يا عَيْنُ بكّي بدَمْعٍ دائمِ السَّجَمِ

وابْكِي لتَوْبَةَ عِنْدَ الرَّوْعِ والبُهَمِ

O eye shed tears of ceaseless lament

And weep in repentance amidst fear and alarm,

عَلى فتىً من بني سَعْدٍ فُجِعْتُ بِهِ

ماذا أُجنَّ بِهِ في الحُفرةِ الرَّجمِ

For a youth from Bani Saad whom I've lost

What will I do with him in the stoning grave?

من كُلِّ صافيةٍ صِرْفٍ وقافِيَةٍ

مِثْلِ السّنانِ وأمْرٍ غَيْرِ مُقْتَسِمِ

With every clear, eloquent, rhyming verse

Like sharp blades and uncompromising affairs,

ومُصْدِرٍ حين يُعْيِي القَوْمَ مُصدِرُهم

وجَفْنَةٍ عند نحسِ الكوكبِ الشَّبِمِ

And a refuge when their refuge fails the people,

And an eyelid during the ill-omen of a star of misfortune.