زُرvisit قَبرgrave of يُوسُفَYusuf سَلُّومَSallum الكَريمَthe generous وَقُلْand say
زُر قَبر يُوسُفَ سَلُّومَ الكَريمَ وَقُلْ
كَمhow many حَسرَةٍsorrow لَكَfor you فيin طَيِّfolds of القُلوبِthe hearts تُرىare seen
كَم حَسرَةٍ لَكَ في طَيِّ القُلوبِ تُرى
Visit the grave of generous Yusuf Sallum, and say:
Visit Joseph's grave, greet the noble one, and say:
How many sorrows for you are seen in the folds of hearts!
How much sorrow for you remains in hearts' folds!
رحلْتَyou departed فيat الخَمسِfive وَالعشرينand twenty مُبتَدِراًhastening
رحلْتَ في الخَمسِ وَالعشرين مُبتَدِراً
فَحَلَّso settled حُزنُكَgrief for you فيin الأَحشاءِthe innermost parts مُبتَدراhastening
فَحَلَّ حُزنُكَ في الأَحشاءِ مُبتَدرا
You departed at twenty-five, hastening away;
You departed at twenty five, hastily,
So grief for you settled swiftly in our innermost depths.
And your sorrow settled hastily in hearts.
أَدرَكتَyou attained رَحمةَmercy of مَولاكَyour Lord الغَفورَthe All-Forgiving وَلَمand did not
أَدرَكتَ رَحمةَ مَولاكَ الغَفورَ وَلَم
تَرحَمyou show mercy to فُؤادَheart of أَبٍa father مِنfrom بَعدِكَafter you اِنفَطَراit broke
تَرحَم فُؤادَ أَبٍ مِن بَعدِكَ اِنفَطَرا
You attained the mercy of your all-forgiving Lord, yet did not
You attained your Forgiving Lord's mercy, yet
show mercy to a father's heart, which broke after you were gone.
No mercy for a father's heart after you - it shattered.
تَسقيكَwater you أَجفانُهُhis eyelids أَرِّخrecord the date بِادمُعِهاwith their tears
تَسقيكَ أَجفانُهُ أَرِّخ بِادمُعِها
ياO غُصنَbough of بانٍa bān tree لَواهُbent it البَينُparting فَاِنكَسَراso it broke
يا غُصنَ بانٍ لَواهُ البَينُ فَاِنكَسَرا
His eyelids water you—record the date—with their tears:
His lids water you, shed their tears copiously,
O bān-tree bough, bent by parting till it broke!
O branch of Bān, separation bent you, so you broke.