تبينmake certain ايهاO you الناعيannouncer of death المشيدraising his voice
تبين ايها الناعي المشيد
أحقاًis it true? أنهthat he أودىperished يزيدYazid
أحقاً أنه أودى يزيد
Make certain, O loud-voiced bearer of death’s news:
O you who mourn the loss, behold
Is it true that Yazid has perished?
Is it true that Yazid has passed away?
ألمdid you not? تعجبmarvel لهat him أنthat المناياthe fates of death
ألم تعجب له أن المنايا
فتكنthey struck treacherously بهat him وهنthough they لهin his service جنودtroops
فتكن به وهن له جنود
Did you not marvel at him—that the fates
Are you not amazed that death
Struck him down, though they were his troops?
Could strike him when he had great armies?
فتكنthey struck treacherously بهat him وكنthough they used to يحدنturn away عنهfrom him
فتكن به وكن يحدن عنه
إذاwhenever ماemphatic particle الحربwar شبwas kindled لهاfor it وقودfuel
إذا ما الحرب شب لها وقود
They struck him down, though they used to turn away from him
It could take him though hosts protected him
Whenever war’s fuel was set ablaze.
When the fires of war blazed all around.
لقدindeed عزىconsoled ربيعةRabi‘a انthat يوماa day
لقد عزى ربيعة ان يوما
عليهاupon them مثلlike يومكyour day لاnot يعومدunclear; probably ‘recur’
عليها مثل يومك لا يعومد
It has indeed consoled Rabi‘a that a day
The clan of Rabee'ah once thought no day
Like yours will not come upon them again.
Could equal yours, yet life goes on.