1. قَد تَوارى النَجيبُ في ظلِّ لَحدٍ

    غابَ فيهِ بَدرُ الحِجى وَالرَشادِ

    The noble Najib has vanished into the shadow of a grave;

    The full moon of intellect and right guidance has set within it.

  2. بَل ثَوى فيهِ لِلبَلاغةِ بَحرٌ

    باتَ يُسقى بِصيِّباتِ الغَوادي

    Nay, a sea of eloquence has come to rest within it,

    Now watered by showers from the morning clouds,

  3. بَينَ نَثرٍ كَأَنَّهُ قَطَعُ الرَو

    ضِ وَنظمٍ كَالدرِّ في الأَجيادِ

    Amid prose as though it were patches of a gar-

    den, and verse like pearls upon necks.

  4. بَكَتِ الصُحْفُ بَعدَهُ بِدُموعٍ

    صَبَغَت وَجهها بِذَوبِ المِدادِ

    The pages wept after him with tears

    That stained their face with molten ink.

  5. فَأَشارَ التاريخُ فيها بِنظمٍ

    لاقَ بَعدَ الحِدادِ بِثَوبِ الحِدادِ

    Then history signaled in their pages through verse

    That, after al-Haddad, befitted the garb of mourning.