أَلا يا غُرابَ البَينِ في الطَيَرانِ
أَعِرني جَناحاً قَد عَدِمتُ بَناني
Oh messenger of distance through the sky
Lend me your wings, for I have lost my family
تُرى هَل عَلِمتَ اليَومَ مَقتَلَ مالِكٍ
وَمَصرَعَهُ في ذِلَّةٍ وَهَوانِ
Tell me, did you know of Malik's death today
And his fall into disgrace and dishonor?
فَإِن كانَ حَقّاً فَالنُجومُ لِفَقدِهِ
تَغيبُ وَيَهوي بَعدَهُ القَمَرانِ
If this be true, then for his loss, the stars
Will fade and the twin moons will lose their luster
لَقَد كانَ يَوماً أَسوَدَ اللَيلِ عابِساً
يَخافُ بَلاهُ طارِقُ الحَدَثانِ
That was a day as black as darkest night
Fearing its harm, grey dawn stayed hidden
فَلِلَّهِ عَينا مَن رَأى مِثلَ مالِكٍ
عَقيرَةَ قَومٍ أَن جَرى فَرَسانِ
God bless the eyes that saw the likes of Malik
Pillar of his tribe, foremost among horsemen
فَلَيتَهُما لَم يَجرِيا نِصفَ غَلوَةٍ
وَلَيتَهُما لَم يُرسِلا لِرَهانِ
Would that they had not raced halfway
Would that they had not sent to place their bets
وَلَيتَهُما ماتا جَميعاً بِبَلدَةٍ
وَأَخطاهُما قَيسٌ فَلا يُرَيانِ
Would that both had died in a single town
While Qays missed them, and they went unseen
لَقَد جَلَبا حَيناً وَحَرباً عَظيمَةً
تَبيدُ سَراةَ القَومِ مِن غَطَفانِ
They brought much war and great calamity
To waste away the chiefs of Ghatfan's clan
وَقَد جَلَبا حَيناً لِمَصرَعِ مالِكٍ
وَكانَ كَريماً ماجِداً لِهِجانِ
They brought the day of Malik's death, that prince
Proud and glorious midst warriors' ranks
وَكانَ لَدى الهَيجاءِ يَحمي ذِمارَها
وَيَطعَنُ عِندَ الكَرِّ كُلِّ طِعانِ
To Hijaz tribes he brought protecting wings
Spearing all challengers in times of war
بِهِ كُنتُ أَسطو حينَما جَدَّتِ العِدا
غَداةَ اللَقا نَحوي بِكُلِّ يَماني
With him I stood when pressing foes drew near
Facing their onslaught with all my clan
فَقَد هَدَّ رُكني فَقدُهُ وَمُصابُهُ
وَخَلّى فُؤادي دائِمَ الخَفَقانِ
Now his loss has toppled my pillar of strength
Leaving my heart in constant trembling
فَوا أَسَفا كَيفَ اِنثَنى عَن جَوادِهِ
وَما كانَ سَيفي عِندَهُ وَسِناني
Alas how he fell from his noble steed
While my sword and spear were far from his hands
رَماهُ بِسَهمِ المَوتِ رامٍ مُصَمِّمٌ
فَيا لَيتَهُ لَمّا رَماهُ رَماني
An insistent archer struck the shaft of death
Would that he had struck me down instead!
فَسَوفَ تَرى إِن كُنتُ بَعدَكَ باقِياً
وَأَمكَنَني دَهرٌ وَطَولُ زَمانِ
For you will see, if I survive this loss,
If time and age allow me living days
وَأُقسِمُ حَقّاً لَو بَقيتَ لَنَظرَةٍ
لَقَرَّت بِها عَيناكَ حينَ تَراني
I swear if but a moment's glance remained
Your eyes would fill at the sight of me
