قَد هَراقَ الماءَ في أَجوافِها

وتَطَايَرنَ بأَشتاتٍ شِقَق

The water has drained from its channels,

And cracks have scattered apart.

لَيسَ شَيءٌ عَلَى المنُونِ بِباقِ

غَيرُ وَجِه الُمسَبِّحِ الخَلاَّقِ

Nothing remains of the departed,

Except the face of the Creator.

إن نَكُن آمنينَ فاجَأَنا شَ

رٌّ مُصيبٌ ذا الودِّ والإِشفاقِ

If we felt secure, misfortune struck us -

A tragedy, affectionate and merciful.

فبَرئٌ صَدري مِنَ الظُّلمِ لِلرَّ

بِّ وحَنثٍ بِمَعقَدِ الميِثاقِ

So my chest is cleared of injustice towards the Lord,

Or breaking the covenant.

ولَقَد ساءَني زِيارَةُ ذي قُر

بَى حَبيبٍ لِوِدِّنا مُشتاقِ

I was saddened by the visit of a dear one,

Yearning for our love.

ساءَهُ ما بِنا تَبَيَّنَ في الأَي

دي وإشناقُها إلَى الأَعناقِ

What was revealed between our hands saddened him,

And his neck straining toward the necks.

فاذهَبي يا أُمَيمَ غيرَ بَعيدٍ

لا يُؤَاتي العِنَاقُ مَن في الوِثَاقِ

So go, O Umayma, not far off,

The neck cannot be reached by one in shackles.

واذهَبي يا أُمَيمَ إن يَشَأ اللَّ

هُ يُنَفِّس مِن أَزمِ هَذا الخِناقِ

And go, O Umayma, if God wills,

He will relieve us from the grip of this suffocation.

أَو تَكُن وِجهَةق فتِلكَ سَبي

لُ النَّاسِ لا تَمنَعُ الُحتُوفَ الرَّواقي

Or it could be your destiny, which is the way of people -

Misfortunes do not spare the corridors.

وتقولُ العُداةُ أَودَى عَدِيٌّ

وبَنُوهُ قَد أَيقَنُوا بِغلاقِ

And the enemies say: an enemy has perished,

And his sons have despaired of deliverance.

يا أَبَا مُسهِرٍ فأَبلِغ رَسُولاً

إخوَتي إن أَتَيتَ صَحنَ العِراقِ

O Abu Musahir, send a messenger

To my brothers if you reach Iraq’s plain.

أَبلِغَا عامِراً وأَبلِغ أَخَاهُ

أَنَّني مُوثَقٌ شَديدٌ وثَاقِي

Inform Amer and inform his brother

That I am firmly shackled in chains.

في حَديدِ القِسطاسِ يَرقُبُني الَحا

رِسُ والَمرءُ كُلَّ شَيءٍ يُلاقي

With iron fetters the guards watch me,

And man meets everything that he encounters,

في حَديد مُضاعَفٍ وغُلُولٍ

وثِيابٍ مُنَضَّحاتٍ خِلاَقِ

With doubled iron, shackles

And ripped clothes.

فاركَبُوا في الَحرامِ فُكُّوا أَخاكُم

إنَّ عِيراً قَد جُهِّزَت لاِنطلاقِ

So ride, unlawfully, and free your brother,

For a caravan has been equipped for departure.