تبحّثْتُ عن أخبارِه فكأنما

تبحّثْتُ عن أخبارِه فكأنما

نبشتُ صداهُ بعد مرِّ ثَلاثِ

نبشتُ صداهُ بعد مرِّ ثَلاثِ

I searched for news of him, and it was as though

I searched out news of him, and it was as though

I had exhumed his corpse after three days had passed;

I had dug up his remains after three had passed.

تلقَّتْنيَ الأنباءُ عَنه شبيهَةً

تلقَّتْنيَ الأنباءُ عَنه شبيهَةً

نواشِرَ أرواحٍ لهن خِباثِ

نواشِرَ أرواحٍ لهن خِباثِ

the tidings of him that met me resembled

The reports about him met me in like fashion,

wafts of odors, all of them foul.

Wafting foul odors of their own.