ضاقَت بِيَ الأَرضُ وَاِنقَضَّت مَخارِمُها

ضاقَت بِيَ الأَرضُ وَاِنقَضَّت مَخارِمُها

حَتّى تَخاشَعَتِ الأَعلامُ وَالبيدُ

حَتّى تَخاشَعَتِ الأَعلامُ وَالبيدُ

The earth grew narrow for me, and its mountain passes collapsed,

The land has become constricted for me, though its expanses are vast

Until the mountains and deserts bowed low.

Even the flags have bowed down and the tents collapsed

وَقائِلينَ تَعَزّي عَن تَذَكُّرِهِ

وَقائِلينَ تَعَزّي عَن تَذَكُّرِهِ

فَالصَبرَ لَيسَ لِأَمرِ اللَهِ مَردودُ

فَالصَبرَ لَيسَ لِأَمرِ اللَهِ مَردودُ

And some say, 'Find solace; turn away from remembering him;

And those who console me say, “Stop remembering him!”

Have patience: God's decree cannot be turned back.'

But patience in the face of God's will cannot be rejected

يا صَخرُ قَد كُنتَ بَدراً يُستَضاءُ بِهِ

يا صَخرُ قَد كُنتَ بَدراً يُستَضاءُ بِهِ

فَقَد ثَوى يَومَ مُتَّ المَجدُ وَالجودُ

فَقَد ثَوى يَومَ مُتَّ المَجدُ وَالجودُ

O Sakhr, you were indeed a full moon by whose light one was guided;

O rock, you were once a full moon by whose light we walked

For glory and generosity were laid to rest the day you died.

But the day the glory and generosity died, you too passed away

فَاليَومَ أَمسَيتَ لا يَرجوكَ ذو أَمَلٍ

فَاليَومَ أَمسَيتَ لا يَرجوكَ ذو أَمَلٍ

لَمّا هَلَكتَ وَحَوضُ المَوتِ مَورودُ

لَمّا هَلَكتَ وَحَوضُ المَوتِ مَورودُ

So today you have become one whom no hopeful soul looks to,

So today, no hopeful soul longs for you

Since you perished—and death's pool must be reached.

Now that you are gone, and the basin of death brims over

وَرُبَّ ثَغرٍ مَهولٍ خُضتَ غَمرَتَهُ

وَرُبَّ ثَغرٍ مَهولٍ خُضتَ غَمرَتَهُ

بِالمُقرَباتِ عَلَيها الفِتيَةُ الصيدُ

بِالمُقرَباتِ عَلَيها الفِتيَةُ الصيدُ

And many a fearsome frontier—you plunged into its turmoil,

You have plunged into many a dreadful whirlpool

With prized steeds bearing proud young men.

With the finest youth as your victims instead of prey

نَصَبتَ لِلقَومِ فيهِ فَصلَ أَعيُنِهِم

نَصَبتَ لِلقَومِ فيهِ فَصلَ أَعيُنِهِم

مِثلَ الشِهابِ وَهى مِنهُم عَباديدُ

مِثلَ الشِهابِ وَهى مِنهُم عَباديدُ

There you raised a barrier before the host's eyes,

You erected the pinnacle of glory for your people

Like a shooting star, while their bands lay scattered.

As radiant as a shooting star, though they are but moths