1. لهفي على فتاكةٍ غدرت بها

    أيدي المنية والحمام سقاها

    My grief for a deadly huntress, betrayed by

    the hands of death, and doom gave her its draught.

  2. فهي التي كانت إذا ما أُرسلت

    في معركٍ تفني صفوف عداها

    For she was the one who, whenever she was sent forth

    in battle, would annihilate her enemies' ranks.

  3. أسفاً على تلك البزاة وحسنها

    وعلى جراءتها الوفية أها

    Alas for that hawk and her beauty,

    and for her steadfast daring—ah!

  4. كالريح في هباتها والليث في

    نهضاتها والبرق في مسراها

    Like the wind in her rushes, and the lion in

    her leaps, and lightning in her flight.

  5. سهم القضا منسارها سمر القنا

    أظفارها بيض الظبا جنحاها

    Her beak is fate's arrow; brown spear-shafts

    are her talons; white sword-blades are her two wings.

  6. نورُ الصباح بصدرها إذ حلّيت

    لون السماءِ وذُهّبت عيناها

    Morning's light was on her breast when she was adorned

    with the sky's color, and her eyes were gilded.

  7. غراءُ قد كانت إذا صالت ضحى

    سهم المنون يهاب أن يلقاها

    Radiant she was; whenever she charged at midmorning,

    the arrow of death feared to meet her.

  8. سل موكب الحجلات إذ سلت على

    ركبانها سيف القضا كفاها

    Ask the partridges' cavalcade, when she drew against

    its riders the sword of fate with her two hands.

  9. قسماً وحق يمين ذي الفتك الذي

    هو مطلع المجد السني مولاها

    I swear by the sanctity of the right hand of the deadly one who

    is where exalted glory rises—her master:

  10. عني البشير الجنبلاطي المرتضى

    ذا المكرمات وفيض سحب نداها

    I mean Bashir al-Jumblati, the esteemed one,

    possessor of noble deeds and the downpour from their clouds of bounty.

  11. مالي سلوٌّ عن رثا قاقونةٍ

    إلا بزرقا أصبحت تتباهى

    I have no respite from lamenting Qaquna,

    except in a blue hawk, who now displays herself proudly.

  12. حسناءُ كف البدر يرقم صدرها

    في آية الحسن البهي وضحاها

    A beauty: the full moon's hand patterns her breast

    in a marvel of splendid beauty and her radiance.

  13. فكأن ليل الصيف قبل صباحهِ

    من أزرق الجو البهيج كساها

    So it is as though the summer night, before its dawn,

    had clothed her in the blue of the lovely sky.

  14. أن حركت فوق الكنادر مخلباً

    تتناذر العقبان بل تخشاها

    If she stirs a talon upon the perches,

    the eagles warn one another—nay, they fear her.

  15. فيها سلوت جمال من هلكت وقد

    أضحت غداة أتى الحمام فداها

    Through her I forgot the beauty of the one who perished and had

    become her ransom on the morning death came.