قل للمنية شوى

لم يخط سهمك إذ رمى

Tell death that its arrow went astray

When it shot without aiming its way

أفقدتني في ابني الذي

قد كان ذخري للغنى

It took from me my son, who was

My provision for prosperity's day

داويته حتى إذا

لم يبق في الدنيا دوا

I treated him until no cure

Was left in life for his decay

ساهرته حتى جفت

أجفانه طيب الكرى

I watched over him until his lids

Dried, so noble was his nature

وطبيبه لم يدر ما

يشكوه من ألم الأذى

His doctor knew not what

Ailed him from the pain he bore

خابت مداواتي له

بل خاب نذري والرقى

My treatment of him failed

Even my vows and charms no more

وأيست منه إذ رأت

عيناي نازلة البلا

I despaired of him when my

Eyes saw him in a declining state

حار الطبيب وحرت في

ما قد دهاه من الضنى

The doctor was confused, and I

Bewildered by his growing pain

ما كان أقصر عمره

وبقاءه بين الورى

How brief was his life

And stay in this world

ما كان إلا سبعة

وثلاثة ثم انقضى

It lasted but seven

And three, then away it swirled

واستل من أترابه

كالنجم من وسط السما

He slipped from his peers

Like a star from midst the sky's dome

عجل الحمام عليه قب

ل بلوغ أعلا المرتقى

Fate hastened him to his grave

Before reaching life's highest roam

يا علة ما كان أر

دى خطبها لما دهى

Oh what calamity was destined

For him when fate lured him away

ومنية حثت به

نحو المقابر والبلى

And death hurried him

To the graves and decay

وشماتة بي من مصا

بك يا حسين من العدى

My enemies rejoice at my loss

Oh Hussein, from their malice I cower

بل قد ذخرتك جنة

عند النوازل بالتوى

Yet I made you provision

For adversities in my devout power

غدر الزمان بنا وما

أبقى علينا واعتدى

Time betrayed me, and destroyed

All I had, transgressing its right

أحسين عندك علم ما

في القلب من ألم الجوى

Oh Hussein, you know what pain

Lies in my heart from this plight

أعلمت أن مدامعي

منهلة تجري دما

You know my tears flow

Like a stream, such is my pain

أحسين لو أبصرت ما

قد حل من صرف القضا

Oh Hussein, if you saw what fate

Decreed with its twists and turns

لرأيت أمراً هائلاً

ومصيبة لا تفتدى

You'd see something terrible

A calamity no ransom could earn

يا ويلتي لما أتى

بالنعش في وقت الضحى

Oh my woe when they brought

The bier at dawn's first light

وأتى الحداة مهرول

ين ليحملوه إلى الثرى

And the pallbearers rushed

To carry him to his earthen site

ناديت يا حادي السري

ر عساك تمهل بالسرى

I called: Oh guide of fate

I pray you go slowly in your stride

ارحم كئيباً هائماً

ثكلان منهد القوى

Have mercy on a weeping soul

Weakened, whose strength has died

قد ذاب لولا نطقه

ما كان مخلوقاً يرى

Save for his speech, he would melt

No creature could him espy

وارفق بجسم ناحل

منه السقام قد اشتفى

Tread gently with his frail body

Wasted by sickness' long try

قد كان يأوي في سوي

دا القلب مني والحشا

In my heart he sheltered from woe

And solitude's somber haunts

لو كان حاديه به

بعض الذي بي ما حدا

If fate's guide knew my own

Agony, he would not have flaunted

أو كان يعلم بالذي

في القلب من جمر الغضا

Or if he knew the embers in my heart

From sorrow's burns

لرثى لما بي من رحمة

من نكبتين على ولا

He'd have pitied my double calamity

And shown some concern

وارحمتا بل حسرتا

لرزية لا ترتجى

But I hope for compassion in vain

When destiny mocks my cry

هيهات أرجوها وقد

علقته أشراك الردى

If only his life could be ransomed

And death would accept a bribe

لو كان يفدى شخصه

والموت يرضى بالرشى

I'd ransom him with my eyes' darkness

When it came to steal him away

لفديت منه قلامة

بسواد عيني إذ أتى

But one cannot always get

What one hopes, though he pray

لكنه ما كل ما

يرجو امرئ يعطى الرجا

Oh grave I bid you greetings

Laden with sorrow and pain

يا قبر حياك الإل

ة تحية فيها المنى

And rain poured on you

From the days that life contains

وسقاك غيث الهاطلا

ت على الزمان من الحيا