قِفا نَعتَبِر ما وارثُ الأرضِ بِالصفا

قِفا نَعتَبِر ما وارثُ الأرضِ بِالصفا

وَكيفَ مالَ العالمين إِلى العفا

وَكيفَ مالَ العالمين إِلى العفا

Halt, you two; let us take heed: earth's heir knows no serenity,

Pause and reflect on what the owner of this tomb achieved with virtue,

and consider how the peoples of the world have passed into oblivion.

And how he inclined the two worlds towards clemency.

فَهذا ضَريحٌ لو عَلِمت ضجيعهُ

فَهذا ضَريحٌ لو عَلِمت ضجيعهُ

نَفضتَ مِنَ الدنيا يَديك تلهّفا

نَفضتَ مِنَ الدنيا يَديك تلهّفا

For this is a tomb: if you knew its occupant,

If you but knew who lies in this grave,

you would shake your hands free of this world in anguish.

You would shake off the world from your hands in passionate desire.

طَوى طودَ عزٍّ لا يرامُ فَأَصبحت

طَوى طودَ عزٍّ لا يرامُ فَأَصبحت

مَغانيهِ قاعاً مِن مَعاليهِ صَفصفا

مَغانيهِ قاعاً مِن مَعاليهِ صَفصفا

It enfolded a mountain of unassailable glory; now

He folded up the high standard of glory, unassailable,

his once-lofty abodes have become a bare, level plain.

And so his lofty virtues became as a barren plain.

أَبو النخبةِ الشهمُ الّذي كان عمدةً

أَبو النخبةِ الشهمُ الّذي كان عمدةً

لِآلِ حسينٍ في الكفايةِ والوفا

لِآلِ حسينٍ في الكفايةِ والوفا

Abu al-Nukhba, the noble-hearted man who was a mainstay

The intrepid leader of the elite, who was a pillar

to the House of Husayn in competence and fidelity.

Of support for the family of Hussein, in competence and loyalty.

أَقام حميدَ السعيِ يَخدم مُلكَهم

أَقام حميدَ السعيِ يَخدم مُلكَهم

ثَلاثينَ حَولاً في الوزارةِ مُقتفى

ثَلاثينَ حَولاً في الوزارةِ مُقتفى

He remained, praiseworthy in endeavor, serving their rule,

He established the praiseworthy endeavor in serving their kingdom

for thirty years in the ministry, an example to be followed.

For thirty years as their minister, walking the straight path.

وَأَوسعَ أهلَ القطرِ حلماً ونائلاً

وَأَوسعَ أهلَ القطرِ حلماً ونائلاً

ودُنياهُ تَدبيراً وَأُخراه معطفا

ودُنياهُ تَدبيراً وَأُخراه معطفا

And he lavished forbearance and bounty on the people of the land,

And he offered the people of the land extensive clemency and attainment,

and wise planning on his worldly life, devoted care on his hereafter.

With worldly affairs well-managed, and the hereafter a protective cloak.

وَحينَ دَعاهُ اللّه جاءَ ملبّياً

وَحينَ دَعاهُ اللّه جاءَ ملبّياً

عَلى حين لا حرصٌ يعقّ ولا جفا

عَلى حين لا حرصٌ يعقّ ولا جفا

And when God called him, he came answering the call,

And when God called him, he came obediently,

with neither rebellious craving nor estrangement.

At a time when neither avarice argued nor harshness resisted.

وَأَحسنَ في مَولاه ظنّاً وإنّه

وَأَحسنَ في مَولاه ظنّاً وإنّه

لَأدنى له ممّا يظنّ تَعطّفا

لَأدنى له ممّا يظنّ تَعطّفا

And he thought well of his Lord; indeed, He

He had good expectations of his Master, though indeed

is surely nearer to him in compassion than he supposes.

He was granted less than he expected, out of kindness.

أَلا أيّها الرائيهِ وَالزائرُ الّذي

أَلا أيّها الرائيهِ وَالزائرُ الّذي

بِإِخوانهِ في الدينِ شَملاً تألّفا

بِإِخوانهِ في الدينِ شَملاً تألّفا

O you who behold it, and you visitor who

O you who visit this tomb and befriend

have gathered in fellowship with your brethren in faith:

His brothers in religion with an embracing fellowship!

إِذا شمتَ مِن هَذا الضريحِ خلالهُ

إِذا شمتَ مِن هَذا الضريحِ خلالهُ

فَكُن بِجميلٍ مِن دعائكَ مُتحِفا

فَكُن بِجميلٍ مِن دعائكَ مُتحِفا

if you discern his virtues through this tomb,

When you scent the perfume of this grave,

then offer him the gift of your gracious prayer.

Make sure to bless him sincerely with your prayer.

وَقَد جلّل الريحانُ والروحُ روضةً

وَقَد جلّل الريحانُ والروحُ روضةً

حَوَتك وَروّاها الرِّضا مُتوكّفا

حَوَتك وَروّاها الرِّضا مُتوكّفا

And sweet basil and repose have mantled a garden

Joy and spirit have perfumed a garden containing you,

that holds you, and divine favor has watered it in showers.

Watered by grace, carefully tended.

فَقَد عشتَ مَحموداً وَجئتَ مؤرِّخاً

فَقَد عشتَ مَحموداً وَجئتَ مؤرِّخاً

وَمَأواكَ بِالفردوسِ كاِسمكَ مُصطفى

وَمَأواكَ بِالفردوسِ كاِسمكَ مُصطفى

For you lived praised, and came marking a date in verse:

You lived praiseworthy and came recorded in history,

and your abode in Paradise is chosen, like your name, Mustafa.

With Paradise as your home, like your name, "the Chosen One."