أَلا كُلُّ ما هَبَّت بِهِ الريحُ ذاهِبُ

أَلا كُلُّ ما هَبَّت بِهِ الريحُ ذاهِبُ

وَكُلُّ فَتىً بَعدَ السَلامَةِ شاجِبُ

وَكُلُّ فَتىً بَعدَ السَلامَةِ شاجِبُ

Lo, everything over which the wind has blown passes away.

Alas! All that the wind brought is gone,

And every young man, after being safe and sound, must perish.

And every young man after safety is worried.

أَلا إِنَّ خَيرَ الناسِ رِسلاً وَنَجدَةً

أَلا إِنَّ خَيرَ الناسِ رِسلاً وَنَجدَةً

بِهِرجابَ لَم تُحبَس عَلَيهِ الرَكائِبُ

بِهِرجابَ لَم تُحبَس عَلَيهِ الرَكائِبُ

Lo, indeed the best of men in milk-giving and valor

Alas! The best of people as messengers and helpers,

Is at Hirjab; no riding camels were held back for him.

With Hirjab, no misfortunes befell him.

وَهَوَّنَ وَجدي أَنَّني لَو رَأَيتُهُ

وَهَوَّنَ وَجدي أَنَّني لَو رَأَيتُهُ

يُساوِرُهُ ذو لِبدَتَينِ مُكالِبُ

يُساوِرُهُ ذو لِبدَتَينِ مُكالِبُ

And it eased my grief that, had I seen him

It eased my love that if I saw him,

Assailed by a ferocious lion with two mane-tufts,

Accompanied by one with two mustaches flaring,

لَمارَستُ عَنهُ الخَيلَ غَيرَ مُهَلِّلٍ

لَمارَستُ عَنهُ الخَيلَ غَيرَ مُهَلِّلٍ

لَعَمرُ أَبي أَو تَشتَعِبني الشَواعِبُ

لَعَمرُ أَبي أَو تَشتَعِبني الشَواعِبُ

I would have battled the cavalry in his defense, without retreating—

I would release the horses at him without hesitation,

By my father's life—until death's blows tore me apart.

By the life of my father, or misfortunes will befall me.