1. Woe to a wedding turned into mourning,
And a sweet life turned bitter.

2. The joyous did not smile on his day of joy
Before he wept and felt pain afterwards.

3. O you heedless in your neglect, be alert!
The pigeons hover around you cooing.

4. How many a night did he moan weeping
Who at dawn was humming delighted.

5. Ask the west side where Qays stayed
About what befell the intrepid prince.

6. Death snatched his beloved one night
With its darkness, and dawn wore mourning.

7. The shining sun set in the gloom,
So the shooting star wept and darkened.

8. It descended into the belly of the earth from its tower,
And the wailing of grieving women rose to the sky.

9. She passed away before the henna of her wedding faded
From eyes whose lids were dyed with blood.

10. She took off her white dress and put on
The deep mourning clothes of those around her.

11. Time betrayed her father unjustly—
For none had complained against him.

12. Rulers have changed altogether,
While you remained, advancing your state steadily.

13. Each ruler has a hater other than him,
So you have a special, generalized love.

14. Mountain upon mountain you established your glory,
Remaining higher than its height and greater.

15. If only a hand could reach you, it would petition you,
And if only a mouth could, it would praise you.

16. O branch of the honorable roots, after which
You became a firmly rooted origin of honor.

17. The world keeps telling its people,
“The generous person is not forbidden from bounty.”

18. Time was unjust, but you judged rightly before it.
If only it had insight, it would have learned.

19. The wicked are bent on stubbornness,
Deeming crooked whoever straightens them.

20. Unable to harm you, he recoiled
And sinisterly stretched his hand to your crumbs.

21. It is as if he envies your nobles,
Out of jealousy for their gifts from you.

22. God will take whoever He wants belatedly,
And He may hasten whomever He loved earlier.

23. He will reluctantly hand over the case to Him
Who was not voluntarily submissive to Him before.

24. O God’s great mercy, shroud
A sun whose loss made the stars weep.

25. Tears water its tomb with blood
As clouds wash it when they gather.

26. It honored a land it lay in.
If it met a cheek, it would have smiled.

27. It quenched with the drink of honor
Whose cup chronicles and slakes thirst.