دموع جفون ما يجفّ لها غرب

دموع جفون ما يجفّ لها غرب

وحسرة قلب ما يحل به وجب

وحسرة قلب ما يحل به وجب

Tears from eyelids whose flow never runs dry,

Tears from eyes that never dry,

And a heart's anguish, whose throbbing never settles,

And sorrow in a heart that knows no respite,

وزفرة محزون كأن ضرامها

وزفرة محزون كأن ضرامها

لفيحة جمر في الجوانح ما يخبو

لفيحة جمر في الجوانح ما يخبو

And a mourner's sigh, whose blaze is like

The sigh of a grieving soul, as though its coals,

The scorching heat of embers within the ribs that never die.

Were flaming embers in the breast that do not fade.

يضلّ بها ذو الوجد عن سبل الهوى

يضلّ بها ذو الوجد عن سبل الهوى

وينفس عن نهج الغرام بها الصبّ

وينفس عن نهج الغرام بها الصبّ

Through it, the passionate lover strays from love's paths,

With them the love-struck wanders from passion's path,

And through it the lovelorn turns from passion's course.

And with them the enamored one exhales desire,

وما لوعة المفجوع يفجعه العلا

وما لوعة المفجوع يفجعه العلا

كما لوعة المفجوع يفجعه الحبّ

كما لوعة المفجوع يفجعه الحبّ

And the anguish of one bereaved by greatness is not

Not like the grief of the bereaved, grieving him,

Like the anguish of one bereaved by love.

Is the grief of the bereaved, grieving is love itself.

اينعى ابن حسّان فتى الأرض كلها

اينعى ابن حسّان فتى الأرض كلها

فكيف وما دكت على ظهرها الهضب

فكيف وما دكت على ظهرها الهضب

Is Ibn Hassān, the noble youth of all the earth, proclaimed dead?

Ibn Hassaan laments the death of the finest man on earth,

How, then, when the hills upon its back have not been leveled,

How not when she has not stomped upon her back the plateau,

ولا صوّح النبت النضير نباته

ولا صوّح النبت النضير نباته

ولا غاض من ينبوعه البارد العذب

ولا غاض من ينبوعه البارد العذب

Nor has the verdant herbage's growth withered,

Nor has the lush vegetation sprouted in his meadows,

Nor has cool, sweet water ebbed from its spring,

Nor diminished from his cool, fresh springs,

ولا كسفت شمس النهار فأظلمت

ولا كسفت شمس النهار فأظلمت

ولا طمست في الأبرج الأنجم الشهب

ولا طمست في الأبرج الأنجم الشهب

Nor has the daytime sun been eclipsed and gone dark,

Nor has the sun at noon darkened and cast shadows,

Nor have the bright stars been blotted out in the constellations?

Nor the shining stars in the constellations blurred,

فخاب بنو الآمال بعد نجاحهم

فخاب بنو الآمال بعد نجاحهم

وضاق عليهم بعدك المطلب الرحب

وضاق عليهم بعدك المطلب الرحب

So the sons of hope were thwarted after their success,

So those hopeful for success failed after nearing it,

And after you, the broad field of seeking narrowed for them.

And the vast goals narrowed for them after you.

وكانوا بنعمى منك في حلم الكرى

وكانوا بنعمى منك في حلم الكرى

فناداهم فقد السماح الا هبّوا

فناداهم فقد السماح الا هبّوا

And through your bounty, they dwelt in a dream of slumber,

With your gifts they dreamed dreams of grandeur,

Then the loss of generosity called to them: 'Come, awake!'

Then your loss of generosity called to them: Bestir!

وكانت بك الدنيا خصيبا جنابها

وكانت بك الدنيا خصيبا جنابها

فقد اصبحت قد عمّ اقطارها الجدب

فقد اصبحت قد عمّ اقطارها الجدب

And through you, the world's domain was fertile;

Through you the world was fertile in its expanse,

So now drought has come to pervade all its regions.

Now the drought has spread over its corners.

