ماnot ماتَdied مَنthe one who أَنتُمُyou (plural) أَغصانُbranches دَوحَتِهِhis spreading tree
ما ماتَ مَن أَنتُمُ أَغصانُ دَوحَتِهِ
فَالذِكرُfor the memory مِنهُof him مُقيمٌabiding بَينَamong أَحياءِliving people
فَالذِكرُ مِنهُ مُقيمٌ بَينَ أَحياءِ
He has not died, he whose spreading tree you are the branches of;
He whose spreading tree you are the branches of has not died;
for the remembrance of him abides among the living.
For his memory abides among the living.
لَمّاwhen اِقتَضىexacted الدَهرُTime مِنهُfrom him وَترَهُits vengeance وَقَضىand he died
لَمّا اِقتَضى الدَهرُ مِنهُ وَترَهُ وَقَضى
عَفَّchaste الإِزارِthe waistcloth حَميدَpraiseworthy الفِعلِthe conduct وَالرَأيِand the judgment
عَفَّ الإِزارِ حَميدَ الفِعلِ وَالرَأيِ
When Time exacted its blood-debt from him and he met his end,
When Time exacted its vengeance from him and he died,
chaste of robe, praiseworthy in deed and judgment,
Chaste beneath his waistcloth, praiseworthy in deed and judgment,
كُنتُمyou were لَهُfor him خَلَفاًsuccessors يُهديoffers الثَناءَpraise لَهُto him
كُنتُم لَهُ خَلَفاً يُهدي الثَناءَ لَهُ
كَالماءِlike water لِلوَردِfor the roses أَوor كَالوَردِlike roses لِلماءِfor the water
كَالماءِ لِلوَردِ أَو كَالوَردِ لِلماءِ
you became worthy successors to him, bringing him praise—
You were his successors, bringing him praise,
like water to the rose, or the rose to water.
Like water to roses, or roses to water.
