لنا كلَّ يومٍ رنَّةٌ وعويلُ

وَخطبٌ يَكلُّ الرأيُ وهو صَقيلُ

Every day we have wailing and lament

And troubles that burden the mind and wear it down

بكيتُ لو اِنَّ الدمعَ يُرجعُ ميِّتاً

وأَعولتُ لَو أَجدى الحزينَ عويلُ

I would weep if tears could bring back the dead

And I would wail if the grief-stricken's wailing avails

لَحا اللَه دَهراً لا تَزال صروفُه

تطولُ علينا دائماً وتَعولُ

May Allah curse a fate whose turns

Are always long against us, and cry

علامَ وَفيما قد أَصابَ مقاتلي

وَغادَرني هامي الدموع أَعولُ

Why, and for what reason, has fate befallen

The fighters, leaving me crying in lament?

وحمَّلني خطباً تضاءَلتُ دونَه

وَما أَنا قِدماً للخطوب حَمولُ

And burdened me with troubles too great for me

When I am not a beast to bear burdens

بموتِ كَريمٍ ماجِدٍ وابن ماجدٍ

له العزُّ دارٌ والعَلاءُ مَقيلُ

With the death of a generous, glorious man and son of the glorious

To him belong honor and glory abode

فَتىً قد عَنَت يومَ الهياج له القَنا

وراح الحسامُ العضبُ وهو ذَليلُ

A gallant lad whom on the day of battle spears obeyed

And the sharp sword went forth, while he was humble

بكاهُ القَنا الخَطّي علماً بأَنَّه

كَسيرٌ وأَنَّ المشرفيَّ كَليلُ

Al-Qina the preacher wept for him, knowing

That he was captured while the noble ones were few

فمن للعَوالي بعد كفَّيه والنَدى

ومن في صفوف الناكثينَ يَجولُ

So who after him for the heights? And who after him

Among the rank breakers wanders?

ومَن بعدَه للسَيف والضَيف والعلى

وَمَن بعدَه للمكرُمات كَفيلُ

And who after him for the sword, the guest, and the heights?

And who after him for gifts is guarantor?

رَبيبُ عُلاً شحَّ الزَمانُ بمثله

وَكُلُّ زَمانٍ بالكرام بَخيلُ

A lord's foster son - time was miserly with his like

And every age is miserly with the generous

وَلَمّا نَعى الناعي به ضاق بي الفضا

وَراحَت دموعي الجامداتُ تَسيلُ

And when the mourner announced him dead, space was straitened for me

And my frozen tears began pouring down

وَهَيهات أَن تأتي النِساءُ بمثله

وَيَخلف عنه في الأَنام بَديلُ

Alas, women will never birth his equal

And none can take his place among men

سأبكيكَ يا عمّارُ ما ناحَ طائِرٌ

وما نُدبَت بعد الرحيل طُلولُ

I shall weep for you, O Ammar, as long as a bird laments

And as long as bereaved women are mourned after loss

مُصابي وإِن طوَّلته عنك قاصرٌ

وَدمعي وإن كثّرتُ فيكَ قَليلُ

My suffering for you, though long, falls short

And my tears for you, though many, are few

سلكتَ وأَسلكتَ الأَسى في حشاشتي

ممرَّ سَبيل ما سواه سَبيلُ

You have tread, and made me tread, sorrow in my innermost being

A path whose way excludes all other ways

لك اليومَ في قَلبي مكانُ مودَّةٍ

ودادُك فيه ما حَييتُ نَزيلُ

For you today in my heart is a place of affection

And your friendship will reside in it as long as I live

فإن هاطِلاتُ السُحب شحَّت بسقيها

سقاكَ من الجَفن القَريح هَطولُ

If rainclouds were stingy in watering it

My eyelids' drainage would water you in pouring

عليك سَلامُ اللَه منّي تحيَّة

مَدى الدَهر ما غالَ البَريَّة غولُ

Unto you, from me, greetings and peace of Allah

As long as the earth remains and time roams