سكتَّ عَيِيّاً فلم تنطُقِ

سكتَّ عَيِيّاً فلم تنطُقِ

وعهدي بكَ الشيّق المنطقِ

وعهدي بكَ الشيّق المنطقِ

You fell silent, tongue-tied, and did not speak.

You fell silent, no longer speaking,

Yet I remember you as captivating in speech.

Though your eloquent speech was dear to me.

أآخرُ وعظِك هذا السكوتُ

أآخرُ وعظِك هذا السكوتُ

تريدُ به عِظةَ المتّقي

تريدُ به عِظةَ المتّقي

Is this silence your final sermon,

This silence of yours is your final lesson -

with which you mean to admonish the God-fearing?

A lesson for the pious, given mutely.

وعظتَ فأرشدت حيّاً فلمّا

وعظتَ فأرشدت حيّاً فلمّا

عَدَتْكَ المنون فلم ترفقِ

عَدَتْكَ المنون فلم ترفقِ

You preached and guided while alive; then, when

In life you guided, exhorting righteousness,

Death assailed you and showed no mercy,

But when death's summons came, you showed no pity.

إذا بك في الموتِ أَبلغُ قولاً

إذا بك في الموتِ أَبلغُ قولاً

وأسمى عظاتٍ لِمَن يَتّقي

وأسمى عظاتٍ لِمَن يَتّقي

behold, in death you were more eloquent in speech

In death, your silence speaks more powerfully

and loftier in counsel for those who fear God.

Than loftiest words of wisdom for the upright.

لكلّ امرئٍ أجَلٌ في الحياةِ

لكلّ امرئٍ أجَلٌ في الحياةِ

فلا عاصِمٌ منه أو ما يقي

فلا عاصِمٌ منه أو ما يقي

Every person has an appointed end in life;

Each soul has a fixed term of life -

so there is no protector against it, nor anything that shields.

None can resist it or seek immunity.

ألاَ رُبَّ حيّ يودُّ الثوابَ

ألاَ رُبَّ حيّ يودُّ الثوابَ

فسارَ إليه على موثقِ

فسارَ إليه على موثقِ

Lo, many a living soul longs for reward,

Many desire reward, and walk its path,

and so has journeyed toward it upon a firm pledge.

Though the steep slope fills their hearts with fright.

وإنَّ أجلَّ صفاتِ الكريمِ

وإنَّ أجلَّ صفاتِ الكريمِ

لسانٌ عفيفٌ وقلبٌ نقي

لسانٌ عفيفٌ وقلبٌ نقي

And surely the finest qualities of a noble soul

Of noble traits, the best in one we prize

are a chaste tongue and a pure heart.

Is a tongue that's modest and a heart that's white.

عهِدناك راويةً للحديثِ

عهِدناك راويةً للحديثِ

فهل قلتَ يوماً فلم تصدُقِ

فهل قلتَ يوماً فلم تصدُقِ

We knew you as a transmitter of traditions;

We knew you as transmitter of hadith -

did you ever speak without telling the truth?

Did you ever speak, yet fail to speak the right?

وكنتَ يُناوئك الشانِئون

وكنتَ يُناوئك الشانِئون

فلم تَتَسخَّطْ ولم تحنَقِ

فلم تَتَسخَّطْ ولم تحنَقِ

And your detractors used to oppose you,

Though foes opposed you constantly, you stayed calm,

yet you neither grew resentful nor angry.

Showing no vexation, and no rage or spite.

تُعَلّمُ مَ يستفيدُك عِلماً

تُعَلّمُ مَ يستفيدُك عِلماً

فتسخُو به كالحيَا المُغدِقِ

فتسخُو به كالحيَا المُغدِقِ

You teach whoever seeks knowledge from you,

You taught those who would learn, and freely gave

and give it freely, like abundant rain.

Knowledge, like clouds that rain in days of blight.

وهل كنتَ للدِين يا شيخَهُ

وهل كنتَ للدِين يا شيخَهُ

سوى رُكنِهِ الأمتنِ الأوثَقِ

سوى رُكنِهِ الأمتنِ الأوثَقِ

And for the faith, O its sheikh, were you

For faith, Imam, were you not its sturdiest pillar,

anything but its strongest, surest pillar?

And staunchest champion in each trying fight?

تَزَهَّدتَ للهِ زُهدَ تقيّ

تَزَهَّدتَ للهِ زُهدَ تقيّ

أبرَّ بمولاه مستوثِقِ

أبرَّ بمولاه مستوثِقِ

You renounced the world for God, like a devout man

You renounced the world, shunning all but God -

most dutiful to his Lord and steadfast in trust.

Devoted to your Lord with all your might.

فلمّا انقضى بك تِسعُون عاماً

فلمّا انقضى بك تِسعُون عاماً

وعَزَّ الدواءُ على المشفِقِ

وعَزَّ الدواءُ على المشفِقِ

Then, when ninety years had passed over you,

When ninety years had passed, and medicine

and a remedy eluded the one who cared for you,

Could not avail, you neared your final night.

دَنَوْت من الموتِ ثَبتَ الجَنانِ

دَنَوْت من الموتِ ثَبتَ الجَنانِ

فلم تتهيَّبْ ولم تفرَقِ

فلم تتهيَّبْ ولم تفرَقِ

you drew near to death with a steadfast heart,

You faced death undismayed, steadfast of soul,

and you neither shrank in dread nor felt fear.

Showing no panic or intent to flight.

عجِبتُ لصدرِكَ وهو الرحيبُ

عجِبتُ لصدرِكَ وهو الرحيبُ

يُوَسَّدُ في قبرِكَ الضّيقِ

يُوَسَّدُ في قبرِكَ الضّيقِ

I marveled that your breast, so spacious,

How remarkable your heart remained so vast,

should be pillowed in your narrow grave.

Though now it rests in a narrow grave bed tight.

سلامٌ عليكَ ومن يَعتبِرْ

سلامٌ عليكَ ومن يَعتبِرْ

يُسلّمْ على ذكرك الشيّقِ

يُسلّمْ على ذكرك الشيّقِ

Peace be upon you; and whoever takes heed

Peace be upon you! Let all who would be wise

will salute your endearing memory.

Send blessings to your name, that shines so bright.

لَروحُك أولى بدار البقا

لَروحُك أولى بدار البقا

ولَلصَّبْرُ أجملُ فيمن بَقي

ولَلصَّبْرُ أجملُ فيمن بَقي

Surely your soul is worthier of the eternal abode,

Your soul has rights upon the Abode of Peace.

and patience is surely fairer in those who remain.

Patience, for those left behind, is true delight.