كَأَنَّ الأَرضَ قَد طُوِيَت عَلَيّا

كَأَنَّ الأَرضَ قَد طُوِيَت عَلَيّا

وَقَد أُخرِجتُ مِمّا في يَدَيّا

وَقَد أُخرِجتُ مِمّا في يَدَيّا

As though the earth had been folded over me,

As if the earth has been folded over me

And I had been stripped of what was in my hands.

And I have been taken out from what was in my hands

كَأَنّي يَومَ يُحثى التُربُ فَوقي

كَأَنّي يَومَ يُحثى التُربُ فَوقي

مَهيلاً لَم أَكُن في الناسِ حَيّا

مَهيلاً لَم أَكُن في الناسِ حَيّا

As though, the day the dust is cast over me

As if on the day dust is heaped over me

In heaps, I had never been alive among the people.

Lifeless, I was not alive among people

كَأَنَّ القَومَ قَد دَفَنوا وَوَلَّوا

كَأَنَّ القَومَ قَد دَفَنوا وَوَلَّوا

وَكُلٌّ غَيرُ مُلتَفِتٍ إِلَيّا

وَكُلٌّ غَيرُ مُلتَفِتٍ إِلَيّا

As though the people had buried me and turned away,

As if the people had buried and turned away

And not one looked back toward me.

And everyone is not paying attention to me

كَأَن قَد صِرتُ مُنفَرِداً وَحيداً

كَأَن قَد صِرتُ مُنفَرِداً وَحيداً

وَمُرتَهَناً هُناكَ بِما لَدَيّا

وَمُرتَهَناً هُناكَ بِما لَدَيّا

As though I had become solitary, alone,

As if I have become isolated and lonely

And held there in pledge for what I have with me.

And am held ransom there by what I have

كَأَن بِالباكِياتِ عَلَيَّ يَوماً

كَأَن بِالباكِياتِ عَلَيَّ يَوماً

وَما يُغني البُكاءُ عَلَيَّ شَيّا

وَما يُغني البُكاءُ عَلَيَّ شَيّا

As though I could see the women weeping over me one day—

As if there will be those crying over me one day

And weeping over me avails nothing.

Yet crying will not avail me a thing

ذَكَرتُ مَنِيَّتي فَبَكَيتُ نَفسي

ذَكَرتُ مَنِيَّتي فَبَكَيتُ نَفسي

أَلا أَسعِد أُخَيَّكَ يا أَخِيّا

أَلا أَسعِد أُخَيَّكَ يا أَخِيّا

I thought of my death and wept for myself.

I remembered my death so I cried for myself

Come, weep with your dear brother, O my brother!

Will you not make your brother happy, o brother of mine