أَلا طَرَقَ الناعي بِلَيلٍ فَراعَني

أَلا طَرَقَ الناعي بِلَيلٍ فَراعَني

وَأَرَّقني لَمّا اِستَهَلَّ مُناديا

وَأَرَّقني لَمّا اِستَهَلَّ مُناديا

Lo, the bearer of death news came by night and startled me,

Alas, the herald of death knocked by night and struck terror in me,

And kept me sleepless when he began calling out.

And he robbed me of sleep when he raised his voice calling out.

فَقُلتُ لَهُ لَمّا رَأَيتُ الَّذي أَتى

فَقُلتُ لَهُ لَمّا رَأَيتُ الَّذي أَتى

أَغيرَ رَسولَ اللَهِ أَصبَحتَ ناعيا

أَغيرَ رَسولَ اللَهِ أَصبَحتَ ناعيا

So I said to him, when I saw the one who had come:

So I said to him, when I saw the news he had brought:

Is it someone other than the Messenger of God whose death you announce?

"Is it the death of someone other than the Messenger of Allah that you announce?"

فَحَقِق ما أَشفَيتَ مِنهُ وَلَم يبل

فَحَقِق ما أَشفَيتَ مِنهُ وَلَم يبل

وَكان خَلِيلَي عِدَّتي وَجَماليا

وَكان خَلِيلَي عِدَّتي وَجَماليا

So confirm what you have drawn near to; it has not worn away.

Then confirm the tragedy you were on the verge of telling, regarding him who did not recover,

And my dear friend was my support and my splendor.

For my Companion was my support and my source of pride.

فَوَاللَهِ لا أَنساكَ أَحمَدُ ما مَشَت

فَوَاللَهِ لا أَنساكَ أَحمَدُ ما مَشَت

بِيَ العِيسُ في أَرضٍ وَجاوَزَت واديا

بِيَ العِيسُ في أَرضٍ وَجاوَزَت واديا

By God, I shall not forget you, Ahmad, so long as they journey—

By Allah, I shall never forget you, O Ahmad, so long as

The pale camels, bearing me over land and crossing a valley.

The white camels carry me through the land and traverse the valleys.

وَكُنتُ مَتى أَهبِط مِنَ الأَرضِ تلعَةً

وَكُنتُ مَتى أَهبِط مِنَ الأَرضِ تلعَةً

أَجِد أَثَراً مِنهُ جَديداً وَعافيا

أَجِد أَثَراً مِنهُ جَديداً وَعافيا

And whenever I descended into a ravine in the land,

And whenever I descend from a slope of the earth,

I would find traces of him, fresh and faded.

I find a trace of him, whether fresh or fading away.

جَوادٌ تَشَظَّى الخَيلُ عَنهُ كَأَنَّما

جَوادٌ تَشَظَّى الخَيلُ عَنهُ كَأَنَّما

يَرينَ بِهِ لَيثاً عَلَيهِنَّ ضاريا

يَرينَ بِهِ لَيثاً عَلَيهِنَّ ضاريا

A noble one—the horses scatter from him, as though

A noble warrior from whom the horses scatter, as if

They see in him a lion, ferocious against them.

They see in him a fierce lion lunging upon them.

مِن الأَسدِ قَد أَحمى العَرينِ مَهابَةً

مِن الأَسدِ قَد أَحمى العَرينِ مَهابَةً

تفادى سِباعَ الأَرضِ مِنهُ تَفاديا

تفادى سِباعَ الأَرضِ مِنهُ تَفاديا

Among lions, he has guarded the lair through dread;

One of the lions, protecting his den with awe-inspiring might,

The wild beasts of the earth keep far away from him.

Such that the beasts of the earth shun him in utter avoidance.

شَديدٌ جَريءُ النَفسِ نَهدٌ مُصدّرٌ

شَديدٌ جَريءُ النَفسِ نَهدٌ مُصدّرٌ

هُوَ المَوتُ مَغدُوٌّ عَلَيهِ وَغاديا

هُوَ المَوتُ مَغدُوٌّ عَلَيهِ وَغاديا

Strong, bold of spirit, powerfully built and broad-chested,

Stern, bold of spirit, imposing and broad-chested,

He is death, whether approached at dawn or setting forth at dawn.

He is Death itself, whether visited in the morning or attacking at dawn.

أَتَتك رَسولَ اللَهِ خَيلٌ مُغيرَةٌ

أَتَتك رَسولَ اللَهِ خَيلٌ مُغيرَةٌ

تَثيرُ غُباراً كَالضَبابَةِ كابيا

تَثيرُ غُباراً كَالضَبابَةِ كابيا

Raiding cavalry has come to you, Messenger of God,

Raiding cavalry came against you, O Messenger of Allah,

Raising billowing dust like a bank of mist.

Stirring up dust like a gloomy, gray fog.

إِلَيكَ رَسولُ اللَهِ صَفٌّ مُقَدَمٌ

إِلَيكَ رَسولُ اللَهِ صَفٌّ مُقَدَمٌ

اِذا كانَ ضَربُ الهامِ نَفقاً تَفانيا

اِذا كانَ ضَربُ الهامِ نَفقاً تَفانيا

Toward you, Messenger of God, comes a rank in the vanguard,

Advancing toward you, O Messenger of Allah, was a vanguard rank,

When blows to heads bring death and mutual annihilation.

When the striking of skulls became a trade of mutual annihilation.