أَيَا دَارُ في جناتِ عَدنٍ لَهُ دَارُ

أَيَا دَارُ في جناتِ عَدنٍ لَهُ دَارُ

ويا جَارُ إِنَّ اللهَ فيها لَهُ جَارُ

ويا جَارُ إِنَّ اللهَ فيها لَهُ جَارُ

O house, he has a house in the gardens of Eden.

O abode in the gardens of Eden, it has an abode

O neighbor, God is his neighbor there.

And O neighbor, indeed Allah is its neighbor

وما دَارُه قَلْبي ولا جَارُهُ الحَشَا

وما دَارُه قَلْبي ولا جَارُهُ الحَشَا

لأَنَّ الحَشَا والقَلبَ حَشْواهما النَّارُ

لأَنَّ الحَشَا والقَلبَ حَشْواهما النَّارُ

My heart is not his dwelling, nor my bosom his neighbor,

Neither is my abode my heart, nor my neighbor passion

for my bosom and heart are both filled with fire.

For the passion and the heart, their insides are set ablaze by the Fire

أَبي يا أَبي أَنْتَ الَّذي جلَّ قَدرُه

أَبي يا أَبي أَنْتَ الَّذي جلَّ قَدرُه

وإِنْ حُكِّمَتْ فِيه على الرَّغْمِ أَقْدَارُ

وإِنْ حُكِّمَتْ فِيه على الرَّغْمِ أَقْدَارُ

My father, O my father, you are he whose worth was exalted,

O my father, O my father, you whose worth is sublime

though fates were given dominion over him against his will.

And if destinies were judged over it, the destinies would be defeated

وأَنت هو البَرُّ الَّذي شَهِدَتْ لَهُ

وأَنت هو البَرُّ الَّذي شَهِدَتْ لَهُ

بِذَلك أَبرَارٌ لَعَمري وفجَّارُ

بِذَلك أَبرَارٌ لَعَمري وفجَّارُ

You are the righteous man for whom testimony was given

You are the righteousness whom the righteous bore witness to

by the righteous, upon my life, and by the wicked.

For that, by my life, both the virtuous and the wicked

وأَنت الذي أُبصِرتَ في الخُلْد سَاكِناً

وأَنت الذي أُبصِرتَ في الخُلْد سَاكِناً

ولا تُنْكِرَنْ بَعضُ البصائر أَبصَارُ

ولا تُنْكِرَنْ بَعضُ البصائر أَبصَارُ

You are he who was seen dwelling in eternity;

You are the one I saw dwelling in eternity

let eyes not deny some inward visions.

Though some sights do not recognize sights

وأَنْتَ الذي لَمَّا نأَيتَ تَفاوَحَتْ

وأَنْتَ الذي لَمَّا نأَيتَ تَفاوَحَتْ

رياضٌ وقالوا إِنَّها عِنْكَ أَخْبَارُ

رياضٌ وقالوا إِنَّها عِنْكَ أَخْبَارُ

You are he at whose departure fragrance wafted from

You are the one about whom, when you departed, gardens exuded fragrance

gardens; they said, 'These are tidings at your side.'

And they said: “Verily it is news of you”

وأَنت الَّذي لَو يقْبَلُ الموتُ فِديةً

وأَنت الَّذي لَو يقْبَلُ الموتُ فِديةً

فَدَى عُمُراً منْه الكَواكِبُ أَعمَارُ

فَدَى عُمُراً منْه الكَواكِبُ أَعمَارُ

You are he for whom, if death accepted a ransom,

You are the one, if death would accept ransom,

the stars' lifetimes would ransom a lifetime of his.

The celestial bodies would ransom their lifespans for you

وأَنْتَ الذي آثَارُه مَأْثُرَاتُه

وأَنْتَ الذي آثَارُه مَأْثُرَاتُه

فأَنْتَ الَّذي لا تَمَّحِي منه آثَارُ

فأَنْتَ الَّذي لا تَمَّحِي منه آثَارُ

You are he whose traces are his glorious deeds;

You are the one whose traces are his glorious deeds

you are he whose traces cannot be effaced.

