الدمع يهمل والفؤاد عليل

والقلب في غمراته متبول

The tears are neglected, and the heart is sick,

And the heart is in its griefs confused,

ولقد أبيت وفي الحشاشة جمرة

بتأجج حمراء ليس تزول

And I had refused, and in my sadness there was an ember,

With a burning redness that does not disappear,

من فقد طفل كان يؤنس وحشتي

وبه على الأيام كنت أصول

Of one who lost a child who was comforting my loneliness,

And with him I was setting the days right,

فتكت به أيدي المنايا بغتة

فالحزن لي حتى الممات طويل

The hands of death took him suddenly,

So the sorrow for me until death is long,

حار الطبيب بما يداوي سقمه

ودواؤه مالي إليه سبيل

The doctor was confused about what would cure his illness,

And his medicine I had no way to access,

مازلت أحذر موته ومصابه

حتى دنا لحمامه تعجيل

I kept fearing his death and his affliction,

Until his burial came hastily,

أحسين ماذا أرتجي من حيرتي

من بعد فقدك أم عساي أقول

Oh goodness what can I hope for from my confusion,

After losing you, what more can I say,

أمعفراً في الترب رهناً للبلى

حزني عليك مع الزمان طويل

Buried in dust, hostage to perishing,

My sorrow for you with time is long,

أودعت جسمك في الثرى رغماً فما

لي بعد موتك ما حييت خليل

I buried your body in soil perforce, so after

Your death I have no intimate friend left,

إن كنت طفلاً إن همك خطبه

خطب كبير في النفوس جليل

If you were a child, though your concerns were childish,

They were great concerns in the souls,

جاورت لحدا ثم جاور مهجتي

هم وآفات علي تجول

You dwelled by a grave, then dwelled in my mind,

Sorrows and afflictions wandering about me,

قد كنت آمل أن أكون لك الفدى

فأبى علي الدهر وهو بخيل

I had hoped that I would be the ransom for you,

But fate refused me while it was stingy,

فعدمت صبري عند توديعي له

ووددت أني حين ذاك قتيل

So I lost my patience when bidding you farewell,

And I wished that I was the one killed then.