ضَلَّت مَكائِدُ أَعدائي مَتى سَمِعوا

ضَلَّت مَكائِدُ أَعدائي مَتى سَمِعوا

بِنابِحٍ في دَمِ الضّرغامِ وَلّاغِ

بِنابِحٍ في دَمِ الضّرغامِ وَلّاغِ

My enemies’ schemes have failed—when have they ever heard

The schemes of my enemies have gone astray; when have they ever heard

of a barking cur lapping at a lion’s blood?

Of a barking dog lapping at the blood of the lion?

لولا بُكائي عَلى اِبنٍ خطبُهُ جَلَلٌ

لولا بُكائي عَلى اِبنٍ خطبُهُ جَلَلٌ

جَعَلتُ أَضحَكَ بِالمِهذارِ وَاللاغي

جَعَلتُ أَضحَكَ بِالمِهذارِ وَاللاغي

Were I not weeping for a son whose loss is grievous,

Were it not for my weeping over a son whose loss is a grave calamity,

I would have begun to laugh at the babbler and the idle talker.

I would have laughed at the prattler and the speaker of nonsense.