يَاO وَلَدَيَّmy two sons اللَّذِيْنَwho (both) غَابَاthey both went away
يَا وَلَدَيَّ اللَّذِيْنَ غَابَا
عَنِّيfrom me وَكَانَاand they both were ضِيَاءَlight عَيْنِيmy eye
عَنِّي وَكَانَا ضِيَاءَ عَيْنِي
O my two sons, who have gone away
O my two sons who left me
from me, and were the light of my eye.
And were the light of my eyes
قَعَدْتI sat وَالحُزْنُand sorrow لِيfor me أَلِيفٌa familiar companion
قَعَدْت وَالحُزْنُ لِي أَلِيفٌ
فِيin كُلِّevery آنٍmoment وَكُلِّand every أَيْنِplace
فِي كُلِّ آنٍ وَكُلِّ أَيْنِ
I sat, with sorrow as my companion,
I sat while grief became my friend
at every moment and in every place.
In every moment and every place
حَرْقَةُburning anguish ثُكْلٍloss of a child تذِيبُmelts قَلْباًa heart
حَرْقَةُ ثُكْلٍ تذِيبُ قَلْباً
مَاwhat حَالَthe state of قَلْبِيmy heart بِحَرْقَتَيْنِwith two burning griefs
مَا حَالَ قَلْبِي بِحَرْقَتَيْنِ
The burning anguish of losing a child melts a heart;
The burning pain of loss melts a heart
how fares my heart with two such burning griefs?
What is the state of my heart with two burnings?
لَمْdid not يَبْقَremain لِيfor me فِيin الحَيَاةِlife يَوْمُa day
لَمْ يَبْقَ لِي فِي الحَيَاةِ يَوْمُ
أُسْلُوبُهُits manner غَيْرَother than يَوْمِthe day of بَيْنِيmy parting
أُسْلُوبُهُ غَيْرَ يَوْمِ بَيْنِي
No day remains for me in life
I have no day left in life
whose course differs from that of the day of my parting.
Whose manner is other than the day between us