أَمّا وَقَد بانوا فَلَم تَبِنِ

أَمّا وَقَد بانوا فَلَم تَبِنِ

نَفسي فَما أَحسَنتَ في الحَزَنِ

نَفسي فَما أَحسَنتَ في الحَزَنِ

Now that they have departed, though not

Now that they have gone and my soul did not go

my soul—you have not mourned well,

How beautiful was your sorrow!

يا رَبعُ وَاِستَبدَلتَ بَعدَهُمُ

يا رَبعُ وَاِستَبدَلتَ بَعدَهُمُ

وَسَكَنتَ بَعدَهُمُ إِلى سَكَنِ

وَسَكَنتَ بَعدَهُمُ إِلى سَكَنِ

O dwelling, and have taken others after them,

O dwelling, you have been peopled after them

and after them found comfort in new inhabitants.

And inhabited after them in their stead

هَلّا خَلَوتَ كَما خَلا وَعَفا

هَلّا خَلَوتَ كَما خَلا وَعَفا

رَسمٌ سِواكَ وَفى وَلَم يَخُنِ

رَسمٌ سِواكَ وَفى وَلَم يَخُنِ

Why did you not lie empty, like the deserted, faded

Why did you not remain desolate as you did remain

trace of another dwelling, which kept faith and did not betray?

When a form other than theirs fulfilled and was true and did not cheat?

وَاللَهِ ما اِستَحدَثتَ مِثلَهُمُ

وَاللَهِ ما اِستَحدَثتَ مِثلَهُمُ

حاشا لُوَجهِ شُرَيرَةَ الحَسَنِ

حاشا لُوَجهِ شُرَيرَةَ الحَسَنِ

By God, you have brought in none like them,

By God, you have not gained the like of them

save for the beautiful face of Shurayra.

Far be it from an evil face to have beauty!