لِيَبكِ ابنَ كُلثُومٍ فَقَد حانَ يَومُهُ

يَتامى وَأَضيافٌ وَكُلٌّ مُضَيَّعُ

Let Ibn Kalthoum weep for his time has come

The orphans and guests and all are left to wander

وَحيٌّ إِذا ما أَصبَحوا في دِيارِهم

بِشَهباءَ فيها حاسِرٌ وَمُقَنَّعُ

And a living tribe, when they reach their abodes

With graying beards, downtrodden and covered

وَكانَ إِذا لاقاهُمُ صَدَّ جَمعَهُم

مَهابَتُه وَخَوفُهُ فَتَصَدَّعُوا

Whenever he met them, he barred their way

His awe and fear cracked their gathering asunder

لَعمري لَقَد ضاعَت أُمورٌ كَثيرَةٌ

وَذَلَّ مِن الأَوداهِ ما كُنتَ تَمنَعُ

By my life, so much has been lost

And of allies, you shielded what now lies surrendered