مَرَرتُ يَوماً حَجرَةَ القُبور

مَرَرتُ يَوماً حَجرَةَ القُبور

وَنسوَةٌ يَدعون بِالثبور

وَنسوَةٌ يَدعون بِالثبور

One day I passed by the precinct of the graves,

I passed one day the chamber of the tombs

And women were crying out in woe.

And women calling out in lamentation

فَقُلتُ قَولا غَير قَول زور

فَقُلتُ قَولا غَير قَول زور

أَهوَن زوّار عَلى مَزُور

أَهوَن زوّار عَلى مَزُور

So I spoke words that were no falsehood:

So I spoke words that were no fabricated tale

You are the visitors least esteemed by the one you visit;

"Are you the least burdensome visitors to the buried?

أَنتُنّ تَبكين عَلى مَقبور

أَنتُنّ تَبكين عَلى مَقبور

فَقُلنَ نَبكي لِخراب الدّور

فَقُلنَ نَبكي لِخراب الدّور

You women weep over someone buried.

You weep over one entombed

So they said: We weep for the ruin of homes,

But they said "We cry for the ruin of homes

ولانتِشارِ أَمرِنا المَنشور

ولانتِشارِ أَمرِنا المَنشور

وَهِجرَةٍ طالَت عَلى مَهجور

وَهِجرَةٍ طالَت عَلى مَهجور

And for the disarray of our scattered affairs,

And for the scattering of an order made public

And for a separation prolonged for one forsaken,

And an exile prolonged over abandoned lands

وَزَورَةٍ حانَت عَلى مَزور

وَزَورَةٍ حانَت عَلى مَزور

كَذاكَ فينا عادَة الدّهور

كَذاكَ فينا عادَة الدّهور

And for a visit whose time has come for one visited.

And falsehood that has come upon one buried

Such is the custom of the ages among us.

Thus is our way throughout the ages"