه الدنيا مسرمدة لنا

وما أحد منا بها بمسرمد

وما أحد منا بها بمسرمد

This world is not everlasting for us,

And this world does not last forever for us,

nor is anyone among us everlasting within it.

Nor is anyone among us everlasting within it.

يموت غني القوم موتة مدقع

يموت غني القوم موتة مدقع

ويدفن محروم المنى دفن مرتد

ويدفن محروم المنى دفن مرتد

The rich man of his people dies a pauper’s death,

A rich man among the people dies a pauper's death,

and, bereft of his desires, is buried wrapped in his shroud.

And one denied his wishes is buried like one clad in a robe.

فإن ألجأتك الحادثات إِلى الأَسى

فإن ألجأتك الحادثات إِلى الأَسى

عزاء وصبراً يا سعيد بن أحمد

عزاء وصبراً يا سعيد بن أحمد

So if calamities drive you into grief,

So if calamities have driven you to grief,

take consolation and be patient, O Saʿīd ibn Aḥmad.

Take comfort and be patient, O Sa'id ibn Ahmad.

فما مزيد عنه تدافع يومه

فما مزيد عنه تدافع يومه

وليس لنا في دفعنا اليوم من يد

وليس لنا في دفعنا اليوم من يد

You cannot ward his day away from Mazīd,

For you cannot ward off Mazid's appointed day from him,

nor have we any power today to drive it back.

And we have no power to avert that day.

ولو أنه يجدي البكاء بكيته

ولو أنه يجدي البكاء بكيته

ولكن لا يجدي البكاء فيحمد

ولكن لا يجدي البكاء فيحمد

Had weeping availed, I would have wept for him;

And if weeping could avail, I would weep for him,

but weeping is no help, and so earns no praise.

But weeping does no good, and so deserves no praise.

ففارقته حزناً بقلب معذب

ففارقته حزناً بقلب معذب

وأرمدت طرفاً بالبكا غير أرمد

وأرمدت طرفاً بالبكا غير أرمد

I parted from him sorrowing, my heart tormented,

So I parted from him in sorrow, with a tormented heart,

and with my tears inflamed an eye that had not been sore.

And with weeping I made sore an eye that had not been sore.

لنا يا سعيد فيك آمال صادق

لنا يا سعيد فيك آمال صادق

لإبلاغ مأمول وعصمة مسند

لإبلاغ مأمول وعصمة مسند

In you, O Saʿīd, lie the hopes of a sincere man:

In you, O Sa'id, we have the hopes of one sincere,

the attainment of what is hoped for, and the protection of one who relies on you.

For fulfilling what is hoped for and protecting one who relies on you.

ورفقاً بأيتام تقلدت أمرهم

ورفقاً بأيتام تقلدت أمرهم

وحسناً لهم لو كُنت غير المقلد

وحسناً لهم لو كُنت غير المقلد

Be gentle with the orphans whose care you have assumed,

And be gentle with orphans whose care you have assumed,

and be kind to them, even had you not been so charged.

And kind to them, even if you were not charged with their care.

فأنت أَبوهم بعد موت أَبيهم

فأنت أَبوهم بعد موت أَبيهم

فجدد لهم وصل النعيم المرغد

فجدد لهم وصل النعيم المرغد

For you are their father after their father’s death;

For you are their father after their father's death,

renew for them the continuance of abundant comfort.

So renew for them their bond with abundant comfort.

وكل صديق صادق في وداده

وكل صديق صادق في وداده

فصل حبله بالوصل منك وجدد

فصل حبله بالوصل منك وجدد

And every true friend, sincere in his affection—

And as for every friend sincere in his affection,

maintain your bond with him through closeness, and renew it.

So join his cord through your fellowship, and renew it.

فلا خير في من عاش فرداً بنفسه

فلا خير في من عاش فرداً بنفسه

وإِن كان ذا صنع من الفضل مفرد

وإِن كان ذا صنع من الفضل مفرد

There is no good in one who lives alone for himself,

For there is no good in one who lives alone by himself,

even if he stands unrivalled in works of virtue.

Even if his deeds are of unrivaled merit.

أَعزيك في ميت وَإني لحزنه

أَعزيك في ميت وَإني لحزنه

حقيق بأَنواء العزاء المؤبد

حقيق بأَنواء العزاء المؤبد

I console you for one who died, though in my grief for him

I console you for one dead, though I, in my grief for him,

I myself need every kind of enduring consolation.

Deserve showers of everlasting consolation.

هنيئاً لميت في الحياة موفق

هنيئاً لميت في الحياة موفق

ويرجى له فضل النعيم المخلد

ويرجى له فضل النعيم المخلد

Blessed is the dead man who was granted success in life,

Blessed is the dead man who was granted success in life,

and for whom the bounty of everlasting bliss may be hoped.

And for whom the bounty of everlasting bliss is hoped for.