حَنَّطتَهُ يا نَصرُ بِالكافورِ

حَنَّطتَهُ يا نَصرُ بِالكافورِ

وَرَفَعتَهُ لِلمَنزِلِ المَهجورِ

وَرَفَعتَهُ لِلمَنزِلِ المَهجورِ

You embalmed him, O Nasr, with camphor,

You embalmed him, O Nasr, with camphor

And lifted him to the deserted dwelling.

And raised him to the abandoned residence

هَلّا بِبَعضِ خِصالِهِ حَنَّطتَهُ

هَلّا بِبَعضِ خِصالِهِ حَنَّطتَهُ

فَيَضوعَ أُفقُ مَنازِلٍ وَقُبورِ

فَيَضوعَ أُفقُ مَنازِلٍ وَقُبورِ

Why did you not embalm him with some of his virtues,

If only you had embalmed him with some of his attributes

So the horizon of dwellings and graves might breathe fragrance?

The horizons of homes and graves would have flourished

تَاللَهِ لَو بِنَسيمِ أَخلاقٍ لَهُ

تَاللَهِ لَو بِنَسيمِ أَخلاقٍ لَهُ

تُعزى إِلى التَقديسِ وَالتَطهيرِ

تُعزى إِلى التَقديسِ وَالتَطهيرِ

By God, had you, with the breeze of his virtues—

By Allah, if the breeze of his good manners

Ascribed to sanctity and purification—

Was used for consecration and purification

طَيَّبتَ مَن سَكَنَ الثَرى وَعَلا الرُبا

طَيَّبتَ مَن سَكَنَ الثَرى وَعَلا الرُبا

لَتَزَوَّدوهُ عُدَّةً لِنُشورِ

لَتَزَوَّدوهُ عُدَّةً لِنُشورِ

Perfumed those dwelling in the earth and those atop the hills,

You have perfumed the one who dwelt in the earth and ascended the grave

They would have taken it as provision for resurrection.

So that they may be equipped for resurrection

فَاِذهَب كَما ذَهَبَ الشَبابُ فَإِنَّهُ

فَاِذهَب كَما ذَهَبَ الشَبابُ فَإِنَّهُ

قَد كانَ خَيرَ مُصاحِبٍ وَعَشيرِ

قَد كانَ خَيرَ مُصاحِبٍ وَعَشيرِ

So depart as youth departed, for it

So go just as youth has gone, for it

Was indeed the best companion and intimate friend.

Had been the best companion and clan

وَاِذهَب كَما ذَهَبَ الوَفاءُ فَإِنَّهُ

وَاِذهَب كَما ذَهَبَ الوَفاءُ فَإِنَّهُ

عَصَفَت بِهِ ريحا صَباً وَدَبورِ

عَصَفَت بِهِ ريحا صَباً وَدَبورِ

And depart as loyalty departed, for it

And go just as loyalty has gone, for

Was swept away by the winds of Ṣabā and Dabūr.

The morning and evening winds have blown it away

وَاللَهِ ما أَبَّنتُهُ لَأَزيدَهُ

وَاللَهِ ما أَبَّنتُهُ لَأَزيدَهُ

شَرَفاً وَلَكِن نَفثَةُ المَصدورِ

شَرَفاً وَلَكِن نَفثَةُ المَصدورِ

And by God, I did not eulogize him to increase his

By Allah, I did not eulogize him to increase

Honor, but as an outpouring from an aching breast.

His nobility, but the outpouring of my chest