بِتُّ أَخا الحُزنِ فيكَ وَحدي

بِتُّ أَخا الحُزنِ فيكَ وَحدي

وَصُحبَتي في السُرورِ باتوا

وَصُحبَتي في السُرورِ باتوا

I spent the night alone, a brother to grief for you,

I spend the night grieving, all alone

I spent the night the sole brother of grief over you,

while my companions spent the night in joy.

While my friends in good times have perished

While my companions passed the night in joy.

تاهوا فَلَم يُسعدوا بِدَمع

تاهوا فَلَم يُسعدوا بِدَمع

أَينَ المُصافاةُ وَالمَتاتُ

أَينَ المُصافاةُ وَالمَتاتُ

They grew haughty and offered no tears of sympathy.

They did not find happiness in tears

They wandered astray and offered no aid with a single tear;

Where are sincere friendship and close bonds?

Where are those I relied and trusted on?

Where now is the sincere friendship, and where the bond of kinship?

تَنَكَّروني وَهُم ثِقاتي

تَنَكَّروني وَهُم ثِقاتي

وَرُبَّما خانَتِ الثِقاتُ

وَرُبَّما خانَتِ الثِقاتُ

They treated me as a stranger, though they were my trusted friends;

They denied knowing me, those I trusted

They turned as strangers to me, though they were my trusted ones—

and sometimes the trusted betray.

And sometimes, even trusts are betrayed

And oh, how often the trusted betray.

تَعَجَّبوا مِن خُشوعِ لَيثٍ

تَعَجَّبوا مِن خُشوعِ لَيثٍ

يَرهَبُهُ الجَمعُ وَالثباتُ

يَرهَبُهُ الجَمعُ وَالثباتُ

They marveled at the meekness of a lion

They were astonished at the humility of a lion

They marveled at the humbling of a lion,

whom throngs and bands of men fear.

Terrified by crowds and resolution

Whom the gathering crowds and the steadfast once feared.

تَحتَ الثَرى كَوكَبٌ سَعيدُ

تَحتَ الثَرى كَوكَبٌ سَعيدُ

يَبكي عَلى فَقدِهِ المَواتُ

يَبكي عَلى فَقدِهِ المَواتُ

Beneath the soil lies a blessed star;

Beneath the soil lies a blissful planet

Beneath the soil lies a propitious star,

lifeless things weep for his loss.

Weeping for its loss are the dead

For whose loss even the lifeless earth weeps.

تنبتُ مِن أَدمُعي الرُبى بَل

تنبتُ مِن أَدمُعي الرُبى بَل

تَحتَرِقُ الأَرضُ وَالنَباتُ

تَحتَرِقُ الأَرضُ وَالنَباتُ

The hills bloom from my tears—no,

Tears grow plants, rather

The hills sprout greenery from my tears—nay, rather,

the earth and vegetation burn.

The land and crops are set ablaze

The very earth and vegetation are scorched by them.

تَشَتَّتَ الشَملُ مِن جَميعي

تَشَتَّتَ الشَملُ مِن جَميعي

وَكُلُّ جَمعٍ غَداً شَتاتُ

وَكُلُّ جَمعٍ غَداً شَتاتُ

The unity of my company has been shattered,

My family is scattered, everyone

The gathering of my loved ones has been scattered apart,

and every gathering will be scattered tomorrow.

And every gathering will later disperse

For every gathering is destined to be scattered tomorrow.

تَلِفتِ يا نَفسُ إِثرَ قَومٍ

تَلِفتِ يا نَفسُ إِثرَ قَومٍ

راعَكِ مِن حَبلِهِم بَتاتُ

راعَكِ مِن حَبلِهِم بَتاتُ

You have wasted away, O soul, in the wake of a people,

Pay heed, my soul, to a group of people

You have perished, O soul, following after those who have gone;

the severing of whose cord has struck you with dread.

Who guarded you with their covenant

Terrified by the sudden severing of their bond.

توبي إِلى اللَهِ لا تَزلّي

توبي إِلى اللَهِ لا تَزلّي

نَجاتُكِ التَوبُ وَالثَباتُ

نَجاتُكِ التَوبُ وَالثَباتُ

Repent to God; do not stumble.

Repent to Allah, do not waver

Repent to God and do not slip;

Your salvation is repentance and steadfastness.

Salvation and deliverance lie in repentance and resolve

Your salvation lies in repentance and steadfastness.

تَدارَكي تَسلَمي وَتنجي

تَدارَكي تَسلَمي وَتنجي

وَإِن تَني يُردِكِ الفَواتُ

وَإِن تَني يُردِكِ الفَواتُ

Make amends; you will be safe and saved.

Redeem yourself, be safe and saved

Make amends that you may be safe and saved,

And if you slacken, the missed chance will destroy you.

Else time will leave you behind

For if you slacken, the passing of opportunity will ensure your ruin.

تقتُ إِلى مَعشَرٍ كِرامٍ

تقتُ إِلى مَعشَرٍ كِرامٍ

عِشتُ لِهذا الأَسى وَماتوا

عِشتُ لِهذا الأَسى وَماتوا

I yearned for a noble company;

I have yearned to meet honourable people

I longed for a noble company;

I lived on for this sorrow, while they died.

I lived for this sorrow while they died

I lived to face this sorrow, while they have died.

تَمامُ هذا الهِلالِ لَمّا

تَمامُ هذا الهِلالِ لَمّا

رَجَوتُهُ لَم يَزَل يُلاتُ

رَجَوتُهُ لَم يَزَل يُلاتُ

The fullness of this crescent—when

The crescent that I wished for

The perfection of this crescent moon—when

I hoped for it—was continually diminished.

Continued waning night after night

I hoped for it—remained ever withheld from me.

تَبَّت يَدي كَيفَ لَم أَمُت إِذ

تَبَّت يَدي كَيفَ لَم أَمُت إِذ

عاقَ تَكليمُكَ الصُماتُ

عاقَ تَكليمُكَ الصُماتُ

May my hand perish! How did I not die when

My hands are folded - why did I not die when

May my hands perish! How did I not die when

silence prevented conversation with you?

Your silence deafened the utterances

The silence of death hindered you from speaking?

تَرَكتَ يا اِبني أَباكَ مُضنىً

تَرَكتَ يا اِبني أَباكَ مُضنىً

فَهَل إِلَيهِ لَكَ اِلتَفاتُ

فَهَل إِلَيهِ لَكَ اِلتَفاتُ

You left your father, O my son, ailing;

You left your grieving father, my son

O my son, you have left your father wasting away;

will you, then, turn toward him?

Does he even cross your mind?

Will you ever turn a glance back toward him?

تَنازَعَت فهرُ كَأس ثكلٍ

تَنازَعَت فهرُ كَأس ثكلٍ

عَلَيكِ إِذ قُلت ها وَهاتوا

عَلَيكِ إِذ قُلت ها وَهاتوا

Fihr passed around a cup of bereavement

The goblets of bereavement clashed over you

The tribe of Fihr contended for the cup of bereavement

over you, when I said, 'Take, and give!'

When I said, “Here, here they are”

Over you, amidst the clamor of voices.