أَبُنَيَّتيO my little daughter لاتَحزَنيdo not grieve
أَبُنَيَّتي لاتَحزَني
كُلُّall الأَنامِhumankind إِلىtoward ذَهابِpassing away
كُلُّ الأَنامِ إِلى ذَهابِ
O my little daughter, do not grieve;
O my little daughter, do not grieve.
all humankind is destined to pass away.
All humankind is bound to pass away.
أَبُنَيَّتيO my little daughter صَبراًpatience جَميbeautiful (first part)
أَبُنَيَّتي صَبراً جَمي
لاًbeautiful (completion) لِلجَليلِfor the grievous مِنَof المُصابِcalamity
لاً لِلجَليلِ مِنَ المُصابِ
O my little daughter, endure with patience, beauti—
O my little daughter, show beautiful patience
—ful patience before this grievous affliction.
in the face of grievous calamity.
نوحيlament عَلَيَّover me بِحَسرَةٍwith anguish
نوحي عَلَيَّ بِحَسرَةٍ
مِنfrom خَلفِbehind سِترِكِyour curtain وَالحِجابِand the veil
مِن خَلفِ سِترِكِ وَالحِجابِ
Mourn me in bitter sorrow
Lament me with anguish,
from behind your curtain and veil.
from behind your curtain and the veil.
قوليsay إِذاwhen نادَيتِنيyou called me
قولي إِذا نادَيتِني
وَعَيَيتِand you were unable عَنto رَدِّgive back الجَوابِthe answer
وَعَيَيتِ عَن رَدِّ الجَوابِ
Say, whenever you call to me
Say, when you call to me
and can obtain no answer in return:
and are at a loss for a reply:
زَينُadornment الشَبابِthe young أَبوAbu (father of) فِراFiras (first part)
زَينُ الشَبابِ أَبو فِرا
سٍFiras (completion) لَمdid not يُمَتَّعbe granted enjoyment بِالشَبابِof youth
سٍ لَم يُمَتَّع بِالشَبابِ
“The glory of youth, Abu Fira—
“The ornament of youth, Abu Firas,
—s, was not allowed to enjoy his youth.”
was not granted the enjoyment of youth.”
