وقفتُ على الزوراء وهي يتيمةٌ

وقفتُ على الزوراء وهي يتيمةٌ

تحنُّ لمن أبقى المعالي ثواكلا

تحنُّ لمن أبقى المعالي ثواكلا

I stood at al-Zawra while she was an orphan.

I stood at al-Zawra’ while it was desolate

She yearns for him who left lofty virtues bereaved.

Yearning for those who left behind glories as orphans

فتنعاه طوراً للفواضل والنهى

فتنعاه طوراً للفواضل والنهى

وطوراً له تنعى النهى والفواضلا

وطوراً له تنعى النهى والفواضلا

So at times she announces his death to virtues and wisdom,

Mourning at times the virtuous and the elite

And at times, to him, she announces the death of wisdom and virtues.

At others mourning the elite and virtuous