دَعا قابِضاً والموتُ يخْفُقُ ظِلُّهُ

دَعا قابِضاً والموتُ يخْفُقُ ظِلُّهُ

وما قابضٌ إذْ لَمْ يُجِبْ بِنَجيبِ

وما قابضٌ إذْ لَمْ يُجِبْ بِنَجيبِ

He called Qabid as death's shadow fluttered.

He called, while death fluttered its wings,

And Qabid, since he did not answer, was no noble man.

But no answer came from the absent beloved.

وآسى عُبَيْدُ اللّهِ ثَمَّ ابنَ أُمِّهِ

وآسى عُبَيْدُ اللّهِ ثَمَّ ابنَ أُمِّهِ

وَلَوْ شاءَ نجَّى يَوْمَ ذاكَ حبيِيبي

وَلَوْ شاءَ نجَّى يَوْمَ ذاكَ حبيِيبي

And Ubayd Allah there aided his mother's son.

Obaydullah despaired, and his mother's son,

And had he wished, he would have saved my beloved that day.

Though had He willed, He'd have saved my love that day.