أَرقتُ فَما أَنامُ وَلا أُنيمُ

وَجاءَ بِحُزنِيَ اللَيلُ البَهيمُ

I stay up awake, not sleeping nor napping,

And the ruthless night brings my sorrow,

وَأَصبَحَ عامِرٌ قَد هَدَّ رُكني

وَفارَقَني بِهِ اللَطِفُ الحَميمُ

Morning comes upon me with my pillar collapsed,

And intimacy abandons me along with charm.

فَكانَ ثِمالَنا تَأوي إِلَيهِ

أَرامِلُنا وَعائِلُنا اليَتيمُ

So our shelter became

Where our widows and orphaned family take refuge.

وَمَدرَهَ خَصمِنا في كُلِّ أَمرٍ

لَهُ تَجذو عَلى الرُكَبِ الخُصومِ

And our opponent took charge in every matter,

His feet trampling the traveling group.

وَقَيِّمَنا عَلى الجُلّي بِجِدٍّ

إِذا ما الكَربُ أَفظَعَ مَن يَقومُ

And he appointed over us forcibly

When hardship overwhelmed those who would stand up.

أَتى الرُكبانُ بِالأَخبارِ تَهوي

بِها وَبِهِم حَراجيجٌ هُجومُ

The caravan came with news that shocked

And with it clamors swooped down.

فَقالوا قَد تَرَكناهُ سَقيماً

فَما صَدَقوا وَلا صَحَّ السَقيمُ

They said we left him sick,

But they did not speak truthfully nor was he sick.

فَعَزَّ عَلَيَّ أَنَّ القَومَ آبوا

وَأَنتَ بِواسِطٍ جَدَثٌ مُقيمٌ

I was pained that the people came

While you remain in Wāsiṭ, a new grave.

جَزاكَ اللَهُ خَيراً حَيثُ أَمسَت

مِن البُلدانِ أَعظُمُكَ الرَميمُ

May God reward you well, for you have become

The most precious being to me from all the lands.

فَنِعمَ الشَيءُ كُنتَ وَلَيسَ شَيءٌ

مِن الدُنيا وَما فيها يَدومُ

You were a wondrous thing, and nothing

In this world and what is in it lasts.

تَضَعضَعَ جُلُّ قَومِكَ وَاِستَكانوا

لِفَقدِكَ إِنَّهُ حَدَثٌ عَظيمُ

Most of your people faltered and bowed down

To your loss - it is indeed a tremendous event.

قَضى نَحباً فَبانَ وَكانَ حَصناً

يَعوذُ بِهِ المُدَفَّعُ وَالغَريمُ

He passed on, so it was evident, for he was a fortress

Where the armed and refugee would take cover.

يَريشُ الأَقرَبينَ وَيَطّبيهم

وَلا يَبري كَما يَبري القَدومُ

He would shelter his kin and comfort them,

Not abandoning as the guest would abandon.