لمَّاwhen نعىannounced the death of النَّاعيthe bearer of sad tidings أباAbu (father of) عامرٍAmir
لمَّا نعى النَّاعي أبا عامرٍ
أيقنتُI knew for certain أنّيthat I لستُam not بالصَّابرِone who is patient
أيقنتُ أنّي لستُ بالصَّابرِ
When the bearer of sad tidings announced Abu Amir’s death,
When the mourner announced the death of Abu Amir
I knew for certain that I was not one to endure patiently.
I knew that I was not patient
أودىhas perished فتىthe youth of الظرفِrefinement وتِربُand the peer of النَّدىgenerosity
أودى فتى الظرفِ وتِربُ النَّدى
وسيّدُand the master of الأوّلِthe first والآخرِand the last
وسيّدُ الأوّلِ والآخرِ
Gone is the youth of refinement and generosity’s peer,
The refined youth has passed away
And master of the first and the last.
And the master of the first and the last