So you are the one from whom traces cannot be erased

وهل تمَّحي الآثَارُ مِنْك وبَعضُها

وهل تمَّحي الآثَارُ مِنْك وبَعضُها

من الْغَيث أَنواءٌ وفي الصبحِ أَنْوَارُ

من الْغَيث أَنواءٌ وفي الصبحِ أَنْوَارُ

How could your traces fade, when some of them

Can traces of you be erased, while some of them

are rain-bearing stars, and lights in the dawn?

Are showers from rain, and in the dawn, lights?

لقد كنت نهَّاءً على الدهر آمراً

لقد كنت نهَّاءً على الدهر آمراً

فللشَّرِّ نهاءٌ وللْخَير أَمَّارُ

فللشَّرِّ نهاءٌ وللْخَير أَمَّارُ

You were a firm forbider, commanding over time:

Indeed you were the terminator of evil in the times

ever forbidding evil, ever commanding good.

So for evil there is an end, and for good there are signposts

وقد كنت صَبَّاراً لكلِّ عَظيمة

وقد كنت صَبَّاراً لكلِّ عَظيمة

إِذا قيل فيها لَيسَ للدَّهْرِ صبَّارُ

إِذا قيل فيها لَيسَ للدَّهْرِ صبَّارُ

You patiently bore every great calamity,

And you were patient towards every calamity

when people said of it, 'No one can endure time.'

When it was said about it: “The times have no patient one”

وقد كنْتَ عْند النفع والضُّرِّ حازماً

وقد كنْتَ عْند النفع والضُّرِّ حازماً

فللخِلّ نفَّاعٌ وللضِّدِّ ضرَّارُ

فللخِلّ نفَّاعٌ وللضِّدِّ ضرَّارُ

You were resolute in benefit and harm:

And you were decisive at benefit and harm

bringing much benefit to friends, much harm to foes.

So for sweetness there is a benefactor, and for harm there is a harmful one

وقد كنتَ تعفو عن ذنوبٍ كثيرةٍ

وقد كنتَ تعفو عن ذنوبٍ كثيرةٍ

فللحقد نسَّاءٌ وللعَفْوِ ذكَّار

فللحقد نسَّاءٌ وللعَفْوِ ذكَّار

You pardoned many sins,

And you would pardon many sins

forgetful of rancor, ever mindful of pardon.

So for grudges there are forgetters, and for pardon there are rememberers

وقد كنتَ صدراً تملأُ الصدْرَ بهْجَةً

وقد كنتَ صدراً تملأُ الصدْرَ بهْجَةً

وتُرخي عليه للمهَابةِ أَستارُ

وتُرخي عليه للمهَابةِ أَستارُ

You were a leader who filled the heart with joy,

And you were a breast that would fill hearts with joy

and veils of awe were lowered over it.

And you would lower over it curtains of awe

وقد كنت حرّاً من أَمانٍ كواذب

وقد كنت حرّاً من أَمانٍ كواذب

إِذا استُعبِدَتْ من جلِّةِ الناسِ أَحرارُ

إِذا استُعبِدَتْ من جلِّةِ الناسِ أَحرارُ

You were free from false hopes,

And you were free from the shackles of deceitful safety

when free men among the eminent were enslaved.

When the elite of people are enslaved as freemen

وقد كنت تعطي المقترين ولم تبل

وقد كنت تعطي المقترين ولم تبل

إِذا أَعقبَ الإِكثارَ للبذل إِقْتَارُ

إِذا أَعقبَ الإِكثارَ للبذل إِقْتَارُ

You gave to the needy and did not care

And you would give to those asking, and your generosity would not run out

when lavish giving was followed by poverty.

When lavishness is followed by stinginess

فلا طلعت من بعد وجهك أَنجم

فلا طلعت من بعد وجهك أَنجم

ولا هَطَلت من بَعدِ كفِّك أَمطَارُ

ولا هَطَلت من بَعدِ كفِّك أَمطَارُ

May no stars rise after your face,

So neither did stars rise after your face

and may no rains pour down after your palm.

Nor did rain pour after your palm

خرجت من الدنيا لغيرك مكرهاً

خرجت من الدنيا لغيرك مكرهاً

كأَنَّكَ بالإِخْبَاتِ لله مُخْتَارُ

كأَنَّكَ بالإِخْبَاتِ لله مُخْتَارُ

You left the world to others under compulsion,

I left the world unwillingly to other than you

as though, in humble submission to God, you did so by choice.

