تَطاوَلَ هَذا اللَيلُ ما كادَ يَنجَلي

تَطاوَلَ هَذا اللَيلُ ما كادَ يَنجَلي

كَلَيلِ التِمامِ ما يُريدُ اِنصراما

كَلَيلِ التِمامِ ما يُريدُ اِنصراما

This night has dragged on, hardly beginning to clear,

This night has lingered as if unwilling to pass

Like the longest winter night, unwilling to end.

Like a perfect night, refusing to end.

فَبِتُّ لِذِكرى مالِكٍ بِكآبَةٍ

فَبِتُّ لِذِكرى مالِكٍ بِكآبَةٍ

أُأَرِّقُ مِن بَعدِ العِشاءِ نِياما

أُأَرِّقُ مِن بَعدِ العِشاءِ نِياما

So I spent the night in sorrow at the memory of Malik,

I lie awake, grieving for Malik in sadness,

Keeping sleepers awake after nightfall.

Sleepless after night prayer.

أَبى جَزعي في مالِكٍ غَيرَ ذِكرِهِ

أَبى جَزعي في مالِكٍ غَيرَ ذِكرِهِ

فَلا تَعذِليني أَن جَزِعتُ أُماما

فَلا تَعذِليني أَن جَزِعتُ أُماما

My anguish for Malik admits nothing but remembrance of him;

My anguish for Malik allows no thought but of him.

So do not reproach me for grieving, Umama.

So do not blame me for my open grief.

سَأَبكي أَخي ما دامَ صَوتُ حَمامَةٍ

سَأَبكي أَخي ما دامَ صَوتُ حَمامَةٍ

يُؤَرِّقُ مِن وادي البِطاحِ حَماما

يُؤَرِّقُ مِن وادي البِطاحِ حَماما

I shall weep for my brother as long as a dove's cry

I will weep for my brother as long as the cooing dove

From the valley of al-Bitah keeps doves awake.

Disturbs the silence of the valley at dawn.

وَأَبعَثُ أَنواحاً عَليهِ بِسُحرَةٍ

وَأَبعَثُ أَنواحاً عَليهِ بِسُحرَةٍ

وَتَذرِفُ عَينايَ الدُموعَ سِجاما

وَتَذرِفُ عَينايَ الدُموعَ سِجاما

And summon bands of mourners for him before dawn,

And I will send forth laments for him at nightfall,

And my eyes shed tears in streams.

My eyes shedding tears in streams.

وَأَدعو سَراةَ الحَيِّ يَبكونَ مالِكاً

وَأَدعو سَراةَ الحَيِّ يَبكونَ مالِكاً

وَأَبعَثُ نَوحاً يَلتَدِمنَ قِياما

وَأَبعَثُ نَوحاً يَلتَدِمنَ قِياما

And call the clan's nobles to weep for Malik,

I will call upon the sleepless living to weep for Malik,

And summon wailing women, standing and beating their faces.

And send forth a lament to be raised up.

يُقِلنَ ثَرى رَبِّ السَماحَةِ وَالنَدى

يُقِلنَ ثَرى رَبِّ السَماحَةِ وَالنَدى

وَذو عِزَّةٍ يَأبى بِها أَن يُضاما

وَذو عِزَّةٍ يَأبى بِها أَن يُضاما

They speak of the dust of the lord of generosity and bounty,

They will say little of the benevolent and generous one,

And a man of might who, by that might, refused to be wronged;

The proud man who scorned to be wronged.

وَفارِسُ خَيلٍ لا تُسايَرُ خَيلُهُ

وَفارِسُ خَيلٍ لا تُسايَرُ خَيلُهُ

إِذا اِضطَرَمَت نارُ العَدُوِّ ضِراما

إِذا اِضطَرَمَت نارُ العَدُوِّ ضِراما

And a horseman whose steeds none could keep pace with,

The horseman whose steeds vied with no others

When the enemy's fire blazed fiercely.

When the fires of battle blazed high.

وَأَحيا عَن الفَحشاءِ مِن ذاتِ كِلَّةٍ

وَأَحيا عَن الفَحشاءِ مِن ذاتِ كِلَّةٍ

يَرى ما يَهابُ الصالِحونَ حَراما

يَرى ما يَهابُ الصالِحونَ حَراما

And shyer of indecency than a woman behind a curtain,

He who eschewed all shameful acts,

Deeming forbidden what the righteous fear.

Fearing what the righteous hold sin.

وَأَجرَأُ مِن لَيثٍ بِخَفَّانَ مُخدِرٍ

وَأَجرَأُ مِن لَيثٍ بِخَفَّانَ مُخدِرٍ

وَأَمضى إِذا رامَ الرِجالُ صِداما

وَأَمضى إِذا رامَ الرِجالُ صِداما

And bolder than a lion in its lair at Khaffan,

Bolder than a lion with unsheathed claws,

And more resolute when men sought battle.

Most resolute when men clashed in war.

فَلا تَرجُوَن ذا إِمَّةٍ بَعدَ مالِكٍ

فَلا تَرجُوَن ذا إِمَّةٍ بَعدَ مالِكٍ

وَلا جازِراً لِلمُنشِئاتِ غُلاما

وَلا جازِراً لِلمُنشِئاتِ غُلاما

So hope for no man of standing after Malik,

Do not, after Malik, hope for one like him

Nor a young man who slaughters beasts when rain clouds gather.

To lead the nation, nor a youth like him.

وَقُل لَهُمُ لا يَرحَلوا الأُدمَ بَعدَهُ

وَقُل لَهُمُ لا يَرحَلوا الأُدمَ بَعدَهُ

وَلا يَرفَعوا نَحوَ الجِيادِ لِجاما

وَلا يَرفَعوا نَحوَ الجِيادِ لِجاما

And tell them not to saddle the white camels after him,

Tell them to roam no more after him

Nor raise a bridle toward the fine steeds.

Nor spur their steeds as if for battle.