أنَّى تَسَدَّت نحوَنا أُمُّ يُوسفٍ

أنَّى تَسَدَّت نحوَنا أُمُّ يُوسفٍ

ومِن دُونِ مَسراها فَيافٍ مجاهلٌ

ومِن دُونِ مَسراها فَيافٍ مجاهلٌ

How did Umm Yusuf make her way toward us,

How did Umm Yusuf make her way toward us,

when between us and her night journey lay trackless wastes,

with trackless desert wastes barring her night journey,

إِلى فِتيةٍ بالطَفِّ نيلَت سَرَاتُهُم

إِلى فِتيةٍ بالطَفِّ نيلَت سَرَاتُهُم

وغودِرَ أفراسٌ لهُم ورَواحلٌ

وغودِرَ أفراسٌ لهُم ورَواحلٌ

toward young warriors at al-Ṭaff whose noble leaders were struck down,

to young men at al-Taff whose chiefs were struck down,

their horses and riding-camels left behind?

and whose horses and riding camels were left behind?

وأضحى أبو جَبرٍ خلاءً بُيُوتُهُ

وأضحى أبو جَبرٍ خلاءً بُيُوتُهُ

بما كان يَعفوها الضِّعافُ الأراملُ

بما كان يَعفوها الضِّعافُ الأراملُ

Abu Jabr’s houses now stand empty,

And Abu Jabr’s houses stood empty,

bereft of the frail widows who once came there seeking bounty.

where the weak and destitute once came seeking aid.

وأضحى بنو عَمروٍ لَدَى الجِسرِ منهُمُ

وأضحى بنو عَمروٍ لَدَى الجِسرِ منهُمُ

إِلى جامِدِ الأبيات جُودٌ ونائلُ

إِلى جامِدِ الأبيات جُودٌ ونائلُ

And now the sons of ʿAmr were among them by the bridge—

And the sons of ‘Amr were now beside the bridge; from them

generosity and bounty to those whose tents stood fixed.

came generosity and bounty to those whose dwellings were cold.

وما لُمتُ نفسي فيهمُ غيرَ أنَّها

وما لُمتُ نفسي فيهمُ غيرَ أنَّها

إِلى أجَلٍ لم يأتِها وهو عاجلُ

إِلى أجَلٍ لم يأتِها وهو عاجلُ

I did not blame myself in their cause, save that my soul was bound

And I did not reproach myself over them, save that my soul

for a term that had not yet reached her, though it was fast approaching.

was bound for an appointed end not yet come to it, though imminent.

وما رِمتُ حتى خرَّقوا برِماحِهم

وما رِمتُ حتى خرَّقوا برِماحِهم

ثيابي وجادت بالدّماءِ الأباجلُ

ثيابي وجادت بالدّماءِ الأباجلُ

I did not budge until they pierced with their spears

And I did not move away until they tore with their spears

my garments, and the great veins poured forth blood;

my clothes, and the arm veins poured forth blood.

وحتى رأيتُ مُهرَتي مُزوَئِرّةً

وحتى رأيتُ مُهرَتي مُزوَئِرّةً

لدى الفيلِ يَدمَى نَحرُها والشواكلُ

لدى الفيلِ يَدمَى نَحرُها والشواكلُ

until I saw my young mare bristling in fury

And until I saw my filly shying aside

before the elephant, her breast and flanks bleeding.

beside the elephant, her chest and flanks bleeding.

وما رُحتُ حتى كنتُ آخرَ رائحٍ

وما رُحتُ حتى كنتُ آخرَ رائحٍ

وَصُرِّعَ حولي الصالحون الأماثِلُ

وَصُرِّعَ حولي الصالحون الأماثِلُ

Nor did I leave until I was the last to depart,

And I did not leave until I was the last to depart,

while around me lay felled the worthy, noblest men.

and around me the righteous and noble were struck down.

مرَرتُ على الأنصار وَسطَ رِحالهم

مرَرتُ على الأنصار وَسطَ رِحالهم

فقلت لهم هل منكُم اليومَ قافِلُ

فقلت لهم هل منكُم اليومَ قافِلُ

I passed the Helpers amid their encampment

I passed by the Ansar amid their baggage,

and asked them, “Is anyone among you going home today?”

and said to them, “Is any of you returning today?”

وقرّبتُ رَوّاحاً وكُوراً ونُمرِقاً

وقرّبتُ رَوّاحاً وكُوراً ونُمرِقاً

وغودِرَ في أُلَّيس بَكرٌ وَوَائلُ

وغودِرَ في أُلَّيس بَكرٌ وَوَائلُ

I brought Rawwāḥ forward, with a camel-saddle and cushion,

And I readied a traveling mount, a camel saddle, and a cushion,

while Bakr and Wāʾil were left behind at Ullays.

and Bakr and Wa’il were left behind at Ullays.

ألا لَعنَ اللهُ الذين يَسُرُّهم

ألا لَعنَ اللهُ الذين يَسُرُّهم

رَدايَ وما يَدرون ما اللهُ فاعلُ

رَدايَ وما يَدرون ما اللهُ فاعلُ

Behold, may God curse those who rejoice in

Lo, may God curse those who delight in

my death, though they know not what God will do.

my death, though they do not know what God will do.