خَطَرت بِالأَمس ريحٌ صَرصَرُ

فَالتوى غُصن شَبابي الأَخَضَرُ

A wind rustled yesterday,

So my green branch of youth bent.

وَرَأَيت الزَهر عَنهُ يَنثر

مثلما يَنثر دَمعي

I saw flowers shedding from it,

As my tears are shed.

يا شَبابي أَنتَ أَحرى بِدَمي

لا بِدَمعي أَو شكايات فَمي

My youth, you deserve my blood,

Not my tears or mouth's complaints.

خلّ عَني فَصحابي لوّمي

مَلأوا بِاللوم سَمعي

Leave me be, friends blame me,

They filled my ears with blame.

سَئِموا نوحي وَعافوا منطقي

هُم ذوو أَفئدة لَم تَخفق

They grew weary of my wailing and shunned my speech,

They have hearts that did not flutter.

أَنا إِن يَدروا بِحتفي ملتقِ

وَغَداً يَهدأ روعي

As for me, if they knew my demise was near,

Tomorrow my fears would subside.

وَطَأةُ اللَيل عَلى قَلبي الحَزين

مَزَجت مِنهُ بِأَنفاسي أَنين

The night's weight on my sad heart

Mixed sighs into my breaths.

ما لَهُ وَقع بِسَمع العالمين

وَبِسَمعي أَي وَقع

It has no impact on people's hearing,

Nor does it impact my hearing.

أَنت يا وَرقاء مِن دون الأَنامِ

تَسمَعين النوح مني في الظَلام

You, O tender leaves, beyond people

Hear my wailing in the darkness.

فَإِذا ما نَحت يا رَمز السَلام

عارِضي نوحي بِسجع

So if the symbol of peace sighs,

Respond to my wailing with rhyme.