أَنباءُ أَسرك قَد طَبّقن آفاقا

أَنباءُ أَسرك قَد طَبّقن آفاقا

بَل قَد عَمَّمن جِهاتِ الأَرضِ إِقلاقا

بَل قَد عَمَّمن جِهاتِ الأَرضِ إِقلاقا

News of your captivity has covered the horizons;

News of your family has spread horizons

nay, it has filled every quarter of the earth with alarm.

Rather, they have spread to all parts of the earth, worrying

سارَت مِن الغَربِ لا تُطوى لَها قَدَمٌ

سارَت مِن الغَربِ لا تُطوى لَها قَدَمٌ

حَتّى أَتَت شَرقَها تَنعاكَ إِشراقا

حَتّى أَتَت شَرقَها تَنعاكَ إِشراقا

It traveled from the west, never folding a foot to rest,

It went from the west, its feet are not folded

until it reached the earth's east, mourning you at sunrise.

Until it came to its east shining brightness

فَأَحرَقَ الفَجعُ أَكباداً وَأَفئِدَةً

فَأَحرَقَ الفَجعُ أَكباداً وَأَفئِدَةً

وَأَغرَقَ الدَمعَ آماقاَ وَأَحداقا

وَأَغرَقَ الدَمعَ آماقاَ وَأَحداقا

So grief scorched livers and hearts,

So grief burned livers and hearts

and tears drowned inner eye-corners and pupils.

And drowned tears, eyelids and eyebrows

قَد ضاقَ صَدرُ المَعالي إِذ نُعِيَت لَها

قَد ضاقَ صَدرُ المَعالي إِذ نُعِيَت لَها

وَقيل إِنَّ عَلَيكَ القَيدَ قَد ضاقا

وَقيل إِنَّ عَلَيكَ القَيدَ قَد ضاقا

Nobility's breast tightened when your loss was announced to it,

The chest of glories had narrowed when she was mourned for it

and it was said that the shackle had tightened upon you.

And it was said that shackles had narrowed upon you

أَنَّى غُلبتَ وَكُنتَ الدهر ذا غَلبٍ

أَنَّى غُلبتَ وَكُنتَ الدهر ذا غَلبٍ

لِلغالِبين وَلِلسباق سَبّاقا

لِلغالِبين وَلِلسباق سَبّاقا

How were you defeated, when you had always prevailed

How were you overcome when you were the time of overcoming

over conquerors, and outstripped the frontrunners?

For the victors and the first of the racers

قُلتُ الخُطوبُ أَذَلَتني طَوارِقُها

قُلتُ الخُطوبُ أَذَلَتني طَوارِقُها

وَكانَ عَزميَ لِلأَعداءِ طَرّاقا

وَكانَ عَزميَ لِلأَعداءِ طَرّاقا

I said: calamities' night assaults have humbled me,

I said misfortunes humiliated me with their nightly visitors

though my resolve had been a relentless night-raider against enemies.

And my determination for the enemies was keen

مَتى رَأَيتَ صُروفَ الدهرِ تارِكَةً

مَتى رَأَيتَ صُروفَ الدهرِ تارِكَةً

إِذا اِنبَرَت لِذَوي الأَخطارِ أَرماقا

إِذا اِنبَرَت لِذَوي الأَخطارِ أَرماقا

When have you seen the vicissitudes of time leave

When did you see the turns of time leaving

any remnant of life when they assail men of high rank?

When dangers rose for those of great perils, spears