لقد جل قدر الترب بعدك واعتلى

لقد جل قدر الترب بعدك واعتلى

به شرف اذ ضمّ أوصالك الترب

به شرف اذ ضمّ أوصالك الترب

Indeed, the dust's worth grew great after you, and higher rose

Great indeed is the soil's honor after you,

Its honor when the dust embraced your limbs.

As it embraced your limbs, earth nobly received you.

فهل ككتاب فيه ذكر نعيّه

فهل ككتاب فيه ذكر نعيّه

به كسدت للوقت في سوقها الكتب

به كسدت للوقت في سوقها الكتب

Then is there a letter like the one bearing news of his death,

Is it like a book wherein we read your elegy?

Through which books at once lay unsold in their market?

Whereby books and literature are neglected in its markets.

وما الكتب والآداب تكسد وحدها

وما الكتب والآداب تكسد وحدها

بل المرهفات البيض والضمر والقبّ

بل المرهفات البيض والضمر والقبّ

And books and letters are not alone in lying unsold,

Not only books and knowledge fade from neglect,

But keen white swords, and lean, slim-bellied steeds as well.

But also keen discernment, conscience, and integrity.

وما يومه تشقى به العجم وحدها

وما يومه تشقى به العجم وحدها

ولكنّما يشقى به العجم والعرب

ولكنّما يشقى به العجم والعرب

And the day of his death afflicts not the non-Arabs alone,

Not only do non-Arabs mourn this day alone,

But both non-Arabs and Arabs suffer through it.

Rather non-Arabs and Arabs alike mourn it.

ولا الفقد منه يوحش الشرق وحده

ولا الفقد منه يوحش الشرق وحده

ولكن له يستوحش الشرق والغرب

ولكن له يستوحش الشرق والغرب

Nor does the loss of him desolate the East alone,

Nor does your loss make lonely just the East,

But East and West alike are desolate at his loss.

But the East and West are saddened by your departure.

أردّ على قلبي يدي عند ذكره

أردّ على قلبي يدي عند ذكره

ومن اين لي من بعد مهلكه قلب

ومن اين لي من بعد مهلكه قلب

I return my hand to my heart at the mention of him,

I restrain my heart when you are recalled,

Yet where could I have a heart after his death?

But from whence can I find a heart after yours is gone?

بكاك أخ لم تدنه منك نسبة

بكاك أخ لم تدنه منك نسبة

ولا عشرة ولا لقاء ولا قرب

ولا عشرة ولا لقاء ولا قرب

A brother wept for you, whom no kinship brought near to you,

I weep for a brother whom no kinship bound us,

Nor companionship, nor meeting, nor nearness,

No companionship, meeting, or closeness connected us,

سوى نسب بالودّ أدنى عروقه

سوى نسب بالودّ أدنى عروقه

فوشّجها ما بيننا الفضل واللّب

فوشّجها ما بيننا الفضل واللّب

Save a kinship whose roots were drawn close through affection;

Save a kinship of affection, its roots brought near,

So what lay between us—virtue and reason—interwove them.

Made vital by merit and just deeds between us.

فدونكما لم يحب أربد مثلها

فدونكما لم يحب أربد مثلها

لبيد ولم يقدر على مثلها كعب

لبيد ولم يقدر على مثلها كعب

So take it, you two: Arbad was not granted its like

None loved as selflessly as you before,

By Labīd, nor could Kaʿb produce its like.

Neither Labid nor could Ka'b appreciate such love.

عجيبة نظم ليس يدخل ربّها

عجيبة نظم ليس يدخل ربّها

إذا عجب الأقوام من حسنها عجب

إذا عجب الأقوام من حسنها عجب

A marvel of verse, whose author is untouched

A wondrous verse whose composition no master can replicate,

By conceit when people marvel at its beauty.

If people are amazed by its beauty, that is wonder enough.

وما ضرّها ان لا تكون طويلة

وما ضرّها ان لا تكون طويلة

وفيها لذي لب إذا انشدت حسب

وفيها لذي لب إذا انشدت حسب

Nor is it harmed by not being long,

It matters not if it is not very long,

And when recited, it suffices for one of understanding.

Containing wisdom that when recited is enough.