قَد زادَ في كَمَدي وَأَضرَمَ لَوعَتي

قَد زادَ في كَمَدي وَأَضرَمَ لَوعَتي

مَثوى حَبيبٍ يَومَ بانَ وَدِعبِلِ

مَثوى حَبيبٍ يَومَ بانَ وَدِعبِلِ

My grief has indeed deepened, and my anguish been kindled by

My sorrow has increased, and my anguish intensified,

the resting place of Habib when he departed, and of Di‘bil,

Since the day my beloved bid me adieu at the abode.

وَبَقاءُ ضَربِ الخَثعَمِيِّ وَصِنفِهِ

وَبَقاءُ ضَربِ الخَثعَمِيِّ وَصِنفِهِ

مِن كُلِّ مَكدودِ القَريحَةِ مُجبِلِ

مِن كُلِّ مَكدودِ القَريحَةِ مُجبِلِ

and the survival of the likes of al-Khath‘ami and his kind—

Remaining are the compositions of Al-Khath'ami and his style,

every man whose poetic gift is exhausted, unable to compose.

Made up of all that confounds the mind and impedes composition.

أَهلُ المَعاني المُستَحيلَةِ رِن هُمُ

أَهلُ المَعاني المُستَحيلَةِ رِن هُمُ

طَلَبوا البَراعَةَ وَالكَلامِ المُقفَلِ

طَلَبوا البَراعَةَ وَالكَلامِ المُقفَلِ

Men of absurd meanings—[if] they

Those seeking the most intricate of meanings delight in,

seek brilliance—and of impenetrable speech.

Cultivating eloquence and the obscure style.

أَخَوَيَّ لا تَزَلِ السَماءُ مُخيلَةً

أَخَوَيَّ لا تَزَلِ السَماءُ مُخيلَةً

تَغشاكُما بِسَماءِ مُزنٍ مُسبِلِ

تَغشاكُما بِسَماءِ مُزنٍ مُسبِلِ

My two brothers, may the sky never cease to promise rain,

My brothers, the skies will never cease imagining,

covering you both with rain from pouring clouds.

To envelope you with rain clouds from Muzen's land.

جَدَثٌ عَلى الأَهوازِ يَبعُدُ دونَهُ

جَدَثٌ عَلى الأَهوازِ يَبعُدُ دونَهُ

مَسرى النَعِيِّ وَرَمَّةٌ بِالمَوصِلِ

مَسرى النَعِيِّ وَرَمَّةٌ بِالمَوصِلِ

A grave at al-Ahwaz—long, before reaching it,

A ruin by the marshes is too far for,

is the death-messenger’s journey—and decayed remains in Mosul.

The blink of an eye, or the batting of lashes and Mosul.