يا مَيَّ قومي في المَآتِمِ وَاِندُبي

فَتىً كانَ مِمَّن يَبتَني المَجدَ أَروَعا

O Mayya, arise and lament in assemblies

For one who built the highest glories was laid low

وَقَولي أَلا لا يُبعِدِ اللَهُ أَربَدا

وَهَدّي بِهِ صَدعَ الفُؤادِ المُفَجَّعا

Say, may Allah not banish the beloved far

And salve the anguished, broken heart thereby

عَميدُ أُناسٍ قَد أَتى الدَهرُ دونَهُ

وَخَطّوا لَهُ يَوماً مِنَ الأَرضِ مَضجَعا

A chieftain of men, whom fate brought low

And for whom a day the earth was made his grave

دَعا أَربَداً داعٍ مُجيباً فَأَسمَعا

وَلَم يَستَطِع أَن يَستَمِرَّ فَيَمنَعا

Arbad called, a caller hearkening, so he heard

Yet could not hold on, or from it be saved

وَكانَ سَبيلَ الناسِ مَن كانَ قَبلَهُ

وَذاكَ الَّذي أَفنى إِياداً وَتُبَّعا

Such is the way of men that went before

Them that laid waste to Iyad and Tubba's line

لَعَمرُ أَبيكِ الخَيرِ يا اِبنَةَ أَربَدٍ

لَقَد شَفَّني حُزنٌ أَصابَ فَأَوجَعا

By your noble father, O daughter of Arbad

Grief has rent me for the loss, and caused me pain

فِراقُ أَخٍ كانَ الحَبيبَ فَفاتَني

وَوَلّى بِهِ ريبُ المَنونِ فَأَسرَعا

To lose a brother, the beloved, is too much

And the hand of fate took him quick away

فَعَينَيَّ إِذ أَودى الفِراقُ بِأَربَدٍ

فَلا تَجمُدا أَن تَستَهِلّا فَتَدمَعا

So my eyes, since Arbad passed, will not

Cease to flow in tears that freely pour

فَتىً عارِفٌ لِلحَقِّ لايُنكِرُ القِرى

تَرى رَفدَهُ لِلضَيفِ مَلآنَ مُترَعا

A man who knew what's right, who no tribe denied

Saw his hospitality as their treasure troves

لَحا اللَهُ هَذا الدَهرَ إِنّي رَأَيتُهُ

بَصيراً بِما ساءَ اِبنَ آدَمَ مولَعا

God damn this age! For I have seen it fix

Its wanton ways on Adam's heirs with love