اليوم قد صوَّت ناعي الهُدى

يفصحُ بالنعي ولا يكني

Today the guide's crier sounded his call

Proclaiming the news, no cryptic hints

ينعي قتيل الطفِّ عند ابنه

المهديّ مولى الأنس والجن

Mourning the martyr of al-Taff with his son

Al-Mahdi, patron of humanity and jinn

وقائلٍ ذا السقف ما باله

ابيضَّ وعهدي فيه كالدجن

"Why is this roof so bright?" someone asked

When my contract on it was as black as pitch

قلت رأى المهديّ مستشعر ال

سواد حزناً باكيَ الجفن

I said, Al-Mahdi was so profoundly grieved

Weeping copiously for the martyr's end

فصارَ عيناً كلّه للبكا

فها هو ابيضَّ من الحزنِ

That he was all eyes with crying

And so it turned bright white from his sorrow