عَلى خالِدٍ أَصبَحتُ أَبكي لِخالِدٍ

عَلى خالِدٍ أَصبَحتُ أَبكي لِخالِدٍ

وَأَصدُقُ نَفساً قَد أُصيبَ خَليلُها

وَأَصدُقُ نَفساً قَد أُصيبَ خَليلُها

I have come to weep over Khalid, for Khalid,

For Khalid I weep at dawn, confessing

and I am sincere in soul, whose dear friend has been struck down.

A soul has lost its most beloved friend.

تَذَكَّرتُ مِنهُ بَعدَ أَوَّلِ هَجعَةٍ

تَذَكَّرتُ مِنهُ بَعدَ أَوَّلِ هَجعَةٍ

مَساعِيَ لا أَدري عَلى مَن أُحيلُها

مَساعِيَ لا أَدري عَلى مَن أُحيلُها

After the first spell of sleep, I remembered his

After my first waking I recall

endeavors—I know not to whom I can entrust them.

His efforts - I know not for whom meant.

وَكُنتَ إِذا نابَت قُرَيشاً مَلَمَّةٌ

وَكُنتَ إِذا نابَت قُرَيشاً مَلَمَّةٌ

وَقالَ رَجالٌ سادَةٌ مَن يُزيلُها

وَقالَ رَجالٌ سادَةٌ مَن يُزيلُها

And you, whenever a calamity befell Quraysh,

Whenever Quraysh met a sore distress

and men of rank asked who would dispel it,

And chief men said, "Who will dispel it hence?"

تَكونُ لَها لا مَعجَباً بِنَجاحِها

تَكونُ لَها لا مَعجَباً بِنَجاحِها

وَلا يَحمِلُ الأَثقالَ إِلّا حَمولُها

وَلا يَحمِلُ الأَثقالَ إِلّا حَمولُها

would stand ready for it, without pride in resolving it;

You showed no joy in their success,

and none carries heavy loads but one able to bear them.

Nor helped bear burdens save your own immense.

فَأَينَ الَّذي كانَت مَعَدٌّ تَنوبُهُ

فَأَينَ الَّذي كانَت مَعَدٌّ تَنوبُهُ

وَيَحتَمِلُ الأَعباءَ ثُمَّ يَقولُها

وَيَحتَمِلُ الأَعباءَ ثُمَّ يَقولُها

Where, then, is he to whom Maʿadd used to turn,

Where is he now whose ready strength sufficed

and who bore the burdens, then spoke of them?

To bear the load, and of it lightly told?