لَعَمري لَقَد ماطَلتُ لَو دَفَعَ الرَدى

لَعَمري لَقَد ماطَلتُ لَو دَفَعَ الرَدى

مِطالٌ وَقَد عاتَبتُ لَو سَمِعَ الدَهرُ

مِطالٌ وَقَد عاتَبتُ لَو سَمِعَ الدَهرُ

By my life, I would have delayed, if death could be warded off

For my life, you have delayed, if only fate could be deflected

by delay; and I would have reproached fate, if fate could hear.

Waiting, and I have reproached you, if only time could hear

أَفي كُلِّ يَومٍ أَنتَ غادٍ مُشَيِّعٌ

أَفي كُلِّ يَومٍ أَنتَ غادٍ مُشَيِّعٌ

حَبيباً إِلى دارٍ يُقالُ لَها القَبرُ

حَبيباً إِلى دارٍ يُقالُ لَها القَبرُ

Do you set out each morning, escorting

Each day are you moving away, escorting

a loved one to an abode they call the grave?

A beloved to an abode called the grave

لَئِن كانَ لي في كُلِّ ما أَنا تارِكٌ

لَئِن كانَ لي في كُلِّ ما أَنا تارِكٌ

وَراءَ الثَرى أَجرٌ لَقَد عَظُمَ الأَجرُ

وَراءَ الثَرى أَجرٌ لَقَد عَظُمَ الأَجرُ

If I have, for all that I leave

If for all I leave behind in the earth

beneath the soil, a reward—great indeed is the reward.

I have reward, immense is the reward

سَقَيتُ أَبا بَكرٍ عَلى البُعدِ وَالنَوى

سَقَيتُ أَبا بَكرٍ عَلى البُعدِ وَالنَوى

وَلا بَلَّ هامَ الشامِتينَ بِكَ القَطرُ

وَلا بَلَّ هامَ الشامِتينَ بِكَ القَطرُ

I have invoked rain upon Abu Bakr, despite distance and separation;

I gave drink to Abu Bakr in far off places

and may no rain wet the heads of those who gloat over you.

And never the rain of critics could diminish you

أَخي ما أَقَلَّ التابِعيكَ إِلى الثَرى

أَخي ما أَقَلَّ التابِعيكَ إِلى الثَرى

وَإِخوانُكَ الأَدنونَ مِن قَبلِها كُثرُ

وَإِخوانُكَ الأَدنونَ مِن قَبلِها كُثرُ

My brother, how few follow you to the soil,

My brother, how few are your followers to the grave

yet your closest brothers, before then, were many.

And your brethren before it are many

لَقَد كانَتِ النَكراءُ مِنكَ خَليقَةً

لَقَد كانَتِ النَكراءُ مِنكَ خَليقَةً

وَلا عُرفَ حَتّى يُتَّقى قَبلَهَ النُكرُ

وَلا عُرفَ حَتّى يُتَّقى قَبلَهَ النُكرُ

The dreadful calamity was indeed to be expected from you;

The unknown were disposed to you

and there is no kindness until evil is first warded off.

And none knew to avoid you before the unknown

إِلا إِنَّما الماضونَ مِنّا هُمُ الأَولى

إِلا إِنَّما الماضونَ مِنّا هُمُ الأَولى

أَراحوا وَحَطوا وَالبَواقي هُمُ السَفرُ

أَراحوا وَحَطوا وَالبَواقي هُمُ السَفرُ

But those of us who have passed on are the ones

Except that those passed from us take priority

who have rested and laid down their loads; those remaining are the travelers.

They rested, descended, and those remaining bear the journey

نُتَبِّعُهُ أَبصارَنا وَهوَ ذاهِبٌ

نُتَبِّعُهُ أَبصارَنا وَهوَ ذاهِبٌ

كَما مالَ قَرنُ الشَمسِ أَو وَجبَ البَدرُ

كَما مالَ قَرنُ الشَمسِ أَو وَجبَ البَدرُ

We follow him with our eyes as he departs,

We follow him with our sights as he goes

as the sun's rim dips, or the full moon sets.

As the sun's crown wheels or the moon wanes

عَلَيكَ سَلامُ اللَهِ فاتَ بِكَ الرَدى

عَلَيكَ سَلامُ اللَهِ فاتَ بِكَ الرَدى

وَلَم يَبقَ عَينٌ لِلِّقاءِ وَلا أَثرُ

وَلَم يَبقَ عَينٌ لِلِّقاءِ وَلا أَثرُ

God's peace be upon you; death has carried you beyond reach,

Upon you, God's peace, time has taken you

and no presence remains to be met, nor any trace.

No eye remains for a meeting, nor a trace