لَقَد فَخَرَت شَعوبُ بِأَخذِها اِبني

لَقَد فَخَرَت شَعوبُ بِأَخذِها اِبني

وَقالَت في يَدي أَغلى أَخيذِ

وَقالَت في يَدي أَغلى أَخيذِ

Indeed, Death—Shaʿūb—boasted of taking my son,

Indeed, Shaʿūb (Death) boasted of taking my son,

The people have boasted of taking my son

Death boasted of having seized my son,

And said, “In my hand is the dearest captive—akhīdh.”

And said, “In my hand is the most precious captive.”

And said, "In my hand is the most precious seized."

And said, "In my hand is the most precious captive."

إِذا بَزَغَت ذكاءُ فَزِد بُكاء

إِذا بَزَغَت ذكاءُ فَزِد بُكاء

وَقُل ما كانَ ذاكَ سِوى أَخي ذي

وَقُل ما كانَ ذاكَ سِوى أَخي ذي

When Dhakāʾ, the sun, rises, weep the more,

When Dhukāʾ (the sun) rises, weep all the more,

When intelligence dawns, weep more,

When the sun rises, let your weeping increase,

And say, “That one was none but the brother of this [sun]—akhī dhī.”

And say, “That one was none other than this sun’s brother.”

And say, "That was none other than my dear brother."

And say, "That was none other than my brother."