أَمسى نِقُولا في الضَريحِ فَلَم تَزَل

أَمسى نِقُولا في الضَريحِ فَلَم تَزَل

أَسَفاً بَنو النحّاسِ تندُبُ فَقدَهُ

أَسَفاً بَنو النحّاسِ تندُبُ فَقدَهُ

Nicola now lies in the tomb, and still

The night has come, leaving Nicola in his tomb,

the sons of al-Nahhas lament his loss in sorrow.

While the people of brass continually mourn his loss.

شَهمٌ لَقَد أَبكى الفَضائلَ مِثلَما

شَهمٌ لَقَد أَبكى الفَضائلَ مِثلَما

بَكَتِ القَوافي وَالصَحائِفُ بَعدَهُ

بَكَتِ القَوافي وَالصَحائِفُ بَعدَهُ

A noble man—he indeed made the virtues weep, just as

Noble he was, for he made virtues weep as

the rhymes and the pages wept after his passing.

The verses and pages wept after him.

تَسقي السَحائبُ كُلَّ يَومٍ تُربهُ

تَسقي السَحائبُ كُلَّ يَومٍ تُربهُ

وَملائِكُ الرَحمَنِ تَغشى لحدَهُ

وَملائِكُ الرَحمَنِ تَغشى لحدَهُ

The clouds water his grave's earth each day,

The clouds water his grave each day,

and the angels of the Most Merciful visit his grave.

And angels of the Merciful surround his burial place.

تُمسي إَليهِ بِالسَلامِ مؤرِّخاً

تُمسي إَليهِ بِالسَلامِ مؤرِّخاً

أَبَداً وَتَغدو بِالمَراحمِ عِندَهُ

أَبَداً وَتَغدو بِالمَراحمِ عِندَهُ

At dusk they come to him with peace—the chronogram reads:

You bid him peace when evening comes, chronicling

forever, and at dawn they are beside him with mercies.

Forever your mercies for him each dawn.