As if you chose seclusion from the world for Allah

وعشت ولا إِثم وقلت ولا هوى

وعشت ولا إِثم وقلت ولا هوى

وغبتَ ولا عَيبٌ ومِتَّ ولا عَارُ

وغبتَ ولا عَيبٌ ومِتَّ ولا عَارُ

You lived without sin and spoke without caprice;

And I lived without sin, spoke without passion

you departed without fault and died without disgrace.

Departed without dishonor, and died without shame

وأَصبحت بل أَمسيت في القبر ثَاوِياً

وأَصبحت بل أَمسيت في القبر ثَاوِياً

مقيماً وحُسنُ الذِّكْرِ بَعدَك سيَّارُ

مقيماً وحُسنُ الذِّكْرِ بَعدَك سيَّارُ

You came at dawn—rather, at dusk—to lie in the grave,

And I became, nay I became, in the grave destitute

remaining there, while your good name travels on.

Dwelling, yet the good mention of you wanders

وأَعديت منك الطيف صدقاً فلم يزر

وأَعديت منك الطيف صدقاً فلم يزر

فلا الطيفُ طوَّافٌ ولا الزِّورُ زوَّارُ

فلا الطيفُ طوَّافٌ ولا الزِّورُ زوَّارُ

You imparted your truthfulness to your dream-image, so it never visited;

And I came by your apparition in truth, but it did not visit

the dream-image does not roam, nor does falsehood come visiting.

For neither is the apparition a visitor, nor the false one visitors

بدارك أَقوام كثير رأَيتم

بدارك أَقوام كثير رأَيتم

فأَعلمتُهم أَنْ لَيسَ في الدَّار ديَّارُ

فأَعلمتُهم أَنْ لَيسَ في الدَّار ديَّارُ

You saw many people at your house;

At your abode I saw many groups

I told them that the house held not a soul.

So I informed them that the abode has no dwellers

فتسويدها حيطانها وهو همها

فتسويدها حيطانها وهو همها

وإِيقادُها نيرانها وهو تَذْكَارُ

وإِيقادُها نيرانها وهو تَذْكَارُ

Its blackening of its walls is its grief,

Its blackening are its walls, and that is its concern

and its kindling of its fires is remembrance.

And its illumination are its fires, and that is its remembrance

قضى وطراً هذا الممات من الذي

قضى وطراً هذا الممات من الذي

به قُضِيتْ للناسِ مذ كَانَ أَوطَارُ

به قُضِيتْ للناسِ مذ كَانَ أَوطَارُ

This death fulfilled its desire upon him

The appointed time has elapsed, from the one

through whom people's desires were fulfilled ever since he lived.

By whom appointments were made for people since eras

ومن كان هذا الدهر من تحت حجره

ومن كان هذا الدهر من تحت حجره

غدا فَوقَه في المهمهِ القفر أَحجَارُ

غدا فَوقَه في المهمهِ القفر أَحجَارُ

He who once held this age beneath his sway

And the one whom this life was above his tombstone

now has stones above him in the barren wilderness.

Tomorrow is above it in the desolate wasteland, rocks

وما خصَّ مصراً وحدها رزؤُها بِه

وما خصَّ مصراً وحدها رزؤُها بِه

لقد رُزِئَتْه في البَسيطَةِ أَمصَارُ

لقد رُزِئَتْه في البَسيطَةِ أَمصَارُ

Egypt's bereavement for him was not hers alone;

Misfortune did not exclusively hit Egypt

cities throughout the earth were bereaved of him.

Rather cities across the expanse were hit by it

فلا تعذلوا قوماً تفانت نفوسهم

فلا تعذلوا قوماً تفانت نفوسهم

عليه أَسىً للقومِ يا قومُ إِعذَارُ

عليه أَسىً للقومِ يا قومُ إِعذَارُ

Do not blame a people whose souls perished

So do not blame a people whose souls were loyal to him

in grief for him; O people, they have their excuse.

Condoling, O people, condoling excuses

مضى طاهرَ الأَثوابِ من كل ريبةٍ

مضى طاهرَ الأَثوابِ من كل ريبةٍ

وأَثواب أَطهار البرية أَطهار

وأَثواب أَطهار البرية أَطهار

He departed with garments pure of every suspicion;

One pure of garments has passed away, from every doubt

the garments of the pure among humankind are pure.

