1. وسائِلَةٍ عنِ الحسَنِ بنِ يحْيَى

    وقدْ جرَحَتْ مآقِيها الدّموعُ

    And a woman asking after al-Hasan ibn Yahya,

    while tears had wounded the corners of her eyes,

  2. تَقولُ ترحّل المِفضالُ عنّا

    وضِعْنا بعْدَهُ فمتَى الرّجوعُ

    says, “The generous man has departed from us,

    and we are lost without him—when will he return?

  3. وكانَ الشّمْسَ فارَقَنا سَناهُ

    فأظْلَمَتِ المَعاهِدُ والرّبوعُ

    He was the sun; his radiance has left us,

    so the familiar haunts and dwellings have grown dark.

  4. تولّى اللهُ منْهُ خيْرَ والِي

    تُكَفُّ بهِ الخُطوبُ فَما تَروعُ

    May God protect him, the best of governors,

    through whom calamities are warded off and cause no fear.”

  5. فقُلْتُ كأنْ بمَقْدَمِهِ فقالَتْ

    بِشارَتُك الصّواهِلُ والنّجوعُ

    So I said, “It is as though he were already here!” And she said,

    “Your reward for these tidings: neighing steeds and nomad encampments!”

  6. فقُلْتُ لعلّها انْفَرَدَتْ بهَذا

    فَقالَ بقَوْلِها الحَيُّ الجَميعُ

    So I said, “Perhaps she alone says this,”

    but the whole community echoed her words.

  7. فكانت دَعْوَةٌ صعِدَتْ ونَجْوَى

    تقبّلَها المُجيبُ لَها السّميعُ

    Thus a prayer rose up, a whispered plea,

    which the All-Hearing, who answers prayer, accepted.

  8. ووافَقَ ما نطَقَتْ بهِ قَضاءٌ

    قَضى أنّ الوَسائِلَ لا تَضيعُ

    And a decree accorded with what she uttered,

    decreeing that entreaties do not go to waste.