ألا يا عَيْنُ فأنهمِرِي بغَزْرِ
وفِيضِي عَبْرةً من غَيْرِ نِزْرِ
Oh eyes, shed abundant tears
And let flow a stream with no restraint
ولا تَعِدِي عَزَاءِ بعد يحيىَ
فقد غُلِبَ العَزاءِ وعِيلَ صَبْري
Do not try to console me after Yahya
For consolation is defeated and my patience failed
ومَرْزِئَةٍ كأنَّ الجوفَ منْها
بُعَيْد النَّومِ يُسْعَرُ حَرَّ جَمْرِ
As if my insides burn with blazing embers
When sleep is far in the deep of night
على يَحْيى وأيُّ فتًى كيَحْيَى
لعَانٍ عائِلٍ غَلِقٍ بوِتْرِ
For Yahya - what youth was like Yahya
Cursed, bereaved, slain unjustly
وللخصْمِ الألدّ إذا دَعانِي
ليأخذَ حَقَّ مَقْهُورٍ بقَسْرِ
I would stand to the most vicious foe
If he summoned me to take the right of the oppressed by force
وللأضْيَاف إن طَرقُوا هُدُوًّا
وللكَلِّ المُكِلِّ وكُلّ سَفْرِ
And to guests, if they knocked at my door seeking refuge
And to the weary and all wayfarers
إذا نزلَتْ بهم سَنَةٌ جَمَادٌ
أبِيُّ الدَّرِّ لم تُكْسَعْ بغُبْرِ
When drought befell them in barren years
The generous one whose hand was never restrained by dust
هُنَالك كان غيثَ حَيًا تَلاقَتْ
يَدَاهُ في جَنَابٍ غيرِ وَعْرِ
There was the rain alive when hands met
Upon an untouched pasture
وأحْيَا من مُخَبَّأَةٍ حَيَاءً
وأجرأُ من أبي شِبْلٍ هِزَبْرِ
He brought to life one who was hiding in shame
And emboldened one timider than a frightened rabbit
هَرِيتِ الشِّدْق ريِبالٍ إذا مَا
عدَا لم تُنْهَ عَدْوَته بزجْرِ
He would drive away the robbers
With the most terrifying lion's roar
تَدِينُ الجَاذِياتُ له إذا مَا
سمعنَ زئيرَهُ في كُلّ فَجْرِ
The wild cats would crouch to him
When they heard his cry at every dawn
فإمّا يُمْسِ في جَدَثٍ ضَريحٍ
بمُغَبّرٍ من الأرواح قفْرِ
Either he lies in a desolate grave
Among spirits covered in dust
فقد يَعْصَوصِبُ الجَادُون مِنْه
بأرْوَع ماجِدِ الأعْراقِ غَمْرِ
The gallant ones weep for him
With the most copious tears ever shed
إذا ما الضَّيفُ حَلَّ على ذَراهُ
تلقَّاهُ بوَجْهٍ غير بَسْرِ
When a guest arrived at his abode
He would welcome him with a cheerful face
ندًى صافٍ يَبِينُ العِتْقُ فيه
يُبَيِّنُ قُبْلَ مَقْدَعةٍ ونُكْرِ
Pure, simple hospitality, where generosity
Showed clearly before refusal or acceptance
تُفَرَّجُ بالنَّدَى الأبوابُ عنهُ
ولا يكْتَنُّ دُونَهُمُ بسِتْرِ
The doors were opened by the dew upon him
And no veil concealed them
دَهاَني الحادثاتُ بِهِ فأمسَتْ
عَلَىّ هُمُومُها تَغْدُو وتَسْري
The misfortunes have afflicted me with his loss
And their sorrows rise and set upon me
