أَصبَحتُ أَمشي بَعدَ سَلمى بنِ مالِكٍ

أَصبَحتُ أَمشي بَعدَ سَلمى بنِ مالِكٍ

وَبَعدَ أَبي قَيسٍ وَعُروَةَ كَالأَجَب

وَبَعدَ أَبي قَيسٍ وَعُروَةَ كَالأَجَب

I now walk, after Salma son of Malik,

I walk now after Salma son of Malik

and after Abu Qays and Urwa, like a camel shorn of its hump,

And after Abi Qais and Urwa like a lost camel

يَضِجُّ إِذا ظِلُّ الغُرابِ دَنا لَهُ

يَضِجُّ إِذا ظِلُّ الغُرابِ دَنا لَهُ

حِذاراً عَلى باقي السَناسِنِ وَالعَصَب

حِذاراً عَلى باقي السَناسِنِ وَالعَصَب

which cries out when a crow's shadow draws near,

He whimpers when the shadow of the raven draws near

fearing for its remaining spinal bones and sinews.

Beware of what remains of the blades and sinews

وَبَعدَ أَبي عَمرٍ وَذي الفَضلِ عامِرٍ

وَبَعدَ أَبي عَمرٍ وَذي الفَضلِ عامِرٍ

وَبَعدَ المُرَجّى عُروَةَ الخَيرِ لِلكُرَب

وَبَعدَ المُرَجّى عُروَةَ الخَيرِ لِلكُرَب

And after Abu Amr and Amir, a man of virtue,

And after Abi Amr and Dhi Al Fadl, Amir

and after Urwa the Good, looked to in times of distress,

And after Al Murajja, Urwa the good in hardships

وَبَعدَ طُفَيلٍ ذي الفِعالِ تَعَلَّقَت

وَبَعدَ طُفَيلٍ ذي الفِعالِ تَعَلَّقَت

بِهِ ذاتُ ظُفرٍ لا تُوَرَّعُ بِاللَجَب

بِهِ ذاتُ ظُفرٍ لا تُوَرَّعُ بِاللَجَب

and after Tufayl, a man of noble deeds—there clung

And after Tufayl the active, attached herself

to him a clawed one, undeterred by clamor.

To him one with triumph, unrestrained in her zeal

وَبَعدَ أَبي حَيّانَ يَومَ حَمومَةٍ

وَبَعدَ أَبي حَيّانَ يَومَ حَمومَةٍ

أُتيحَ لَهُ زَأوٌ فَأُزلِقَ عَن رَتَب

أُتيحَ لَهُ زَأوٌ فَأُزلِقَ عَن رَتَب

And after Abu Hayyan, on the day of Hamuma:

And after Abi Hayyan on a day of great battle

doom was allotted him, and he was toppled from a height.

A chance was afforded him, so he slipped from rank

أَلَم تَرَ فيما يَذكُرُ الناسُ أَنَّني

أَلَم تَرَ فيما يَذكُرُ الناسُ أَنَّني

ذَكَرتُ أَبا لَيلى فَأَصبَحتُ ذا أَرَب

ذَكَرتُ أَبا لَيلى فَأَصبَحتُ ذا أَرَب

Have you not seen, in what people recount, that I

Did you not see, in what people mention, that I

remembered Abu Layla and became filled with longing?

Mentioned Abu Layla, so I became full of woe?

فَهَوَّنَ ما أَلقى وَإِن كُنتُ مُثبِتاً

فَهَوَّنَ ما أَلقى وَإِن كُنتُ مُثبِتاً

يَقيني بِأَن لا حَيَّ يَنجو مِنَ العَطَب

يَقيني بِأَن لا حَيَّ يَنجو مِنَ العَطَب

And so what I endure was eased, though I was stricken,

Yet it lightened what I met, though I was steadfast

by my certainty that no living being escapes destruction.

In my certainty that no living soul escapes decay