أَلا يا لَهْفَ هِنْدٍ إثْرَ قَوْمٍ

أَلا يا لَهْفَ هِنْدٍ إثْرَ قَوْمٍ

هُمُ كانوا الشِّفَاءَ فَلَمْ يُصَابُوا

هُمُ كانوا الشِّفَاءَ فَلَمْ يُصَابُوا

Ah, Hind's anguish over a people—

Alas, O yearning of Hind for a people

they were the cure, yet they were not struck.

Who were the cure, yet they were not struck

وَقَاهُم جَدُّهم بِبَنِي أَبِيهم

وَقَاهُم جَدُّهم بِبَنِي أَبِيهم

وبالأَشْقَيْنِ ما كان العِقَابُ

وبالأَشْقَيْنِ ما كان العِقَابُ

Their good fortune shielded them with their father's sons;

And their forefather protected them with the sons of his father

and at al-Ashqayn the retribution fell.

And with the two wretched ones, there was no punishment

وَأَفْلَتَهُنَّ عِلْبَاءٌ جَرِيضًا

وَأَفْلَتَهُنَّ عِلْبَاءٌ جَرِيضًا

وَلَوْ أدْركْنَهُ صَفِرَ الوِطابُ

وَلَوْ أدْركْنَهُ صَفِرَ الوِطابُ

And ʿIlbāʾ escaped them, gasping;

And they escaped from Ilbaa, worn out

and had they overtaken him, the milk-skins would have emptied.

And had they reached him, the tents would have turned yellow