ياO أَسَفاmy sorrow! علىfor خُزَزِKhuzaz بنِson of عمروAmr
يا أَسَفا على خُزَزِ بنِ عمرو
وياand O نَدَماmy regret! عليهfor him ولَهفَand the anguish of نفسيmy soul
ويا نَدَما عليه ولَهفَ نفسي
Oh, my sorrow for Khuzaz son of Amr!
And oh, my regret for him, and my soul's anguish!
بُنَيٌa dear son كانwas ليfor me عَضُداًa support وذِكراًand remembrance
بُنَيٌ كان لي عَضُداً وذِكراً
إِذاwhen غُيِّبتُI am laid away فيin كَفَنيmy shroud وَرَمسيand my grave
إِذا غُيِّبتُ في كَفَني وَرَمسي
A dear son who was my support and would keep my memory alive,
when I should be laid away in my shroud and grave.
بهin him فخرُthe pride of الفَوارسِthe horsemen منof زُبَيدٍZubayd
به فخرُ الفَوارسِ من زُبَيدٍ
كأنَّas though جبينَهُhis brow لألاءُthe radiance of شمسِa sun
كأنَّ جبينَهُ لألاءُ شمسِ
In him lay the pride of the horsemen of Zubayd;
his brow was like the radiance of the sun.
فلاso may you not سُقِّيتِbe watered ياO كفّيmy hand الغَوَاديthe morning rains
فلا سُقِّيتِ يا كفّي الغَوَادي
ولاقَيتِand may you meet البلاءَaffliction وكلَّand every نَحسِmisfortune
ولاقَيتِ البلاءَ وكلَّ نَحسِ
So may the morning rains never water you, my hand,
and may you meet affliction and every misfortune!
وماand what تُغنيavail النَدامةُregret والمَراثيand elegies
وما تُغني النَدامةُ والمَراثي
وقدand now that أصبحتَyou have become مثلَlike حديثِthe tale of أمسِyesterday
وقد أصبحتَ مثلَ حديثِ أمسِ
And what use are regret and elegies,
now that you have become like yesterday's tale?
Sol 6.1