1. I think the nights after you will pass quickly
So who will keep me from what is exciting and frightening
١. أَظُنُّ اللَيالي بَعدَكُم سَتَريعُ
فَمَن يُبقي لي مِن رائِعٍ فَتَروعُ
2. Take the equipment of beautiful patience, for it
O Umayma, is the solution to every dispute
٢. خُذي عُدَّةَ الصَبرِ الجَميلِ فَإِنَّهُ
لِكُلِّ نِزاعٍ يا أُمَيمَ نُزوعُ
3. And I used to cry for the loved ones, now I am done
My heart is tranquil and has calmed and softened
٣. وَقَد كُنتُ أَبكي لِلأَحِبَّةِ قَد أَنى
لِقَلبي سُلوٌّ وَاِطمَأَنَّ وَلُوعُ
4. But I cry for the generous acts that have been abandoned
The abodes of which are for the dew and meadows
٤. وَلَكِنَّما أَبكي المَكارِمَ أُخلِيَت
مَنازِلُ مِنها لِلنَدى وَرُبوعُ
5. Could I fulfill that pact with crying
Even if the kohl of the farewell-givers is copious
٥. وَهَل أَنا جازٍ ذَلِكَ العَهدَ بِالبُكا
وَلو أَنَّ كُحلَ الماقِيَينِ نَجيعُ
6. I refused and the speculations of worries are as if
They are gatherings of a living tribe that meet and assemble
٦. أَبيتُ وَطُرّاقُ الهُمومِ كَأَنَّها
مَحافِلُ حَيٍّ تَنتَجي وَجُموعُ
7. I fight against the early night over its latter parts
As if I drive the star and it wanders
٧. أُقارِعُ أُولى اللَيلِ عَن أُخرَياتِهِ
كَأَنّي أَقودُ النُجمَ وَهُوَ ظَليعُ
8. And my eyes are accustomed to the flowing tears
Obedient to it today instead of the rebel authorities
٨. وَعَيني لِرَقراقِ الدُموعِ وَقيعَةٌ
لَها اليَومَ مِن عاصي الشُؤونِ مُطيعُ
9. With whom will glory be repelled, with whom will loftiness be raised
With whom will hopes be kept while they are lost
٩. بِمَن تُدفَعُ الجُلّى بِمَن تُرفَعُ العُلى
بِمَن تُحفَظُ الآمالُ وَهيَ تَضيعُ
10. With whom will the thirsty drink while he is suffering
With whom will the outcast feel safe while he is frightened
١٠. بِمَن يُنقَعُ الظَمآنُ وَهُوَ مُحَلّأٌ
بِمَن يُؤمَنُ المَطرودُ وَهُا مَروعُ
11. He is well-being, he does not transgress generosity and loftiness
Salama to the nobility of the eminent, bite-sized
١١. هُوَ الرُزءُ لا يَعدو المَكارِمَ وَالعُلى
صَلومٌ لِأَشرافِ العَلاءِ جَدوعُ
12. So where are the pillars of religion for the calamities that afflict
And for time that harms in the morning and frightens in the evening
١٢. فَأَينَ قِوامُ الدينِ لِلخَطبِ يَعتَري
وَلِلدَهرِ يَغدو بِالأَذى وَيَروعُ
13. And where are the pillars of religion for the innocent and the brave
If conviction were not their only armor
١٣. وَأَينَ قِوامُ الدينِ لِلبيضِ وَالقَنا
إِذا لَم يَكُن إِلّا اليَقينَ دُروعُ
14. And where are the pillars of religion for the Nile and the villages
While barrenness persists and rain is forbidden
١٤. وَأَينَ قِوامُ الدينِ لِلنَيلِ وَالقِرى
إِذِ الجَدبُ مُعطٍ وَالسَحابُ مَنوعُ
15. Is there anyone to warm the guests of winter
With a pouring gloomy cold and freezing weather
١٥. أَلا مَن لِأَضيافِ الشَتاءِ يَلُفُّهُم
سَقيطُ ظَلامٍ قِطقِطٍ وَصَقيعُ
16. The north wind's hands pull their rides
So a loved one drops or a herd gets lost
١٦. تَجاذَبُهُم أَيدي الشَمالِ رِياطَهُم
فَيَسقُطُ سِبٌّ أَو يَضَلَّ قَطيعُ
17. When between the house and the gusts there were
Conversations that hide at times and spread at others
١٧. إِذا كانَ بَينَ البَيتِ وَالزَفزَفِ الصَبا
أَحاديثُ تَخفى مَرَّةً وَتَذيعُ
18. And who is there for the barefoot worn out ones to support them
