ذُدِhold back الدَمعَthe tears حَتّىuntil يَظعَنَdeparts الحَيُّthe tribe إِنَّماindeed
ذُدِ الدَمعَ حَتّى يَظعَنَ الحَيُّ إِنَّما
دُموعَكَyour tears إِنif فاضَتoverflow عَلَيكَagainst you دَليلُa sign
دُموعَكَ إِن فاضَت عَلَيكَ دَليلُ
Hold back the tears until the tribe departs; for
Hold back your tears until the living weep.
your tears, if they overflow, give you away.
Your overflowing tears just reveal
كَأَنَّas though دُموعَtears العَينِof the eye يَومَon the day تَحَمَّلواthey departed
كَأَنَّ دُموعَ العَينِ يَومَ تَحَمَّلوا
جُمانٌpearls عَلىupon جَنبِthe side of القَميصِthe shirt يَسيلُflows
جُمانٌ عَلى جَنبِ القَميصِ يَسيلُ
As though the eye’s tears, on the day they departed,
That your eyes' tears the day they bore their load
were pearls flowing down the side of the shirt.
Are streams on the shirt's side flowing free.