1. كُنْتَ في المَوْتِ وَالْحَيَاةِ كَبِيراً

    هَكَذَا المَجْدُ أَوَّلاً وَأخِيرَا

    You were great in death and in life.

    Thus is glory, first and last.

  2. ظَلْتَ في الْخَلْقِ راجِحَ الْخُلْقِ حَتَّى

    نِلْتَ فِيهِمْ ذَاكَ المقَامَ الْخَطِيرَا

    Among people you remained preeminent in character, until

    you attained among them that eminent station.

  3. فَوْقَ هَام الرِّجَالِ هَامَتُكَ الشـ

    ـمَّاءُ تَزْهُو عُلىً وَتَزْهَرُ نُورا

    Above the heads of men, your head—

    lofty—glories in its height and blossoms with light.

  4. عِبْرَةُ الدَّهْرِ أَنْ تَرَى بعْدَ ذَاكَ الْـ

    ـجَاهِ في حَدِّ كُلّ حيِ مَصِيرَا

    Time's lesson is to see, after that

    eminence, the fate that marks the end of every life.

  5. مَا حَسِبْنَا الزَّمَانَ إِنْ طَالَ مَا طَا

    لَ مُزِيلاً ذَاكَ الشَّبابَ النَّضيرَا

    We never thought that time, however long it might

    last, would take away that blooming youth.

  6. إِنَّ يَوْماً بَكَيْنا حَبِيباً

    لَيسَ بِدْعاً أَنْ كَانَ يَوْماً مَطِيرَا

    Indeed, the day we wept for a loved one—

    it is no wonder that it was a rainy day.

  7. يا له من عميد قوم تولى

    لم يكن مزدهى ولا مغرورا

    What a leader of his people has departed!

    He was neither vain nor arrogant.

  8. جعل الحلم دأبه وتوخى السلم

    ما اسطاعه سماحا وخيرا

    He made forbearance his habit and sought peace

    as far as he could, with generosity and goodness.

  9. وهو من لا تنال منه الأعادي

    لو غدا بعضهم لبعض ظهيرا

    And he was one whom his enemies could not harm,

    even were they to become one another's allies.

  10. ناط بالعقل أمره كله والعقل

    خير في كل حال مشيرا

    He entrusted all his affairs to reason, and reason

    is the best counselor in every circumstance.

  11. حزمه علم الضعيف إذا استبصر

    أنى بالحزم يغدو قديرا

    His firmness taught the weak, once they gained insight,

    how, through firmness, they could become strong.

  12. فإذا ما استقاله عشرة الجد

    عزيز أقال جدا عثورا

    And whenever he was asked to remedy a stumble of fortune

    by someone dear, he righted a stumbling fortune.

  13. وإذا أعوز الوفي نصير

    يدرأ الضيم كان ذاك النصيرا

    And when a loyal person lacked a defender

    to ward off injustice, he was that defender.

  14. بلغ المنتهى من الحظ في الدنيا

    ثراء وصحة وسرورا

    He attained the utmost good fortune in this world:

    wealth, health, and joy,

  15. وحياة مديدة ومن الأبتاء

    شمسا مضيئة وبدورا

    and a long life, and, among his children,

    a radiant sun and full moons.

  16. أسفي أن يقوض الرجل الباني

    وإن ظل بيته معمورا

    My sorrow is that the man who built should be torn down,

    even though his house remains inhabited.

  17. أشكاة من الزمان ومن يعهده

    في نهاية مشكورا

    A complaint against time? And who has ever known it

    to be thanked in the end?

  18. أيها المنتحي من الغيب دارا

    خل دار البكاء والق حبورا

    O you who have chosen a dwelling in the unseen,

    leave the house of weeping and find joy.

  19. أعلى الفانيات يؤسى وقد كنت

    عليما بها وكنت خبيرا

    Should perishable things be mourned, when you were

    well aware of them and deeply acquainted with them?

  20. إن أشبالك الأعزاء أيقاظ

    فنم عنهم أمينا قريرا

    Indeed, your dear lion cubs are awake;

    so sleep, untroubled about them, secure and at peace.

  21. كلهم عند ما تحب المعالي

    خلقا نابها وفكرا منيرا

    All of them stand at the heights you love,

    distinguished in character and luminous in thought.

  22. يجد النبل أن يسر حزينا

    ويرى الفضل أن يبر فقيرا

    Each finds nobility in gladdening someone sorrowful,

    and sees virtue in showing kindness to someone poor.