لِمَنِ القَتيلُ وَما تَحَلَّلتِ الحُبا

لِمَنِ القَتيلُ وَما تَحَلَّلتِ الحُبا

هَل كانَ غَيرَ مُسَوَّدٍ مَدفونِ

هَل كانَ غَيرَ مُسَوَّدٍ مَدفونِ

Whose is the slain man, with the knee-bindings still unloosed?

For whom is the slain, and why did loves dissolve?

Was he anything but a buried lord,

Was he other than a darkened buried king

بِالشامِ مَلكاً قَد تَبَدَّدَ مُلكُهُ

بِالشامِ مَلكاً قَد تَبَدَّدَ مُلكُهُ

بِمَسَرَّةٍ مِن أَنفُسٍ وَعُيونِ

بِمَسَرَّةٍ مِن أَنفُسٍ وَعُيونِ

In Syria—a king whose realm had fallen apart,

In Syria whose kingdom is now lost?

To the delight of souls and eyes?

With relish made from souls and eyes.

لا بُدَّ أَن يَقَعَ الجَزاءُ بِظالِمٍ

لا بُدَّ أَن يَقَعَ الجَزاءُ بِظالِمٍ

وَتُحَرِّكُ الأَحقادُ بَعدَ سُكونِ

وَتُحَرِّكُ الأَحقادُ بَعدَ سُكونِ

Retribution must befall a wrongdoer,

Retribution must befall the unjust

And hatreds stir after stillness.

And hatred stirs after tranquility.

لا يُصلِحُ الجَبّارَ إِلّا ضَربَةٌ

لا يُصلِحُ الجَبّارَ إِلّا ضَربَةٌ

تَشفيهِ مِن خَبَلٍ بِهِ وَجُنونِ

تَشفيهِ مِن خَبَلٍ بِهِ وَجُنونِ

Only a blow can reform the tyrant,

Only a blow reforms the tyrant

That cures him of the derangement and madness within him.

Curing him of madness and insanity.