تَمَنّى اِبنَتايَ أَن يَعيشَ أَبوهُما

تَمَنّى اِبنَتايَ أَن يَعيشَ أَبوهُما

وَهَل أَنا إِلّا مِن رَبيعَةَ أَو مُضَر

وَهَل أَنا إِلّا مِن رَبيعَةَ أَو مُضَر

My two daughters wish that their father might live.

My daughters wished their father lived

And am I anything but one of Rabīʿah or Muḍar?

Yet am I not of Rabee'ah or Mudar?

وَنائِحَتانِ تَندُبانِ بِعاقِلٍ

وَنائِحَتانِ تَندُبانِ بِعاقِلٍ

أَخا ثِقَةٍ لا عَينَ مِنهُ وَلا أَثَر

أَخا ثِقَةٍ لا عَينَ مِنهُ وَلا أَثَر

And two wailing women lament at ʿĀqil

Two wailing women mourn a wise man,

A trusted brother, of whom no sign or trace remains.

A trusted brother, no trace left behind.

وَفي اِبنَي نِزارٍ أُسوَةٌ إِن جَزِعتُما

وَفي اِبنَي نِزارٍ أُسوَةٌ إِن جَزِعتُما

وَإِن تَسأَلاهُم تُخبَرا فيهِمُ الخَبَر

وَإِن تَسأَلاهُم تُخبَرا فيهِمُ الخَبَر

And in Nizār’s two sons is a consoling example, if you two are distraught;

In my two sons Naizar find example, if you grieve,

And if you two ask them, you will be told their story.

Ask them and they will tell you the news.

وَفيمَن سِواهُم مِن مُلوكٍ وَسوقَةٍ

وَفيمَن سِواهُم مِن مُلوكٍ وَسوقَةٍ

دَعائِمُ عَرشٍ خانَهُ الدَهرُ فَاِنقَعَر

دَعائِمُ عَرشٍ خانَهُ الدَهرُ فَاِنقَعَر

And in others besides them, kings and commoners,

In others, kings and leaders,

Pillars of a throne that Time betrayed, so it was uprooted.

Pillars of a throne which time ruined and collapsed.

فَقوما فَقولا بِالَّذي قَد عَلِمتُما

فَقوما فَقولا بِالَّذي قَد عَلِمتُما

وَلا تَخمِشا وَجهاً وَلا تَحلِقا شَعَر

وَلا تَخمِشا وَجهاً وَلا تَحلِقا شَعَر

So rise, you two, and speak of what you already know,

Rise then, and say what you know true,

And do not claw your faces, nor shave your hair.

Do not tear your face nor pluck out hair.

وَقولا هُوَ المَرءُ الَّذي لا خَليلَهُ

وَقولا هُوَ المَرءُ الَّذي لا خَليلَهُ

أَضاعَ وَلا خانَ الصَديقَ وَلا غَدَر

أَضاعَ وَلا خانَ الصَديقَ وَلا غَدَر

And say: he is the man who never left his close friend

Say: he was a man who betrayed no friend,

Forsaken, nor betrayed a friend, nor broke faith.

Lost none, nor betrayed a confidante or acted vile.

إِلى الحَولِ ثُمَّ اِسمُ السَلامِ عَلَيكُما

إِلى الحَولِ ثُمَّ اِسمُ السَلامِ عَلَيكُما

وَمَن يَبكِ حَولاً كامِلاً فَقَدِ اِعتَذَر

وَمَن يَبكِ حَولاً كامِلاً فَقَدِ اِعتَذَر

Until a year has passed; then may the name of peace be upon you both.

For a year, then say peace be upon you,

And whoever weeps a full year has surely justified himself.

For he who weeps a full year has earned forgiveness.

حَشودٌ عَلى المِقرى إِذا البُزلُ حارَدَت

حَشودٌ عَلى المِقرى إِذا البُزلُ حارَدَت

سَريعٌ إِلى الداعي مُطاعٌ إِذا أَمَر

سَريعٌ إِلى الداعي مُطاعٌ إِذا أَمَر

Tireless at the guests’ bowl when the mature she-camels withheld their milk,

Hordes at the abode when war trumpets blare

Swift to answer the caller, obeyed when he commanded.

Swift to the summons, obedient when commanded.

وَقَد كُنتُ جَلداً في الحَياةِ مُرَزَّءً

وَقَد كُنتُ جَلداً في الحَياةِ مُرَزَّءً

وَقَد كُنتُ أَنوي الخَيرَ وَالفَضلَ وَالذُخَر

وَقَد كُنتُ أَنوي الخَيرَ وَالفَضلَ وَالذُخَر

And indeed I have been steadfast in life, sorely tried by loss,

And I was firm in life, pure of repute,

And indeed I have aimed at goodness, generosity, and treasure laid up.

I intended good, excellence and treasure.