بَكَت عَيني وَعاوَدَتِ السُهودا

بَكَت عَيني وَعاوَدَتِ السُهودا

وَبِتُّ اللَيلَ جانِحَةً عَميدا

وَبِتُّ اللَيلَ جانِحَةً عَميدا

My eye wept and returned to sleeplessness.

My eyes wept and I returned to prostration,

And I spent the night bowed down, sick at heart,

Spending the night awake and vigilant.

لِذِكرى مَعشَرٍ وَلَّوا وَخَلَّوا

لِذِكرى مَعشَرٍ وَلَّوا وَخَلَّوا

عَلَينا مِن خِلافَتِهِم فُقودا

عَلَينا مِن خِلافَتِهِم فُقودا

At the memory of companions who departed and left

Remembering a group that turned away and left,

Us bereaved in the wake of their passing.

Leaving us deprived of their leadership.

وَوافَوا ظِمءَ خامِسَةٍ فَأَمسوا

وَوافَوا ظِمءَ خامِسَةٍ فَأَمسوا

مَعَ الماضينَ قَد تَبِعوا ثَمودا

مَعَ الماضينَ قَد تَبِعوا ثَمودا

And they reached a fifth day's thirst, and by evening were

They reached the barren valley and spent the night there,

Among the departed, having followed Thamud.

Joining those passed as did the tribe of Thamud.

فَكَم مِن فارِسٍ لَكِ أُمُّ عَمروٍ

فَكَم مِن فارِسٍ لَكِ أُمُّ عَمروٍ

يَحوطُ سِنانُهُ الأَنَسَ الحَريدا

يَحوطُ سِنانُهُ الأَنَسَ الحَريدا

And how many a horseman was yours, Umm Amr,

How many horsemen, O mother of Amr,

Whose spearhead protects the isolated folk,

Whose spears surround the close companions.

كَصَخرٍ أَو مُعاوِيَةَ بنِ عَمروٍ

كَصَخرٍ أَو مُعاوِيَةَ بنِ عَمروٍ

إِذا كانَت وُجوهُ القَومِ سودا

إِذا كانَت وُجوهُ القَومِ سودا

Like Sakhr or Muawiya son of Amr,

Like the rock or Muawiya ibn Amr,

When the people's faces were darkened.

When the faces of the people turn black.

يَرُدُّ الخَيلَ دامِيَةً كُلاها

يَرُدُّ الخَيلَ دامِيَةً كُلاها

جَديرٌ يَومَ هيجا أَن يَصيدا

جَديرٌ يَومَ هيجا أَن يَصيدا

He drives the horses back, their kidneys bleeding,

Who turns back the horses, bloodying them,

Well able, on a day of battle, to take prey.

Worthy on the day of battle to hunt prey.

يَكُبّونَ العِشارَ لِمَن أَتاهُم

يَكُبّونَ العِشارَ لِمَن أَتاهُم

إِذا لَم تُحسِبِ المِئَةُ الوَليدا

إِذا لَم تُحسِبِ المِئَةُ الوَليدا

They slaughter ten-month-pregnant she-camels for whoever comes to them,

They collect the tithe from those who come to them,

When a hundred cannot satisfy a child.

If the hundred are not counted as young camels.