فَهِمْتَ مَعْنَى الْعُمْرِ فَهْمَ الأَرِيبْ

وَعِشْتَ فِي دُنْيَاكَ عَيْشَ اللَّبِيبْ

You understood the meaning of life with the perceptiveness of the keen-sighted,

And lived your life with the wisdom of the prudent.

جُبِلْتَ مِنْهَا ثُمَّ أَنْكَرْتَهَا

وَكُنْتَ فِيهَا آهِلاً كَالغَرِيبْ

You were created from this world then denied it,

And were in it feeling lonely like a stranger.

وَكُنْتَ فِيهَا سَاعِياً كَالذِي

يَجُوزُ وَعْراً لِلِقَاءِ الحَبِيبْ

You were in it striving like one who crosses a desert

to meet his beloved.

فَاعْتَضْتَ مِنْ وَفْرٍ بِفَقْرٍ وَمِنْ

وَادٍ خَصِيبٍ بِعَرَاءٍ جَدِيبْ

So you gave up luxury for poverty, and a fertile valley

for a barren, waterless desert.

واعْتَضْتَ بِالمِسْحِ وَأطْمَارِهِ

مِنْ كُلِّ ثَوْبٍ ذِي بَهَاءٍ قَشيبْ

And you gave up fine garments for a woolen robe,

And gave up amusements and pleasures for God’s temple and the retreat of hearts,

وَاعْتَضْتَ مِنْ مَلْهىً وَمِنْ لَذَّتٍ

بِمَعْبَدِ اللهِ وَمَنْفَى الْقُلُوبْ

In the monastery you wrapped yourself to supplicate humbly,

Staying up late having become accustomed to distress and humility.

فِي الدَّيْرِ تُلْفَى عَاكِفاً ضارِعاً

مُهَجِّداً أَلِفَ الضَّنى وَالشُّحوبْ

And you were seen amongst people like one rescued

from drowning by a courageous rescuer.

وَقَدْ تُرَى بَيْنَ الْوَرَى مِثْلَمَا

يُسْعِفُ غَرْقَى البَحْرِ حُرُّ مُجِيبْ

You hold out to them the means of guidance like a tower

Extending its light to the watcher.

تَمُدُّ أَسْبَابَ الْهُدَى نَحْوَهُمْ

مَدَّ مَنَارٍ نُورَهُ لِلرَّقِيبْ

If the bloom of the night startles them, no doubt remains

In the light of that help.

لَوْ رَابَهُمْ زَهْرُ الدَّيَاجِي فَمَا

فِي نُورِ ذَاكَ الْغَوْثِ مِنْ مُسْتَرِيبْ

O close servant of God, it suits you to have attained

The soon meeting with Him.

فَيَا صَفِيَّ اللهِ يَهْنِيكَ أَنْ

قَدْ فُزْتَ مِنْهُ بِاللِّقَاءِ القَرِيْبْ

You left without leaving profoundly dark sorrow,

As the night of despair’s gloom is seen.

وَسِرْتَ لَمْ تُخْلِفْ أَسىً مُظْلِماً

كَمَا يُرَى لَيْلُ القُنُوطِ العَصِيبْ

Rather, the glow of its brilliance radiant,

Is seen through tears, like a wick’s light.

بَلْ شَفَقاً لألاؤُه نَاصِعٌ

يُرَى خِلاَلَ الدَّمْعِ شِبْهَ المَشُوبْ

You refused the elegy of despair, O you who guided

The nightingale to sing of hope.

أَبَيْتَ نَوْحَ اليَأْسِ يَا شَادِياً

عَلَّمَ شَدْوَ الأَمَلِ العَنْدَلِيبْ

And you, O guide of the caravan of frailty

With the melody of good news, refused weeping.

وَأَنْتَ يَا حَادِيَ رَكْبِ الرَّدَى

بِنَغَمِ البِشْرِ أَبَيْتَ النَّحيبْ

So no calling, no screams, no crying here or elsewhere.

This is the final resting place of decrepitude, silent,

فَلاَ مُنَادَاةٌ وَلاَ صَيْحَةٌ

وَلاَ بُكَاءٌ هَهُنَا أَوْ وَجِيبْ

Deafening sound itself and the preacher.

A hole in the earth but a gate to the vast and wide paradise.

هَذَا قَرَارٌ لِلْبِلَى صَامِتٌ

صُمٌّ بِهِ السَّمعُ وَعْنَ الخَطيبْ

An eternal abode of bliss for a righteous youth,

Tolerant, pure of soul and noble of mind.

حَفِيرَةٌ فِي الأَرْضِ لَكِنَّها

بَابٌ إِلَى الجَنًَّةِ عَالٍ رَحِيبْ

Seperation was quick then he turned away

and grey hair did not depress him afterwards.

مَبِيتُ خُلْدٍ لِفَتىً صَالِحٍ

سَمْحٍ نَقِيِّ النَّفسِ حُرٍّ أَدِيبْ

He lived a day that barely ended before the shadows

drew on him.

عَاجلَهُ البَيْنُ فَوَلّى وَلَمْ

يَزِنْهُ مِنْ بَعْدِ الشَّبَابِ المَشِيبْ

He prayed the dawn prayer from his life then in a flash

the sunset prayer followed.

عَاشَ نَهَاراً لَمْ يَكَدْ يَنْقَضِي

صَبَاحُهُ حَتَّى تَلاهُ الغُيُوبْ

صَلَّى صَلاةَ الصُّبحِ مِنْ عُمْرِهِ

ثُمَّ عَلَى الإِثْرِ صَلاَةَ الغُرُوبْ