لَيسَ يَخْشَى جَيْشَ الحوادثِ مَنْ جُنْ

لَيسَ يَخْشَى جَيْشَ الحوادثِ مَنْ جُنْ

داهُ وَفْدا صَبَابَةٍ ودُمُوعِ

داهُ وَفْدا صَبَابَةٍ ودُمُوعِ

He fears no army of calamities, he whose two

He fears not the army of calamities—he whose two armies

hosts are the twin delegations of his passion and his tears.

Are hosts of longing and tears.

قَمَرٌ حينَ رامَ أَنْ يَتَجَلّى

قَمَرٌ حينَ رامَ أَنْ يَتَجَلّى

سارَ فيهِ المُحَاقُ قَبْلَ الطُّلُوعِ

سارَ فيهِ المُحَاقُ قَبْلَ الطُّلُوعِ

A moon—just when he wished to shine forth,

A moon: when he sought to shine forth,

the moonless dark coursed through him before his rising.

The dark of the moon crept through him before he rose.

فلذةٌ مِنْ صَميمِ قَلْبي وجُزْءٌ

فلذةٌ مِنْ صَميمِ قَلْبي وجُزْءٌ

مِنْ فُؤادي وقِطْعَةٌ مِنْ ضُلُوعي

مِنْ فُؤادي وقِطْعَةٌ مِنْ ضُلُوعي

A cherished piece from my heart’s innermost core, a part

A piece of the very core of my heart, and a part

of my very heart, a fragment of my ribs;

Of my heart, and a fragment of my ribs.

لصغيرٍ أَعارَ رُزْءَ كَبيرٍ

لصغيرٍ أَعارَ رُزْءَ كَبيرٍ

وفَريدٍ أَذاقَ فَقْدَ جَمِيعِ

وفَريدٍ أَذاقَ فَقْدَ جَمِيعِ

a little child indeed, to whom a great grief lent its greatness,

For a little one who lent me the grief of losing someone great,

and an only one, made to taste the loss of everyone.

And a single one who made me taste the loss of all.

إِنْ تَكُنْ في التُّرابِ خَيْرَ ضَجيعٍ

إِنْ تَكُنْ في التُّرابِ خَيْرَ ضَجيعٍ

كُنْتَ لي في المَعَادِ خَيْرَ شَفيعِ

كُنْتَ لي في المَعَادِ خَيْرَ شَفيعِ

If beneath the dust you are the best companion in repose,

If you are the best of those who lie in the dust,

then at the Resurrection you will be my best intercessor.

You will be my best intercessor at the Resurrection.