شَرَفَSharaf (honor) الدَينِal-Din (of the faith) مابَرِحتَyou have never ceased to be أَديباًa man of letters
شَرَفَ الدَينِ مابَرِحتَ أَديباً
وَحَبيباًand a dear friend إِلىto القُلوبِthe hearts حَبيباbeloved
وَحَبيباً إِلى القُلوبِ حَبيبا
Sharaf al-Din, you have ever been a man of letters,
and a dear friend, beloved of hearts.
فَإِذاso when نالَكَafflicts you الزَمانُtime بِخَطبٍwith a calamity
فَإِذا نالَكَ الزَمانُ بِخَطبٍ
نالَreceives كُلُّeach of الأَحبابِthe loved ones مِنهُof it نَصيباa share
نالَ كُلُّ الأَحبابِ مِنهُ نَصيبا
So when time afflicts you with calamity,
all your loved ones bear a share of it.
وَلَعَمريand by my life لَقَدindeed رُزِئتَyou have been bereaved of أَخاًa brother بَرdevoted (continued)
وَلَعَمري لَقَد رُزِئتَ أَخاً بَر
راً(completes 'devoted') وَمَولىًand a friend نَدباًgenerous وَفَرعاًand a scion نَجيباnoble
راً وَمَولىً نَدباً وَفَرعاً نَجيبا
And by my life, you have indeed lost a devoted brother,
and a generous friend, and a noble scion;
وَغَريبَand rare in الصِفاتِqualities مُذsince كانَhe was حَيّاًalive
وَغَريبَ الصِفاتِ مُذ كانَ حَيّاً
وَقَضىand decreed اللَهُGod أَنthat يَموتَhe should die غَريباa stranger
وَقَضى اللَهُ أَن يَموتَ غَريبا
and one of rare qualities throughout his life—
yet God decreed that he should die a stranger.
نالَhe attained فَضلاًexcellence عَلىdespite حَداثَةِthe youthfulness of سِنٍّage
نالَ فَضلاً عَلى حَداثَةِ سِنٍّ
فَرَأَيناso we saw الوَليدَal-Walid (the newborn) مِنهُin him حَبيباHabib (beloved)
فَرَأَينا الوَليدَ مِنهُ حَبيبا
He attained excellence despite his tender years,
so in him we saw al-Walid as Habib.
مارَأىhad not seen الناسُpeople مِثلَهُhis like وَهُوَwhile he was طِفلٌa child
مارَأى الناسُ مِثلَهُ وَهُوَ طِفلٌ
فاضِلاًvirtuous عارِفاًlearned ظَريفاًrefined أَديباa man of letters
فاضِلاً عارِفاً ظَريفاً أَديبا
No one had seen his like, even as a child:
virtuous, learned, refined, a man of letters;
وَهِلالاًand a crescent moon كَماas soon as اِستَهَلَّit first appeared مُنيراًradiant
وَهِلالاً كَما اِستَهَلَّ مُنيراً
وَقَضيباًand a shoot كَماas اِستَقامit grew upright رَطيباtender
وَقَضيباً كَما اِستَقام رَطيبا
and a crescent, radiant from its first appearance,
and a shoot, tender as it grew upright.
فَسَقىso may He water اللَهُGod قَبرَهُhis grave وَثَراهُand its soil
فَسَقى اللَهُ قَبرَهُ وَثَراهُ
صَيِّباًrain مِنfrom رِضاهُHis favor أَضحىhas become سَكوباpouring abundantly
صَيِّباً مِن رِضاهُ أَضحى سَكوبا
So may God water his grave and its soil
with rain from His favor, pouring in torrents.