أَلاLo! هَلكَhas perished الراعيthe shepherd العشيرةthe clan ذوpossessor of الفقدِloss
أَلا هَلكَ الراعي العشيرة ذو الفقدِ
وَساقيand the giver of water to الحجيجthe pilgrims وَالمحاميand the defender عنon behalf of المجدِglory
وَساقي الحجيج وَالمحامي عن المجدِ
Lo, the clan's shepherd has perished—a man whose loss is keenly felt,
And the giver of water to pilgrims, and the defender of glory,
وَمَنand the one whose يألفُfrequents الضيفُthe guest الغريبُthe stranger بيوتهُhis homes
وَمَن يألفُ الضيفُ الغريبُ بيوتهُ
إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle سماءُthe sky الناسِof the people تبخلis miserly بالرعدِwith thunder
إِذا ما سماءُ الناسِ تبخل بالرعدِ
And he whose homes the stranger guest would frequent,
When the people's sky withheld its thunder.
أَبوAbu (father of) الحارثal-Harith الفيّاضthe bountiful خلّىleft empty مكانهُhis place
أَبو الحارث الفيّاض خلّى مكانهُ
فَلاso may ... not تبعدنyou be far away إذsince كلّevery حيٍّliving being إلىtoward بعدِdeparture
فَلا تبعدن إذ كلّ حيٍّ إلى بعدِ
Abu al-Harith, the bountiful, has left his place empty.
So may you not be far away, for every living being is bound to depart.
فَإِنّيfor indeed I لَباكٍsurely weeping ماas long as بقيتُI live وموجعٌand grief-stricken
فَإِنّي لَباكٍ ما بقيتُ وموجعٌ
وَكانَand he was لَهfor him أهلاًworthy لِماof what كانَthere was مِنof وجديmy grief
وَكانَ لَه أهلاً لِما كانَ مِن وجدي
For I shall surely weep as long as I live, and be grief-stricken.
And he was worthy of the grief I felt for him.
سَقاهُmay he water him وليُّthe Guardian of الناسِhumankind فيin القبرِthe grave ممطراًshowering rain
سَقاهُ وليُّ الناسِ في القبرِ ممطراً
فَسوفَso shall أبكّيهI weep for him وَإِنand even though كانhe is فيin اللحدِthe burial niche
فَسوفَ أبكّيه وَإِن كان في اللحدِ
May the Guardian of humankind shower him with rain in the grave.
So I shall weep for him, even though he lies in the burial niche.
فَقَدfor indeed كانَhe was زيناًan adornment للعشيرةِto the clan كلّهاall of it
فَقَد كانَ زيناً للعشيرةِ كلّها
وَكانَand he was حَميداًpraiseworthy حيثماًwherever كانthere was منof حمدِpraise
وَكانَ حَميداً حيثماً كان من حمدِ
For he was an adornment to the entire clan,
And he was praiseworthy wherever there was praise.