لِمن ليل بِذي جُشُمٍ طَويلُ

لِمن ليل بِذي جُشُمٍ طَويلُ

لِمَن قَد شَفَّهُ همٌّ دَخيلُ

لِمَن قَد شَفَّهُ همٌّ دَخيلُ

For whom is the night long at Dhu Jushum?

For whom is the long night with dark eyes,

For one whom deep-seated grief has wasted.

For whom is sorrow an uninvited guest,

وما ظُلمُ أمرئٍ في الجِيدِ غُلٌّ

وما ظُلمُ أمرئٍ في الجِيدِ غُلٌّ

وفي السَّاقَينِ ذُو حَلَقٍ طَويلُ

وفي السَّاقَينِ ذُو حَلَقٍ طَويلُ

And what injustice to a man—a shackle round his neck,

No wrong was done to a man with a slender waist,

and round both legs a long chain of links!

And legs full of fetters and chains.

ألاَ هَبَلَتكَ أُمُّكَ عَمُرو بَعدي

ألاَ هَبَلَتكَ أُمُّكَ عَمُرو بَعدي

أَتقعُدُ لا أُفَكُّ ولا تَصولُ

أَتقعُدُ لا أُفَكُّ ولا تَصولُ

Ah, may your mother lose you, Amr, after me!

Alas! Your mother brought you up, O Amr, after me

Will you sit idle, with me still bound, and make no assault?

You sit still, neither struggling nor raging.

أَلم يَحزنَكَ أَنَّ أَبَاكَ عانٍ

أَلم يَحزنَكَ أَنَّ أَبَاكَ عانٍ

وأنتَ مُغَيَّبٌ غالَتكَ غُولُ

وأنتَ مُغَيَّبٌ غالَتكَ غُولُ

Has it not grieved you that your father is a captive,

Does it not grieve you that your father is in distress

while you are far away—may a ghoul destroy you!

While you are absent and devoured by injustice.

تُغَنِّيكَ الَجرادَهُ وَسطَ جِسرٍ

تُغَنِّيكَ الَجرادَهُ وَسطَ جِسرٍ

وفي كَلبٍ وَتصحَبُكَ الشَّمولُ

وفي كَلبٍ وَتصحَبُكَ الشَّمولُ

Al-Jaradah sings to you among Jisr,

Locusts sing to you amidst a bridge

and among Kalb, while wine keeps you company.

With a dog your companion and adversaries all around.

فلو كنتَ الأسيرَ ولَم أَكُنهُ

فلو كنتَ الأسيرَ ولَم أَكُنهُ

إذاً عَلمَت مَعدٌّ ما أقولُ

إذاً عَلمَت مَعدٌّ ما أقولُ

For if you were the captive, and I were not,

If you were the captive and I were not,

then Ma'add would know what I say:

Then you would know, O Ma'dd, what I say.

لَمَا قَصَّرتُ عن طَلَبِ الَمعالي

لَمَا قَصَّرتُ عن طَلَبِ الَمعالي

فَتَقصُرُني المَنيَّةُ أو تَطولُ

فَتَقصُرُني المَنيَّةُ أو تَطولُ

I would not falter in seeking high honors,

When I fell short of seeking glory,

whether death cut me short or tarried long.

So death may shorten me or prolong me.

فأن أَهِلك فقد أَبلَيتُ قَومي

فأن أَهِلك فقد أَبلَيتُ قَومي

بَلاءً كُلُّه حَسَنٌ جَميلُ

بَلاءً كُلُّه حَسَنٌ جَميلُ

So if I perish, I have rendered my people

If I die, I would have tested my people,

service wholly good and noble.

With an ordeal, all of which is good and beautiful.