يا مَدمَعَيَّ اِكفِياني نارَ أَحزاني

إِنّي عَهِدتُكُما مِن خَيرِ أَعواني

O my tears, relieve me of the fire of my sorrows

For I knew you both as the best of my helpers

نارٌ تَأَجُج في قَلبي فَهَل لَكُما

أَن تُطفِئاها بِتَسكابٍ وَتَهتانِ

A fire rages in my heart, could you

Quench it with pouring and calmness?

إِن لَم يَكُنِ اليَومِ لي رَنّاتٌ ثاكِلَةٌ

فَأَيُّ يَومٍ لَهُ وَجدي وَتَحناني

If today I have no comforting beloved

Then which day has my presence and tenderness?

أَقضي اللَيالي لا أَحظى بِطَيفٍ كَرى

مُوَزَّعاً بَينَ حَيرانٍ وَحَرّانِ

I spend the nights without seeing a specter I love

Split between confusion and anxiety

ما لي بِغَيرُ كُؤوسِ الدَمعِ مُغتَبِقٌ

وَلَيسَ غَيرَ نُجومِ اللَيلِ نَدماني

I have nothing but cups of tears as company

And nothing but the stars of night as my regret

تَأبى المُروءَةُ قَلباً غَيرَ مُتَّقِدٍ

عَلى حَبيبٍ وَطَرفاً غَيرَ رَيّانِ

Manliness refuses a heart not burning

For a lover and an eye not crying

لا بَوَّأَتني المَعالي مَتنَ صَهوَتِها

إشن كانَ لَم يُصمِ قَلبي فَقَد خَلاني

Glory never let me onto its lofty backs

If it had not deafened my heart and forsaken me

وَلَيسَ كُلُّ أَخٍ تَأتي مُنيَتُهُ

عَلى رُؤوسِ ذَويهِ دَكَّ بُنيانِ

Not every brother whose death comes

Falls upon the heads of his family like a collapsed building

أَنّا فَقَدناكَ يا عَبدَ السَلامِ لَدنَ

كُنتَ المُرَجى لِأَوطارٍ وَأَوطانِ

We have lost you, O Abdel Salam, you were

The hoped for in lands and homelands

وَكُنتَ رُكناً لَها إِنَّ أُمَّةً لَجَأَت

مِنَ الوَرى لِأَساطينِ وَأَركانِ

You were a pillar for it, indeed a nation took refuge

From foes in its nobles and pillars

الباهِرُ الخَصلُ يَعيى مَن يُسابِقُهُ

وَالقاتِلُ الفَصلُ عَن عِلمٍ وَبُرهانِ

The brilliant quality tires whoever competes with it

And the killing distinction from knowledge and proof

يَرمي بِكُلِّ مُراشٍ مَن كَنائِنِهِ

عَن كُلِّ قَوسٍ مِنَ التَفكيرِ مُرنانِ

It casts from its entities whoever aims

Every bow of thought missing it

كانَت مَحامِدُهُ شَتّى نُقولٌ لَها

سُبحانَ ناظِمِها في سَلكِ إِنسانِ

His praises were diverse, we say for them

Glory to their composer in the thread of humanity

مُهَذَّبُ الخَلقِ في صَوفٍ وَفي كَدَرِ

وَناصِحُ الوُدِّ في سِرٍّ وَإِعلانِ

Refined manners in wool and in rags

And advisor of affection in secret and openly