أَجارَتَنا لا تَجزَعي وَأَنيبي
أَتاني مِنَ المَوتِ المُطِلِّ نَصيبي
My consolation, do not despair and turn to me
Death's prolonged share has come to me
بُنَيِّي عَلى قَلبي وَعَيني كَأَنَّهُ
ثَوى رَهنَ أَحجارٍ وَجارَ قَليبِ
My son lies on my heart and eyes as though
He took shelter hostage to stones and a confidant to my heart
كَأَنّي غَريبٌ بَعدَ مَوتِ مُحَمَّدٍ
وَما المَوتُ فينا بَعدَهُ بِغَريبِ
As though after Muhammad's death I am a stranger
And death after him is not strange to us
صَبَرتُ عَلى خَيرِ الفُتُوِّ رُزِئتُهُ
وَلَو لا اِتِّقاءُ اللَهِ طالَ نَحيبي
I was patient with the best young man, his loss pained me
Had I not feared God, my wailing would have been prolonged
لَعَمري لَقَد دافَعتُ مَوتَ مُحَمَّدٍ
لَو أَنَّ المَنايا تَرعَوي لِطَبيبِ
By my life, I would have prevented Muhammad's death
If death could be swayed by any healer
وَما جَزَعي مِن زائِلٍ عَمَّ فَجعُهُ
وَمِن وِردِ آباري وَقَصدِ شَعيبي
I do not anguish for something bound to pass whose grief is so widespread
From my wellsprings and destination of youth
فَأَصبَحتُ أُبدي لِلعُيونِ تَجَلُّداً
وَيا لَكَ مِن قَلبٍ عَلَيهِ كَئيبِ
So I show endurance outwardly
Oh, what a sad heart lies within me
يُذَكِّرُني نَوحُ الحَمامِ فِراقَهُ
وَإِرنانُ أَبكارِ النِساءِ وَثيبِ
The cooing of doves reminds me of his parting
As does the weeping of young and mature women
وَلي كُلَّ يَومٍ عَبرَةٌ لا أُفيضُها
لِأَحظى بِصَبرٍ أَو بِحَطِّ ذُنوبِ
I have a lesson in every day I do not exhaust
So I can be granted patience or remission of sins
إِلى اللَهِ أَشكو حاجَةً قَد تَقادَمَت
عَلى حَدَثٍ في القَلبِ غَيرِ مُريبِ
To God I complain of a need grown old
Upon a tender heart not prone to doubts
دَعَتهُ المَنايا فَاِستَجابَ لِصَوتِها
فَلِلَّهِ مِن داعٍ دَعا وَمُجيبِ
Death called him so he answered its summons
To God belongs the caller and respondent
أَظَلُّ لِأَحداثِ المَنونِ مُرَوَّعاً
كَأَنَّ فُؤادي في جَناحِ طَلوبِ
I cower before the calamities of fate, frightened
As if my heart flies in the wings of adversity
عَجِبتُ لِإِسراعِ المَنِيَّةِ نَحوَهُ
وَما كانَ لَو مُلّيتُهُ بِعَجيبِ
I wonder at the quick pace of death toward him
Had it been up to me, I would not have been surprised
رُزِئتُ بُنَيِّي حينَ أَورَقَ عودُهُ
وَأَلقى عَلَيَّ الهَمَّ كُلُّ قَريبِ
I was pained when my son's kindling caught fire
And every kin cast worries upon me
وَقَد كُنتُ أَرجو أَن يَكونَ مُحَمَّدٌ
لَنا كافِياً مِن فارِسٍ وَخَطيبِ
I had hoped that Muhammad would suffice
As a valiant horseman and orator for us
وَكانَ كَرَيحانِ العَروسِ بَقاؤُهُ
ذَوى بَعدَ إِشراقِ الغُصونِ وَطيبِ
His lasting was like a bride's bouquet
Vanished after the flowering and fragrance of boughs
أَغَرُّ طَويلُ الساعِدَينِ سَمَيذَعٌ
كَسَيفِ المُحامي هُزَّ غَيرَ كَذوبِ
Tall, long-armed, straight like an honorable
Sword, not pretending, made others buckle
غَدا سَلَفٌ مِنّا وَهَجَّرَ رائِحٌ
عَلى أَثَرِ الغادينَ قَودَ جَنيبِ
He went ahead while the perfume of one who departed
In the tracks of those who passed, led a willing camel
وَما نَحنُ إِلّا كَالخَليطِ الَّذي مَضى
فَرائِسُ دَهرٍ مُخطِئٍ وَمُصيبِ
We are but flocks of the past, the days'
Random strokes sometimes hitting and sometimes missing
نُؤَمِّلُ عَيشاً في حَياةٍ ذَميمَةٍ
أَضَرَّت بِأَبدانٍ لَنا وَقُلوبِ
We hope to live a despicable life
That harmed our bodies and hearts
وَما خَيرُ عَيشاً لا يَزالُ مُفَجَّعاً
بِمَوتِ نَعيمٍ أَو فِراقِ حَبيبِ
No life is good if grief does not cease
At the loss of bliss or the leaving of a beloved
إِذا شِئتُ راعَتني مُقيماً وَظاعِناً
مَصارِعُ شُبّانٍ لَدَيَّ وَشيبِ
When I wish, sights of slain youths visit me
Young and old around me
