1. أقولُ وَضِقْتُ بالحدثانِ ذَرْعاً

    وقد شَرِقَتْ بأدْمُعِهَا الجفونُ

    I say, worn beyond endurance by Time's vicissitudes,

    while the eyelids have choked on their tears.

  2. كذا تبكي الرياضُ على رُباهَا

    وَتَذْوِي في مَنَابِتها الغُصُون

    Thus the gardens weep upon their hills,

    and the branches wither where they grow.

  3. أيا أسفاً على دنيا ودينٍ

    وحَسْبُكَ من هوًى دنيا ودينُ

    Alas for worldly life and faith!

    And worldly life and faith are love enough for you.

  4. ووأسفاً على غَفَلاتِ عيشٍ

    تَخَوَّن عَهْدَها الزَّمَنُ الخَئُون

    And alas for life's heedless hours,

    whose covenant treacherous Time betrayed.

  5. أُصِبْتُ بملءِ بُرْدَيْها عَفافاً

    وعندَ مُصابها الخبرُ اليقين

    I was bereaved of one whose two mantles were filled with chastity;

    and in her loss lies certain knowledge.

  6. بقائمة الدُّجى جنحاً فجنحاً

    إذا ازدَحمَتْ على النومِ الجفون

    Of one who stood in prayer through darkness, watch after watch,

    when eyelids crowd toward sleep;

  7. وصائمة الهجيرِ وقد توارى

    خلالَ الطُّحلُب الماءُ المعين

    and one who fasted in the midday heat, when hidden

    amid the algae was the flowing water.

  8. بنفسي نَعْشُها المحمولُ نَعْشاً

    له ممّا تَحَمَّلهُ أنين

    My life for her bier as it is carried—a bier

    that groans under what it has borne.

  9. أظَلّتْهُ الملائكُ واسْتَقَلّتْ

    به الرُّحْمَى وشَيّعَهُ الحنين

    The angels shaded it, and it was borne aloft

    by mercy, while yearning escorted it.

  10. وَبُشّرَتِ الجنانُ وساكنوها

    وأوْحَشَتِ السُّهولة والحُزون

    And the gardens of Paradise and their dwellers received glad tidings,

    and the plains and rugged uplands became desolate.

  11. على الدُّنيا العفاء ولستُ أكني

    فما تنفكُّ تُخْني أو تخون

    Ruin upon the world—I do not speak in veiled terms;

    for it never ceases to destroy or betray.

  12. تَهُدُّ بناءها وتلي بنيها

    بداهيةٍ تشيبُ لها القُرُون

    It demolishes its edifice and besets its sons

    with a calamity that turns locks of hair gray.

  13. وما أبقى النفوسَ على خطوبٍ

    لها يُسْتَرْخَصُ العِلْقُ الثمين

    And how enduring are souls amid calamities

    for which the precious treasure is reckoned cheap!

  14. وأحمَلَها لفادحةِ الرَّزايا

    إذا لم تحملِ الورقَ الغصون

    And how well they bear crushing disasters,

    when the branches bear no leaves!

  15. تَقَيَّلْتُمْ أبا حربٍ فسُدْتُم

    وكلكمُ بِسُؤْدَدِهِ قمين

    You emulated Abu Harb and attained eminence,

    and each of you is worthy of his eminence.

  16. مضى وخَلَفْتموهُ على معالٍ

    لكم تدنو وبينكَمْ تدين

    He passed away, and you succeeded him in lofty virtues,

    which draw near to you and bow among you.

  17. بأربعةٍ همُ أركانُ رَضْوى

    فنعمَ الكهفُ والحصنُ الحصين

    Through four who are the pillars of Radwa—

    what a fine refuge and impregnable fortress!

  18. وأخرى غالَها صرفُ الليالي

    فأَقْوى الرَّبْعُ واحْتَمَلَ القطين

    And another whom the turns of night snatched away—

    so the dwelling stood deserted, and its people departed.

  19. أمهجةُ بانَ من تَهْوِينَ حقاً

    فَصَبراً إن تُغَالِبْك الشئون

    O heart, the one you love has truly departed;

    so be patient if streams of tears overwhelm you.

  20. وقلْ للحاملينَ النعشَ حقاً

    حملتمْ من باحشائي دفين

    And tell those bearing the bier, in truth:

    You have carried one buried in my inmost being.

  21. قعيدكِ يا منونُ فقد تَنَاهى

    بنا الأحْزَانُ واشتدَّ الحنين

    I adjure you, O Death, for at their utmost

    are our sorrows, and yearning has grown fierce.

  22. أأخوتها وإبراهيمُ فيكم

    صغيرٌ ما تجفُّ له جُفُون

    O her brothers, Ibrahim is among you—

    a little child whose eyelids never dry.

  23. فَكُونوا حَوْلَهُ صَوْناً وَرِدْءاً

    فإنَّ الفَرْعَ تَكْنُفُهُ الغصون

    So surround him with protection and support,

    for the shoot is enfolded by the branches.

  24. يعزُّ عليَّ نيلُ الدهرِ منكمْ

    وإن قالتْ حُلومُكُمُ تَهُون

    Time's assault upon you pains me,

    even if your wisdom says, 'It is bearable.'

  25. أجِدَّكُمُ بكتْ هضباتُ رضوى

    فكادَ الحزن فيها يستبين

    Truly, I tell you, Radwa's heights wept,

    so that sorrow almost showed itself in them.

  26. وأشفقتِ النجومُ الزُّهرُ حتى

    تبدتْ في النواظِر وهي جون

    And the radiant stars grew fearful, until

    they appeared dark to watching eyes.

  27. أما وفقيدِكمْ قَسَماً عظيماً

    أُذيلُ له القصائد أو أُهين

    Indeed, by your departed one—a solemn oath—

    I humble my odes for him, or debase them:

  28. لقد راعتْ صروفُ الدهرِ منكمْ

    أُسُوداً ليس يَحْوِيها عرين

    Time's vicissitudes have indeed frightened, among you,

    lions that no den can contain.

  29. خُذُوا للصَّبْرِ أقربَ مَأْخَذَيْهِ

    وإنْ أبتِ البلابلُ والشجون

    Take the nearer of patience's two paths,

    even if anxieties and sorrows resist.

  30. فإنَّ الحرَّ أكثر ما تَراهُ

    به الأَرزاءُ أصْبَرُ ما يكون

    For the noble man, when you see him most beset

    by calamities, is at his most patient.