1. يا راكِباً بَلِّغَن وَلا تَدَعن

    بَني قُمَيرٍ وَإِن هُمُ جَزِعوا

    O rider, carry word, and do not pass over

    The sons of Qumayr, even if they grieve,

  2. كَي يَجِدوا مِثلَ ما وَجَدتُ فَقَد

    أَصبَحتُ نِضواً وَمَسَّني الوَجَعُ

    So they may feel the like of what I felt; for

    I have grown gaunt, and pain has touched me.

  3. لا أَسمَعُ اللَهوَ في الحَديثِ وَلا

    يَنفَعُني في الفِراشِ مُضطَجَعُ

    I hear no merriment in conversation, nor

    Does a resting-place in bed bring me relief.

  4. لا وَجدَ ثُكلى كَما وَجدتُ وَلا

    وَجدَ عَجولٍ أَضَلَّها رُبَعُ

    No bereaved mother's anguish is like mine, nor

    A she-camel's anguish when her spring-born calf goes missing,

  5. أَو وَجدَ شَيخٍ أَضَلَّ ناقَتَهُ

    يَومَ رَواحِ الحَجيجِ إِذ دَفَعوا

    Or an old man's anguish when he loses his she-camel

    On the day the pilgrims depart, as they press away.

  6. يَنظُرُ في أَوجُهِ الرِجالِ فَلا

    يَعرَفُ شَيئاً فَالوَجهُ مُلتَمَعُ

    He peers into men's faces, yet

    Recognizes nothing; his face is drained of color.

  7. بَني قُمَيرٍ قَتَلتُ سَيِّدَكُم

    فَاليَومَ لا فِديَةٌ وَلا جَزَعُ

    Sons of Qumayr, I have killed your chief;

    Today, then, no ransom and no lamentation.

  8. جَلَّلَتهُ صارِمَ الحَديدِ كَمِث

    لِ المِلحِ فيهِ سَفاسِقٌ لُمَعُ

    I struck him with a keen iron blade, like

    Salt, with gleaming streaks upon it.

  9. تَرَكتُهُ بادِياً مُضاحِكُه

    يَدعو صَداهُ وَالرَأسُ مُنصَدِعُ

    I left him with his teeth laid bare,

    His death-owl calling, his skull split open.

  10. بَني قُمَيرٍ قَتَلتُ سَيِّدَكُم

    أَثوابُهُ مِن دَمائِهِ رُدُعُ

    Sons of Qumayr, I have killed your chief;

    His garments are stained with his blood.

  11. فَاليَومَ صِرنا عَلى السَواءِ فَإِن

    أَبقَ فَدَهري وَدَهرُكُم جَذَعُ

    Today, then, we stand equal; and if

    I live on, my time and yours are young.

  12. لَم أَكُ فيها لَمّا بُليتُ بِها

    نَؤومَ لَيلٍ يَغُرَّني الطَمَعُ

    In this affair, when put to its test, I was no

    Heavy sleeper through the night, beguiled by hope.