لَمْ تَقُمِ الْعِبْرةُ فِي حادِثٍ

قيَامَها فِي موْتِكَ الْفَاجِعِ

Tears did not flow for a misfortune

As they flowed for your tragic death

بَعْدَ عِثَارٍ مِن ذُرَى حَالِقٍ

يَقِلُّ أَنْ يُوصَفَ بِالرَّافِعِ

After stumbling due to the schemes of a sly person

It is rare to describe it as lifting up

عَثَرْتَ إِذْ نَجْمُكَ عَالٍ وَإِذْ

يَخْطُو مُجَارِيكَ خطى الظَّالِعِ

You stumbled when your star was high and

When the steps of your equals were steps of the rising

وَإِذْ يَرَى أَبْعَدَ مَجْدٍ عَلَى

أَدْنَى مَدىً مِنْ فِكْرِكَ الوَاسِعِ

And when the farthest glory was seen on

The nearest range of your vast thoughts

فَنَالَكَ الْغَدْرُ بِأُلْعُوبَةٍ

لَمْ يَكُ مِنْهَا الحَذْرُ بِالْمَانعِ

So betrayal got you with a game

Against which precaution was not preventive

وَزَارِعُ الآمَالِ فِي دَهْرِهِ

قَدْ يَحْصِدُ الخَيْبَة كَالزَّارعِ

And the cultivator of hopes in his lifetime

Can harvest disappointment like the farmer

لَشَدَّ مَا يُصْدَمُ وَهْمُ الفَتَى

بِنُكْرِ مَا يَلْقَاهُ فِي الوَاقِعِ

The most shocking is the young man’s illusion

When facing the denial of reality

قَدِرْتَ إِذْ ضِعْتَ وَمَا يَقْدِرُ

المُنْفِسُ بِالْحَقِّ سِوَى الضَّالِعِ

You were destined when you fell and none

Can truly appreciate it except the expert

يَا لَصَرِيعٍ بِيَدٍ خَالَهَا

مُقِيلَةً وَهْيَ يَدُ الصَّارِعِ

O the victim, by a hand that missed him

Leaning while it was the hand of the wrestling champion

مَهَّدَ طُولَ السِّجْنِ فِي جِسْمِهِ

لِلدَّاءِ فَاسْتَعْصَى عَلَى النَّاجِعِ

The length of imprisonment had paved in his body

The way for disease which treatment could not alleviate

فبَانَ عَنْ رَبْعٍ شَجٍ مُوحِشٍ

قَدْ كَانَ أُنْساً لِرِثَاءِ الرَّاقِعِ

So he left behind a desolate dreary quarter

That was once comfort for the sobbing mourner

وَعَيْلَةٍ أَضْحَتُ مِثَالاً لِمَا

يُغْضَى إِلَيْه نَكَدُ الطَّالِعِ

And a family that became an example of

What the frown of fate is directed against

مِنْ غَادَةٍ سَالتْ غِوَاشُ الدُّجَى

بَيْنَ حَوَاشِي صُبْحِهَا السَّاطِعِ

Of a bloom, the darkness of night has oozed

Among the margins of its shining morning

وَحَذَّرَ الحُزْنُ أَخَادِيدَهِ

سَفْعاً بِذَاكَ الوَضحِ النَّاصِعِ

And grief warned with its wrinkles

Rubbing that bright clear complexion

وَمِنْ بَناتٍ نَائِحَاتٍ بِمَا

يُذيبُ شَجْوَاً مُهْجَةَ السَّامِعِ

And of daughters, crying for what

Melts the innermost feelings of the listener

أَصْبَحْنَ لاَ يَنْظُرْنَ مِنْ حَسْرَةٍ

شَيْئاً بِغَيْرِ المَحْجِرِ الدْامِعِ

They woke up in the morning looking at nothing

With eyes other than the tearful ones

وَمِنْ وَحِيدٍ ناعِمٍ ظِفْرُهُ

لَيْسَ لِبُؤسٍ عَنْهُ مِنْ دَافِعِ

And of a gentle only child whose luxury

Cannot be prevented from misery

مَا ضرَّ لوْ بَلَّغَهُ الدَّهْرُ فِي

ظِلِّ أَبِيهِ زمَنَ اليَافِعِ

What would have harmed if fate had let him

Spend the days of youth in his father’s shade

فَيَا فقِيداً سَيَلِي ثَأْرُهُ

مُلْحَقَةَ المَتْبُوعِ بِالتَّابِعِ

So farewell to a victim whose revenge

Will join the followed with the follower

جَرَعْتَ فِي كأْسٍ مُرَارَاتَهَا

أَمَرَّ مَا فِي الكَأْسِ لِلجَّارِعِ

You tasted in a cup bitterness

More bitter than what is in the cup for the taster

وَرُحْتَ مَظْلُوماً وَمَا كُنْتَ إِذْ

حَكَمْتَ بِالبَاغِي وَلاَ الطَّامِعِ

And you left oppressed whereas you were not,

When you judged, unjust or greedy

قَدْ أَنْجَعَ الضَّيْمُ مُلُوكاً وَمَا

كُنْتَ لِغَيْرِ الحَقِّ بِالْبَاضِعِ

Injustice cured kings while you

Were not to anyone but fair

وَلِّ وَكِلْنا لأَسىً لَيْسَ

بِالْمُغْنِي وَنوْح لَيْسَ بِالنَّافِعِ

Turn around and we are assigned to sorrow

That cannot console and wailing that is useless

أُعْذِرُ مَنْ يَبْكِي حبِيباً مَضَى

وَلَيْسَ بَعْدَ اليَوْمِ بِالراجِعِ

I excuse those who cry for a beloved one departed

With no day after today coming back