وَطَردُ الناسِ بَينَ يَدي مَمَرّي

وَطَردُ الناسِ بَينَ يَدي مَمَرّي

وَكَفّهُمُ إِذا غَضّ النِناءُ

وَكَفّهُمُ إِذا غَضّ النِناءُ

And driving people away before me as I pass,

People hastening before my passage

And restraining them when [the remaining wording is unclear],

And stopping when the banners flutter

وَرَكضٌ عَن يَمينٍ أَو شِمالٍ

وَرَكضٌ عَن يَمينٍ أَو شِمالٍ

لِنَظمِ الجَيشِ إِن رُفِعَ اللِواءُ

لِنَظمِ الجَيشِ إِن رُفِعَ اللِواءُ

And galloping on the right or left,

Galloping right or left

To marshal the army if the standard is raised.

At the march of the army when the flag is raised

يُعَنّيهِ أَمامٌ أَو وَراءٌ

يُعَنّيهِ أَمامٌ أَو وَراءٌ

إِذا اِختَلّ الأَمامُ أَو الوَراءُ

إِذا اِختَلّ الأَمامُ أَو الوَراءُ

The front or rear wearies him

Concerned with what’s ahead or behind

When the front or rear falls into disorder.

When the front or rear is disrupted

وَلَكِنَّ الدُعاءَ إِذا دَعاهُ

وَلَكِنَّ الدُعاءَ إِذا دَعاهُ

ضَميرٌ خالِصٌ نَفَعَ الدُعاءُ

ضَميرٌ خالِصٌ نَفَعَ الدُعاءُ

And yet prayer, when it is offered by

But supplication, when a pure

A sincere heart—such prayer avails.

Conscience invokes it, makes supplication availing

جُزيت أَبا العَلاء جَزاءَ بَرٍّ

جُزيت أَبا العَلاء جَزاءَ بَرٍّ

نَوى بِرّا وَصاحبَكَ العَلاءُ

نَوى بِرّا وَصاحبَكَ العَلاءُ

May you, Abu al-Ala, receive the reward of a virtuous man

May Abu Al 'Ala be rewarded with kindness

Who intended goodness; may eminence attend you.

He intended righteousness and your sublime company will console him

سَيُسلي النَفسَ عمَّن فاتَ عِلمي

سَيُسلي النَفسَ عمَّن فاتَ عِلمي

بِأَنَّ الكُلّ يُدرِكُهُ الفَناءُ

بِأَنَّ الكُلّ يُدرِكُهُ الفَناءُ

For those departed, my soul will be comforted by my knowing

It will console the soul about those who have passed

That death overtakes everyone.

That all will be overtaken by demise