From the days of life where its centuries cannot be prevented
١٨. وَمَن لِلعُفاةِ المُرمِلينَ يَشُلَّهُم
مِنَ الدَهرِ قِرنٌ لا يُرامُ مَنيعُ
19. So hello herder of thirsty sheep you have left
And you were the most protective shepherd since you were lost
١٩. فَيا راعي الذَودِ الظِماءَ تَرَكتَها
وَأَحفَظُ راعٍ مُذ نَأَيتَ مُضيعُ
20. And they have in the house no share of canonical law
Nor between the horizons is there any rising
٢٠. وَلَيسَ لَها في الدارِ دينُ شَريعَةٍ
وَلا في ثَنايا الطالِعينَ طُلوعُ
21. And since you were missing there is for the valleys no rival
And for the glories no deterring opponent
٢١. وَلا لِلغَوادي مُذ فُقِدتَ مُزايدٌ
وَلا لِلمَعالي مُذ عُدِمتَ قَريعُ
22. I say to his grievers, you were mutilated and tried
With your prayers the hands are submissive
٢٢. أَقولُ لِناعيهِ عُقِرتَ وَجَرَّبتَ
بِشِلوِكَ فَدُعاءُ اليَدَينِ خَموعُ
23. And struggles between the two veils and courtyard
Teeth like the flame of an ignited lamp
٢٣. وَغَلغَلَ ما بَينَ الحِجابَينِ وَالحَشا
سِنانٌ كَمِصباحِ السَليطِ وَقيعُ
24. I grieved growth that raises its plants
And it contained glory and splendor altogether
٢٤. نَعَيتُ النَدى عَضّاً يَرِفُّ نَباتُهُ
وَشَملَ العُلى وَالمَجدَ وَهُوَ جَميعُ
25. With an auspicious full moon among the stars supported
The sprigs of its glory and branches grew from it
٢٥. بِبَدرٍ مُعَمٍّ في الكَواكِبِ مُخوَلٍ
نَمَتهُ عُروقٌ لِلعُلى وَفُروعُ
26. Of the people, those who reached every honor and height
When the towering stumble one day and collapse
٢٦. مِنَ القَومِ طالوا كُلَّ طَولٍ إِلى العُلى
إِذا أَذرُعٌ يَوماً قَصَرنَ وَبوعُ
27. They built in thickets of glory while it was forbidden
Structures whose birds fall between the stars
٢٧. بَنوا في يَفاعِ المَجدِ وَهوَ مُمَنَّعٌ
بُنىً طَيرُها بَينَ النُجومِ وُقوعُ
28. So neither did the mother of generosity carry after him
Nor did a baby for inherited glory grow up
٢٨. فَلا حَمَلَت أُمُّ المَكارِمِ بَعدَهُ
وَلا شَبَّ لِلمَجدِ التَليدِ رَضيعُ
29. Nor did the brave ships in the battlefields
With the oars aimless and the whips blunt
٢٩. وَلا أَدَّتِ الرَكبَ الخِماصَ عَلى الوَجى
سَفائِنُ بَرٍّ وَالسِياطُ قُلوعُ
30. Until the ones who hope after him are increased
From life, few in the darkness and hungry
٣٠. إِلى أَن يُزادَ المُستَنيلينَ بَعدَهُ
مِنَ الحَيِّ قَرٌّ في الظَلامِ وَجوعُ
31. I hold upon it with two hands clinging
While a withdrawal pulled it from my hands
٣١. أَضُمُّ عَلَيهِ الرَاحَتَينِ تَعَلُّقاً
وَقَد نَزَعَتهُ مِشَنُ يَدَيَّ نَزوعُ
32. I was forcibly made to let you go and did not sell you
Like a peddler who buys and sells the winds
٣٢. غُصِبتُكَ عِلقاً لَم أَبِعهُ وَلَم أَكُن
كَباغي رِباحٍ يَشتَري وَيَبيعُ
33. I wrapped you in the wrap of cold and no corruption touched you from decay
While sheathed blades remain unblemished
٣٣. طَوَيتُكَ طَيَّ البُردِ لَم يُنضَ مِن بِلىً
وَقَد يُغمَدُ المَطرورُ وَهُوَ صَنيعُ
34. I call onto you from under calamities which tomorrow
A crushing and cutting ordeal will befall me
٣٤. أُناديكَ مِن تَحتِ الخُطوبِ غَدا لَها
بِمَظهَريَ رَحلٌ ضاغِطٌ وَقُطوعُ
35. The days would not have narrowed my plateau
If you were responsive to the prayer and hearing
٣٥. ما كانَتِ الأَيّامُ يَفرَعنَ هَضبَتي
لَوَ أَنَّكَ واعٍ لِلدُعاءِ سَميعُ
