نَبِّئ سِوايَ فَما لي حِينَ تُخبرني

نَبِّئ سِوايَ فَما لي حِينَ تُخبرني

بَأسُ الحَديدِ وَلا صَبرُ الجَلاميدِ

بَأسُ الحَديدِ وَلا صَبرُ الجَلاميدِ

Tell someone else, for when you tell me I have neither

Tell me, my friend, for why should I care to hear

The strength of iron nor the endurance of boulders.

Of iron affliction or the patience of boulders?

ماذا حَملتَ مِن الأَنباءِ لا رُزِئَت

ماذا حَملتَ مِن الأَنباءِ لا رُزِئَت

أُذني وَعَيني بِمَسموعٍ وَمَشهودِ

أُذني وَعَيني بِمَسموعٍ وَمَشهودِ

What news have you brought? May no calamity befall

What news have you brought that would vex

My ear and my eye through what is heard and witnessed.

My ears and eyes with things seen and heard?

خادَعت أُذني فَلم أَسمَع بِصالحةٍ

خادَعت أُذني فَلم أَسمَع بِصالحةٍ

وَخُنتُ عَيني فَلم أُبصِر بِمودودِ

وَخُنتُ عَيني فَلم أُبصِر بِمودودِ

I deceived my ear, and so heard no good news,

My ears have been tricked so I heard no goodness,

And I betrayed my eye, and so saw nothing beloved.

And my eyes were traitors so I saw no affection.

دَعني أَصمَّ عَنِ الدُنيا وَساكنها

دَعني أَصمَّ عَنِ الدُنيا وَساكنها

أَعمى عَنِ الدَهرِ في أَحداثِهِ السُودِ

أَعمى عَنِ الدَهرِ في أَحداثِهِ السُودِ

Leave me deaf to the world and its dwellers,

Let me be deaf to the world and its people,

Blind to time amid its dark events.

Blind to the ages and their mournful events.

إِنّي تَزوّدتُ قَبل اليَومِ داهيةً

إِنّي تَزوّدتُ قَبل اليَومِ داهيةً

دَهياءَ أَحملُ مِنها فَوقَ مَجهودي

دَهياءَ أَحملُ مِنها فَوقَ مَجهودي

Indeed, before today I took a calamity as my provision,

Indeed before this day I armed myself

A dire one, whose burden I bear beyond my strength.

With an impenetrable armor atop my being.

قُل لِلفَجائعِ شَتّى لا عِدادَ لَها

قُل لِلفَجائعِ شَتّى لا عِدادَ لَها

كُفّي أَذاكِ عَنِ الباكين أَو زيدي

كُفّي أَذاكِ عَنِ الباكين أَو زيدي

Tell the calamities, diverse and beyond number:

Say to the manifold calamities, count them not,

“Withhold your harm from those who weep, or increase it.”

Enough of me weeping or add to my tears.