And the garments of the purest of land are the purest

طرائقه بين الأَنام مراشد

طرائقه بين الأَنام مراشد

وأَخبارُه بين الملائِكِ أَسمَارُ

وأَخبارُه بين الملائِكِ أَسمَارُ

His ways among mortals are guides to righteousness,

His ways among people are guided paths

and accounts of him are the angels' evening tales.

And his news among angels are processions

وقد شَكَرَتْ مِنه الصيامَ أَصائلٌ

وقد شَكَرَتْ مِنه الصيامَ أَصائلٌ

وأَثْنَتْ عليه بالتهجُّد أَسحارُ

وأَثْنَتْ عليه بالتهجُّد أَسحارُ

Late afternoons thanked him for his fasting,

Vigils thanked his fasting

and the hours before dawn praised him for his night prayers.

And predawn prayers praised his night vigil

رأَت أَنْفُسٌ أَكفانَه وهْي سُنْدُسٌ

رأَت أَنْفُسٌ أَكفانَه وهْي سُنْدُسٌ

وإِن أَبصرتْها أَعينٌ وهْي أَطْمَارُ

وإِن أَبصرتْها أَعينٌ وهْي أَطْمَارُ

Souls saw his shrouds as fine silk,

Some selves saw his shrouds and they were silk

though eyes saw them as rags.

And if sights saw them, they were pearls

وشيّعهُ التكبير حتَّى إِذا ثَوَى

وشيّعهُ التكبير حتَّى إِذا ثَوَى

تلقَّاهُ إِجلالٌ هناكَ وإِكبارُ

تلقَّاهُ إِجلالٌ هناكَ وإِكبارُ

Cries of 'God is greatest' accompanied him until, when he lay down,

And the exaltation of “Allahu Akbar” bid him farewell

reverence and veneration received him there.

Until when he was laid to rest, reverence and exaltation received him

فيا نفسه فيك السكينة والهدى

فيا نفسه فيك السكينة والهدى

وفَوقَكِ سرٌّ فيهِ للهِ أَسرارُ

وفَوقَكِ سرٌّ فيهِ للهِ أَسرارُ

O his soul, serenity and guidance are within you,

O his soul, within you are tranquility and guidance

and above you is a mystery containing mysteries of God.

And above you is a secret in which are Allah’s secrets

ويا حامليه قد حَمَلْتم أَمانَةً

ويا حامليه قد حَمَلْتم أَمانَةً

تَخرُّ لها شُمُّ الجبالِ وَتَنْهَارُ

تَخرُّ لها شُمُّ الجبالِ وَتَنْهَارُ

O his bearers, you carried a trust

O you who carry him, you have carried a trust

before which towering mountains fall and collapse.

That would humble the peak of mountains and cause them to collapse

ويا قبره لا شكَّ أَنك جَنَّةٌ

ويا قبره لا شكَّ أَنك جَنَّةٌ

ولكِنْ بِها مِن أَدمعِ الخلقِ أَنْهَارُ

ولكِنْ بِها مِن أَدمعِ الخلقِ أَنْهَارُ

O his grave, surely you are a paradise,

O his grave, no doubt you are a garden

but within it are rivers of humankind's tears.

But in it are rivers from the tears of creation

ويا تربَه قد صرت مِسكاً بطيبِهِ

ويا تربَه قد صرت مِسكاً بطيبِهِ

فلا زائر إِلاَّ بمسكك معْطَارُ

فلا زائر إِلاَّ بمسكك معْطَارُ

O his dust, you have become musk through his fragrance;

O his soil, you have become musk due to his fragrance

no visitor is without the perfume of your musk.

So no visitor except with your musk is perfumed

ويا أَرضه إِن ينكسف بك بدره

ويا أَرضه إِن ينكسف بك بدره

فما برحت في الأَرض تكْسَفُ أَقْمَارُ

فما برحت في الأَرض تكْسَفُ أَقْمَارُ

O his earth, if his full moon is eclipsed within you,

O his land, if his full moon were to be eclipsed over you

moons have never ceased to be eclipsed on earth.

The full moons in the land would not cease to be eclipsed

غدا ابنك حيراناً يروم هداية

غدا ابنك حيراناً يروم هداية

فصادف أَربابَ الهدى فيك قد حَارُوا

فصادف أَربابَ الهدى فيك قد حَارُوا

Your son has become bewildered, seeking guidance,

Tomorrow your son will be confused, intending guidance

but found the masters of guidance themselves bewildered over you.

