زارَ القُبورَ أَبو مالِكٍ

زارَ القُبورَ أَبو مالِكٍ

فَكانَ كَأَلأَمِ زُوّارِها

فَكانَ كَأَلأَمِ زُوّارِها

Abu Malik visited the graves,

Abu Malik visited the graves

So he was like the vilest of their visitors.

As if he were a mourner visiting them

سَتَبكي عَلَيهِ دَرومُ العِشاءِ

سَتَبكي عَلَيهِ دَرومُ العِشاءِ

خَبيثٌ تَنَسُّمُ أَسحارِها

خَبيثٌ تَنَسُّمُ أَسحارِها

The nightfall prowler will weep for him;

The birds of the night will cry over him

Foul is her breath before dawn.

The vicious ones inhaling its dawn

تَنوحُ بَناتُ أَبي مالِكٍ

تَنوحُ بَناتُ أَبي مالِكٍ

بِبوقِ النَصارى وَمِزمارِها

بِبوقِ النَصارى وَمِزمارِها

The daughters of Abu Malik wail

The daughters of Abu Malik wail

With the Christians' trumpet and their pipe.

With the horns of Christians and their flutes

لَقَد سَرَّني وَقعُ خَيلِ الهُذَيلِ

لَقَد سَرَّني وَقعُ خَيلِ الهُذَيلِ

وَتَرغيمُ تَغلِبَ في دارِها

وَتَرغيمُ تَغلِبَ في دارِها

Indeed, the hoofbeats of al-Hudhayl's horses delighted me,

Indeed the striking of Al-Hudhayl’s horses pleased me

And the rubbing of Taghlib's nose in the dust in its own land.

And the neighing of Taghlib in their abode

وَفاتَ الهُذَيلُ بَني تَغلِبٍ

وَفاتَ الهُذَيلُ بَني تَغلِبٍ

وَجَحّافُ قَيسٍ بِأَوتارِها

وَجَحّافُ قَيسٍ بِأَوتارِها

And al-Hudhayl eluded the sons of Taghlib,

Al-Hudhayl missed the clan of Taghlib

As did Jahhaf of Qays, leaving their blood-debts unavenged.

And the arrows of Qays with their strings

تَحُضّونَ قَيساً وَلا تَصبِرونَ

تَحُضّونَ قَيساً وَلا تَصبِرونَ

لِزَبنِ الحُروبِ وَإِضرارِها

لِزَبنِ الحُروبِ وَإِضرارِها

You goad Qays, yet cannot endure

You rouse Qays but cannot withstand

The battering of wars and the harm they inflict.

The drumming of wars and their harm