يا عَيْنُ بكّي بدَمْعٍ دائمِ السَّجَمِ

يا عَيْنُ بكّي بدَمْعٍ دائمِ السَّجَمِ

وابْكِي لتَوْبَةَ عِنْدَ الرَّوْعِ والبُهَمِ

وابْكِي لتَوْبَةَ عِنْدَ الرَّوْعِ والبُهَمِ

O eye, weep with tears that flow unceasingly.

O eye shed tears of ceaseless lament

And weep for Tawba amid terror and fearsome warriors.

And weep in repentance amidst fear and alarm,

عَلى فتىً من بني سَعْدٍ فُجِعْتُ بِهِ

عَلى فتىً من بني سَعْدٍ فُجِعْتُ بِهِ

ماذا أُجنَّ بِهِ في الحُفرةِ الرَّجمِ

ماذا أُجنَّ بِهِ في الحُفرةِ الرَّجمِ

For a youth of Banu Saʿd, whose loss has stricken me.

For a youth from Bani Saad whom I've lost

How much was buried with him in the grave-pit—

What will I do with him in the stoning grave?

من كُلِّ صافيةٍ صِرْفٍ وقافِيَةٍ

من كُلِّ صافيةٍ صِرْفٍ وقافِيَةٍ

مِثْلِ السّنانِ وأمْرٍ غَيْرِ مُقْتَسِمِ

مِثْلِ السّنانِ وأمْرٍ غَيْرِ مُقْتَسِمِ

All that was pure and unalloyed, and verse

With every clear, eloquent, rhyming verse

Like a spearpoint, and command shared with none;

Like sharp blades and uncompromising affairs,

ومُصْدِرٍ حين يُعْيِي القَوْمَ مُصدِرُهم

ومُصْدِرٍ حين يُعْيِي القَوْمَ مُصدِرُهم

وجَفْنَةٍ عند نحسِ الكوكبِ الشَّبِمِ

وجَفْنَةٍ عند نحسِ الكوكبِ الشَّبِمِ

And a guide out of trouble when the people's own guide left them helpless;

And a refuge when their refuge fails the people,

And a great serving bowl when the icy star boded ill.

And an eyelid during the ill-omen of a star of misfortune.