So he meets the people of guidance bewildered in you

كئيباً يوفي بعدك الحزن حقه

كئيباً يوفي بعدك الحزن حقه

فلا الدمعُ خوَّانٌ ولا الهمُّ خوَّارُ

فلا الدمعُ خوَّانٌ ولا الهمُّ خوَّارُ

Grief-stricken, he gives sorrow its full due after you;

Grieving, fulfilling after you the rightful dues of sadness

his tears are not treacherous, nor does his anguish falter.

For neither are tears betrayers, nor is sadness perfidious

مجدّاً على أَن يدرك الثأر بعده

مجدّاً على أَن يدرك الثأر بعده

وهيهات من صَرف الردى يُدركُ الثار

وهيهات من صَرف الردى يُدركُ الثار

He strives earnestly to win revenge after him,

Boasting that he will attain vengeance after it

but vengeance against death's vicissitudes is far beyond reach.

But alas! From the turns of fate, vengeance cannot be attained

فَقدتُك فَقْدَ الأَرضِ وَهْيَ جديبةٌ

فَقدتُك فَقْدَ الأَرضِ وَهْيَ جديبةٌ

لغيث تولَّى مُعرِضاً وهْوَ مِدرَارُ

لغيث تولَّى مُعرِضاً وهْوَ مِدرَارُ

I lost you as the parched earth loses

I lost you like the loss of land during drought

a lavish rain that turns away and departs.

To pouring rain which turned away as a downpour

وأَعشَارُ قَلْبي لاَ انْشِعَاب لصدعِها

وأَعشَارُ قَلْبي لاَ انْشِعَاب لصدعِها

وقد تُلِيت من حول قبرك أَعشار

وقد تُلِيت من حول قبرك أَعشار

My heart's divided parts cannot have their fractures mended,

And the tenths of my heart have no mending of their rifts

and ten-verse passages were recited around your grave.

Though I have wrapped around your grave tenths

وقد كنت لما كنت لي في فوائد

وقد كنت لما كنت لي في فوائد

تُفَادُ وخَيرٍ كان لي منك أَخْيارُ

تُفَادُ وخَيرٍ كان لي منك أَخْيارُ

While you were there for me, I lived amid benefits

And you were to me, when you were, of benefits

bestowed, and goodness, the best of which came to me from you,

Goodness from you I would obtain, of which there were many choices

وفي نعم في الحسن كالبدر يجتلي

وفي نعم في الحسن كالبدر يجتلي

وإِنْ شِئْتَ طَعماً فهو كالشُّهِدِ يُشَتَارُ

وإِنْ شِئْتَ طَعماً فهو كالشُّهِدِ يُشَتَارُ

and blessings, beautiful as the full moon when beheld,

And of blessings, you would shine like the full moon

and, if you wanted a taste, like honey gathered from the comb.

And if you willed a flavor, it would be like honey, sought out

ولا كوكب إِلا بسعدي طالع

ولا كوكب إِلا بسعدي طالع

ولا فَلَكٌ إِلاَّ بِقَصدِيَ دَوَّار

ولا فَلَكٌ إِلاَّ بِقَصدِيَ دَوَّار

No star rose except with good fortune for me,

No star rises except in my fortune

and no celestial sphere revolved save according to my purpose.

No orbit revolves except by my intention, circling

فأَصبحت لما مت حياً كميت

فأَصبحت لما مت حياً كميت

وإِن كنتُ أَمتاحُ الدُّموعَ وأَمتارُ

وإِن كنتُ أَمتاحُ الدُّموعَ وأَمتارُ

When you died, I became alive as one dead,

So I became, when you died, alive like the dead

though I draw up tears and take them as my provisions.

And I was shedding tears and meters

وحيداً فما لي في دياري مؤنس

وحيداً فما لي في دياري مؤنس

غَريباً فما لِي في هموميَ أَنصارُ

غَريباً فما لِي في هموميَ أَنصارُ

Alone, I have no companion in my home;

And alone, so I have no intimate in my abode

a stranger, I have no helpers in my grief.

A stranger, so I have no supporters in my worries

وإِني على دين الوفاءِ لثابت

وإِني على دين الوفاءِ لثابت

وإِني من حسن العزاء لفَرَّارُ

وإِني من حسن العزاء لفَرَّارُ

I stand firm in the creed of fidelity,

And I am on the religion of loyalty, steadfast

and flee from graceful consolation.

