خُمِرتَ مِنَ الخُمارِ وَذاكَ نِجسٌ

خُمِرتَ مِنَ الخُمارِ وَذاكَ نِجسٌ

وَأَمّا مِن خِمارِكَ فَهوَ سَعدُ

وَأَمّا مِن خِمارِكَ فَهوَ سَعدُ

You were overcome by a hangover, and that is impure;

You were fermented from wine, and that is impure,

but what comes from your veil is good fortune.

But as for from your fermentation, it is blissful.

وَنَفسُكَ ظَبيَةٌ رَتَعَت بِقَفرٍ

وَنَفسُكَ ظَبيَةٌ رَتَعَت بِقَفرٍ

يُراقِبُ أَخذَها المِغوارُ جَعدُ

يُراقِبُ أَخذَها المِغوارُ جَعدُ

And your soul is a gazelle that grazed in a wilderness;

Your soul is a wild gazelle that grazed in the desert,

the bold raider Ja'd lies in wait to seize her.

The curly-haired hunter watches to catch her.

وَزَينَبُ إِن أَصابَتها المَنايا

وَزَينَبُ إِن أَصابَتها المَنايا

فَهِندٌ مِن وَسائِقِها وَدَعدُ

فَهِندٌ مِن وَسائِقِها وَدَعدُ

And if death overtakes Zaynab,

If calamities befell Zainab,

then Hind and Da'd are among its captives.

She would be protected by her guides and supporters.

جَرَت عاداتُنا بِسُقوطِ غَيثٍ

جَرَت عاداتُنا بِسُقوطِ غَيثٍ

تَدُلُّ عَلَيهِ بارِقَةٌ وَرَعدُ

تَدُلُّ عَلَيهِ بارِقَةٌ وَرَعدُ

We have grown accustomed to the fall of rain,

Our traditions flowed like rain pouring down,

heralded by a flash of lightning and thunder.

Indicated by lightning and thunder.

شُرورُ الدَهرِ أَكثَرُ مِن بَنيهِ

شُرورُ الدَهرِ أَكثَرُ مِن بَنيهِ

فَقَبلُ سَطَت عَلى أُمَمٍ وَبَعدُ

فَقَبلُ سَطَت عَلى أُمَمٍ وَبَعدُ

Time's evils outnumber its sons;

Evils of fate are more than its children,

for they have ravaged nations before, and will hereafter.

So before, they stretched over nations, and after.

تَعَجَّلَ مَيِّتٌ بِالهُلكِ نَقداً

تَعَجَّلَ مَيِّتٌ بِالهُلكِ نَقداً

فَمَرَّ وَعِندَهُ لِلبَعثِ وَعدُ

فَمَرَّ وَعِندَهُ لِلبَعثِ وَعدُ

A mortal took death in advance, as ready cash;

A person hastened to destruction immediately,

so he passed on, with a promise of resurrection.

Yet for him the promise of resurrection remained.