رَمى الحَدَثانِ نِسوَةَ آلِ حَربٍ

رَمى الحَدَثانِ نِسوَةَ آلِ حَربٍ

بِمِقدارٍ سَمَدنَ لَهُ سُمودا

بِمِقدارٍ سَمَدنَ لَهُ سُمودا

Time's vicissitudes struck the women of Harb's house

The two youths pelted the women of the tribe of Harb

with a decree of fate before which they stood bewildered.

With a measure, they kneaded dough for him

فَرَدَّ شُعورَهُنَّ السودَ بيضاً

فَرَدَّ شُعورَهُنَّ السودَ بيضاً

وَرَدَّ وَجوهَهُنَّ البيضَ سودا

وَرَدَّ وَجوهَهُنَّ البيضَ سودا

So it turned their black hair white,

So he turned their black hair white

and turned their white faces black.

And turned their white faces black

وانكَ لَو رَأَيتَ بُكاءَ هِندٍ

وانكَ لَو رَأَيتَ بُكاءَ هِندٍ

وَرَملَهَ إِذ تَصُكّانِ الخُدودا

وَرَملَهَ إِذ تَصُكّانِ الخُدودا

And had you seen Hind's weeping,

If you had seen Hind crying

and Ramlah's, as the two beat their cheeks,

And her cheek rubbing against the sand

بَكيتَ بُكاءَ مُعوِلَةٍ حَزينٍ

بَكيتَ بُكاءَ مُعوِلَةٍ حَزينٍ

أَصابَ الدَهرُ واحِدَها الفَقيدا

أَصابَ الدَهرُ واحِدَها الفَقيدا

you would have wept like a sorrowful, wailing woman

You would have cried the crying of a grieving woman

whose only one Time had struck down and taken away.

Whose only one was taken by fate