And I am, in excellent condolence, escaping

وإِن اعتزازي بعد وتِك ذَلةٌ

وإِن اعتزازي بعد وتِك ذَلةٌ

وإِنَّ يَساري بعدَ فقْدِك إِعْسَارُ

وإِنَّ يَساري بعدَ فقْدِك إِعْسَارُ

My pride after your [death] is humiliation,

And my pride after you is humiliation

and my wealth after losing you is poverty.

And my affluence after your loss is destitution

وَبرْقُ بَقائي بعد بينك خُلَّبٌ

وَبرْقُ بَقائي بعد بينك خُلَّبٌ

ونَجمُ حياتي بعدَ بُعدِك غوَّارُ

ونَجمُ حياتي بعدَ بُعدِك غوَّارُ

The lightning of my survival after your parting is rainless,

The lightning of my remaining after separation from you is darkness

and the star of my life after your departure sinks away.

The star of my life after your distance is sinking

فهنِّئْت قبراً أَنت فيه بجنَة

فهنِّئْت قبراً أَنت فيه بجنَة

تُفدِّيك زُهْرٌ أَو تُجنِّيك أَزْهَارُ

تُفدِّيك زُهْرٌ أَو تُجنِّيك أَزْهَارُ

May you be blessed with a grave where you dwell in paradise,

So I congratulated a grave in which you are, in bliss

where radiant ones ransom you, or blossoms yield you fruit.

Redeemed by blossoms or yielded flowers

فما أَنت كالأَمواتِ بل أَنت نَاظِرٌ

فما أَنت كالأَمواتِ بل أَنت نَاظِرٌ

إِلى ربِّه ما الناسُ في الموتِ أنظار

إِلى ربِّه ما الناسُ في الموتِ أنظار

You are not like the dead, but one who gazes

For you are not like the deceased, but rather you are witnessing

upon his Lord; people are not equals in death.

Your Lord while people in death are not witnessing

حسدت على الموت الذي عشت بعده

حسدت على الموت الذي عشت بعده

فجاء من الإكراه في الموت إيثار

فجاء من الإكراه في الموت إيثار

You were envied for the death after which you lived,

I envied death which I lived after

so aversion to death became a preference for it.

So preference came to me in death out of compulsion

وقلبك مسرور وقبرك روضة

وقلبك مسرور وقبرك روضة

ووجهُكَ بسَّامٌ وربُّك غفار

ووجهُكَ بسَّامٌ وربُّك غفار

Your heart is joyful, and your grave is a garden;

Your heart is joyous, your grave a meadow

your face is ever smiling, and your Lord ever forgiving.

Your face smiling, your Lord forgiving

عفاءً على الدنيا التي قد عفا بها

عفاءً على الدنيا التي قد عفا بها

وأُفٌ لعَصر ريحُه فيكَ إِعصَارُ

وأُفٌ لعَصر ريحُه فيكَ إِعصَارُ

Ruin upon the world in which he passed away!

Pardoning the world which you have pardoned

Fie upon an age whose wind was a whirlwind against you!

And shame on a time whose winds in you are storms

لزهّدني في هذه الدار موته

لزهّدني في هذه الدار موته

فسيَّانَ إِقلالٌ لديَّ وإِكْثَارُ

فسيَّانَ إِقلالٌ لديَّ وإِكْثَارُ

His death has surely made me renounce this abode;

His death made me ascetic in this house

poverty and plenty are alike to me.

So equal to me are less and more

وأَيقنت أَني ميت وابن ميت

وأَيقنت أَني ميت وابن ميت

فلِلْمَوتِ تَردَادٌ إِلينا وتكْرَارُ

فلِلْمَوتِ تَردَادٌ إِلينا وتكْرَارُ

I am certain I am mortal, the son of a mortal;

And I was certain I would die, a son of the deceased

death returns to us again and again.

For death has recurrences and repetitions to us

وكيف بقائي والأَخلاء قد ثووا

وكيف بقائي والأَخلاء قد ثووا

وكيفَ مُقَامِي والأَحبّةُ قد سَارُوا

وكيفَ مُقَامِي والأَحبّةُ قد سَارُوا

How can I remain when dear friends lie at rest?