36. The arrows of affliction struck me violently after you
And a weak and cut off one pounced at me
٣٦. رَمَتني سِهامُ البَأسِ بَعدَكَ جَهرَةً
وَأَنبَضَ نَحوي عاجِزٌ وَجَزوعُ
37. And the shield I used to fear with it calamities
And serious calamities are destructive indeed
٣٧. وَزالَ مِجَنٌّ ما نِعٌ كُنتُ أُتَّقي
بِهِ الخَطبَ وَالخَطبُ الجَليلُ قَطوعُ
38. And I did not know that above you is a commander
From fate who suddenly calls you to obey
٣٨. وَما كُنتُ أَدري أَنَّ فَوقَكَ آمِراً
مِنَ الدَهرِ يَدعو بَغتَةً فَتُطيعُ
39. So a usurper overpowered my greed over you
And resisting hopes clashed with me
٣٩. فَغالَبَ أَطماعي عَليكَ مُّغالِبٌ
وَقارَعَ آمالي عَليكَ قَروعُ
40. I was loyal so I did not allow anyone but your palms
To milk my udder while the ambitions of some are aspiring
٤٠. عُصِبتُ فَلَم أَسمَح لِغَيرِ أَكُفِّكُم
بَدَرّي وَبَعضُ الحالِبَينَ طَموعُ
41. Refusing even if a fine one were to escape with my palm
To the exquisite the unsightly feathered wing flutters
٤١. إِباءً وَلَو طارَت بِكَفّي مُلَيحَةٌ
إِلى النيقِ رَبداءُ الجَناحِ لَموعُ
42. They have certainly stung me with the scorpions of their deceit
When darkness falls, beasts that bite and brand
٤٢. لَقَد لَسَبَتني مِن عَقارِبِ كَيدِهِم
دُيوبٌ إِذا جَنَّ الظَلامُ لَسوعُ
43. He promises me handsome praise, and one who guarantees
Evil speech, that his behavior will be good
٤٣. يُسَوِّمُني حُسنَ الثَناءِ وَضامِنٌ
لِسوءِ مَقالٍ أَن يَسوءَ صَنيعُ
44. And it suffices you the dispraise of a man to neglect his praise
For a matter that speech is too narrow while it is vast
٤٤. وَحَسبُكَ مِن ذَمِّ الفَتى تَركُ مَدحِهِ
لِأَمرٍ يَضيقُ القَولُ وَهُوَ وَسيعُ
45. It quenched you in the remoteness of lands and its outskirts
A spring, and does a spring water a spring
٤٥. سَقاكَ عَلى نَأيِ الدِيارِ وَشَحطِها
رَبيعٌ وَهَل يَسقي الرَبيعَ رَبيعُ
46. And every star and horizon greeted you when
Darkness falls or the smooth earth glows
٤٦. وَحَيّاكَ عَنّا كُلُّ نَجمٍ وَشارِقٍ
إِذا جَنَّ لَيلٌ أَو أَضاءَ صَديعُ
47. I remembered you like the remembrance of meadows by the thirsty
Livers for them burn and they have ribs
٤٧. ذَكَرتُكَ ذِكرَ العاطِشاتِ وُرودَها
تُحَرَّقُ أَكبادٌ لَها وَضُلوعُ
48. They shared in seeking drink one evening
The most adjacent of their roses being demanded
٤٨. تَقاذَفنَ يَطلُبنَ الرَواءَ عَشيَّةً
نَزائِعَ أَدنى وِردِهِنَّ نَزيعُ
49. They took a path with landmarks in fours
To the inaccessible water, no wading reaches it
٤٩. ضَرَبنَ طَريقاً بِالمَناسِمِ أَربَعاً
إِلى الماءِ لا تُدنى إِلَيهِ شَروعُ
50. So farewell to the house of life after your departure
And not all sobbings have a return
٥٠. فَهَجراً لِدارِ الحَيِّ بَعدَ رَحيلِكُم
وَما كُلُّ أَظعانٍ لَهُنَّ رُجوعُ
51. And no welcome to the land for you are not its dwellers
Even if it were pasture for beasts to graze
٥١. وَلا مَرحَباً بِالأَرضِ لَستُم حُلولَها
وَإِن كانَ مَرعىً لِلقَطينِ مَريعُ
52. Indeed the destiny of misery rose to the extent of crying
Even if hearts were tears
٥٢. لَقَد جَلَّ قَدرُ الرُزءِ أَن يَبلُغَ البُكا
مَداهُ وَلَو أَنَّ القُلوبَ دُموعُ
53. And even if after your day my heart becomes rock
With passion for you, cracks would flow from it
٥٣. وَلَو أَنَّ قَلبي بَعدَ يَومِكَ صَخرَةٌ
لَبانَ بِها وَجداً عَلَيكَ صُدوعُ