ما بالُ عَينِكِ مِنها الدَمعُ مُهراقِ

سَحّاً فَلا عازِبٌ عَنها وَلا راقِ

What ails your eyes that tears from them do pour

Ceaselessly, neither halting nor forbearing?

أَبكي عَلى هالِكٍ أَودى فَأَورَثَني

عِندَ التَفَرُّقِ حُزناً حَرُّهُ باقِ

I weep for one whom death has come to lure

And at our parting, grief beyond comparing

لَو كانَ يَشفي سَقيماً وَجدُ ذي رَحِمٍ

أَبقى أَخي سالِماً وَجدي وَإِشفاقي

If healing could restore the ill at heart

My brother would be sound, and well my caring.

لَو كانَ يُفدى لَكانَ الأَهلُ كُلَّهُمُ

وَما أُثَمِّرُ مِن مالٍ وَأَوراقِ

If he could be redeemed, my kith and kin

Would pay all that I own and life itself for bearing.

لَكِن سِهامُ المَنايا مَن تُصِبهُ بِها

لا يَشفِهِ رِفقُ ذي طِبٍّ وَلا راقِ

But fate's arrows strike whom they are meant to strike

No gentle touch nor any ransom sparing.

لَأَبكِيَنَّكَ ما ناحَت مُطَوَّقَةٌ

وَما سَرَيتُ مَعَ الساري عَلى الساقِ

I'll weep for you as long as maidens sigh

And I walk on with staff, my legs still faring.

تَبكي عَلَيكَ بُكا ثَكلى مُفَجَّعَةٍ

ما إِن يَجِفَّ لَها مِن ذِكرِهِ ماقي

For you a bereft mother weeps her fill.

Her memories fresh, though years may pass their wearing.

إِذهَب فَلا يُبعِدَنكَ اللَهُ مِن رَجُلٍ

لاقى الَّذي كُلُّ حَيٍّ بَعدَهُ لاقي

Go forth! May God not distance you from men

Whose fate, like yours, is mortal and unsparing.