And how can I remain when companions lie dead

How can I stay when loved ones have departed?

And how can I stay when loved ones have departed

ويا ليتهم ساروا كسير قوافل

ويا ليتهم ساروا كسير قوافل

ولكنَّهم تَحتَ الجَنادِلِ قَد صَارُوا

ولكنَّهم تَحتَ الجَنادِلِ قَد صَارُوا

Would that they had traveled as caravans travel,

Oh, would that they had departed like caravans travel on

but they have come to lie beneath the boulders.

But rather they have become under the burial mounds

يرى المرء أَن العيش خلو جهالة

يرى المرء أَن العيش خلو جهالة

وأَضعافُ ذاك الحلْوِ في العيش إِمرارُ

وأَضعافُ ذاك الحلْوِ في العيش إِمرارُ

A man, in ignorance, thinks life is [sweet],

One sees that life without ignorance is isolation

while life's bitterness is many times that sweetness.

And multiples of that sweetness in life are bitter

أَلم ترهم لم يجمعوا الصفو قلة

أَلم ترهم لم يجمعوا الصفو قلة

وفي كَدَرٍ من كَثْرَة قيلَ إِكْثَارُ

وفي كَدَرٍ من كَثْرَة قيلَ إِكْثَارُ

Have you not seen that they did not gather even a little serenity,

Did you not see them, they did not gather any purity out of scarcity

while their abundant murk is called excess?

And in turbidity out of abundance, it is said “abundance”

ونرجو بقاء عند من هو هالك

ونرجو بقاء عند من هو هالك

ونَرجُو وفاءً عند مَنْ هُوَ غدَّارُ

ونَرجُو وفاءً عند مَنْ هُوَ غدَّارُ

We hope for permanence from one who must perish,

We hope for remaining with one who is perishing

and hope for fidelity from one who is treacherous.

And we hope for loyalty from one who is treacherous

ويصبح فخّاراً على أَهل جِنسه

ويصبح فخّاراً على أَهل جِنسه

وينسى بأَنّ الأَصل من قبل فخّارُ

وينسى بأَنّ الأَصل من قبل فخّارُ

A man becomes boastful before his own kind,

And one becomes ashes over his fellow man in the morning

forgetting that his origin was once fired clay.

Forgetting that the origin beforehand was ashes

وكلٌّ نحارير فإِن عرضَت لهم

وكلٌّ نحارير فإِن عرضَت لهم

زَخَارِفُ هذِي الدارِ فالكُلُّ أَغْمَارُ

زَخَارِفُ هذِي الدارِ فالكُلُّ أَغْمَارُ

All are accomplished experts; but when there appear before them

All are manuscripts, so if the ornaments

the ornaments of this abode, they are all simpletons.

Of this house are presented to them, they are completely immersed

سأَبكي أَبي بل أَلبس الدمعَ بعده

سأَبكي أَبي بل أَلبس الدمعَ بعده

وإِنِّي لذيلِ الدَّمعِ فِيه لجرَّارُ

وإِنِّي لذيلِ الدَّمعِ فِيه لجرَّارُ

I shall weep for my father—rather, wear tears after him,

I will cry for my father, nay I will continue to cry after him

and for him I shall trail the hem of tears.

And I am indeed the lengthener of crying for him, constant

وإِن فَنِيَتْ من ناظِرِي فيه أَدمُعٌ

وإِن فَنِيَتْ من ناظِرِي فيه أَدمُعٌ

لما فَنِيَتْ مِن مَقوْلِي فِيهِ أَشْعَارُ

لما فَنِيَتْ مِن مَقوْلِي فِيهِ أَشْعَارُ

Even if tears for him run dry in my eyes,

And if tears from my eyes regarding him are exhausted

poems for him will never run dry upon my tongue.

No less than poems from my words regarding him are exhausted

لعلِّيَ بعد الموت أَلقاه شافعاً

لعلِّيَ بعد الموت أَلقاه شافعاً

إِذا أَثْقلتْني في القِيَامةِ أَوزارُ

إِذا أَثْقلتْني في القِيَامةِ أَوزارُ

Perhaps after death I shall meet him as an intercessor,

Perhaps after death I will meet him as an intercessor

when sins weigh heavily upon me at the Resurrection.

When burdens weigh me down on the Day of Judgment