ألا يَا لَقَومى لِلهُمُومِ الطَّوَارِقِ

ألا يَا لَقَومى لِلهُمُومِ الطَّوَارِقِ

وَلِلحَدَثِ الجَائِى بإِحدَى المَضَايِق

وَلِلحَدَثِ الجَائِى بإِحدَى المَضَايِق

Ah, my people, help against the sorrows that visit by night,

O my people, for the misfortunes that attack by night,

And against the calamity arriving through one of hardship's straits,

And for the events that come through the mountain passes,

وَمَهلِكِ غِطريفَينِ كَانَا عِمَادَنَأ

وَمَهلِكِ غِطريفَينِ كَانَا عِمَادَنَأ

مِنَ الذَّائِدِينَ المُقدِمِينَ الأَصَادِق

مِنَ الذَّائِدِينَ المُقدِمِينَ الأَصَادِق

And the death of two noble lords who were our mainstay,

And for the death of the two pillars who were our support,

Among the defenders, the bold attackers, the truehearted.

Among the first defenders, the truthful and loyal,

سَمِعتُ فَهَدَّ الرُّكنَ مِنِّ صَوَارِخٌ

سَمِعتُ فَهَدَّ الرُّكنَ مِنِّ صَوَارِخٌ

وَقَد غَوَّرَت أَولَى النُّجُومِ الخَوَافِق

وَقَد غَوَّرَت أَولَى النُّجُومِ الخَوَافِق

I heard shrieks that shattered my pillar,

I heard the cornerstone cry out from the shrieking,

When the first of the setting stars had already sunk,

And the first star was eclipsed in the revolving sky.

بِأَسرِ حُمَاةٍ يَا لَهَا مِن رَزِيَّةٍ

بِأَسرِ حُمَاةٍ يَا لَهَا مِن رَزِيَّةٍ

إِذا الحَربُ أَبدَت عَن خِدَامِ العَوَاتِقِ

إِذا الحَربُ أَبدَت عَن خِدَامِ العَوَاتِقِ

Of defenders taken captive—oh, what a calamity!

With the captivity of Hums, oh what a tragedy,

When war laid bare the maidens' anklets,

When war bares its teeth against the fair maidens.

وَمَصرَعِ مِرداسٍ عَلَى حُرِّ وَجهِهِ

وَمَصرَعِ مِرداسٍ عَلَى حُرِّ وَجهِهِ

وَصُحبَتهِ تَحتَ السُّيُوف البَوَارِق

وَصُحبَتهِ تَحتَ السُّيُوف البَوَارِق

And of Mirdas's fatal fall upon his noble face,

And the death of Mirdas on his face in the heat of battle,

And his companions beneath the flashing swords.

And his companions beneath the glittering swords.

فَرِيقينِ هَذَا قَرمُ غَامِدَ كُلِّها

فَرِيقينِ هَذَا قَرمُ غَامِدَ كُلِّها

وَهَذَا الذَّرِى والفَرعُ مِن آلِ بَارِقِ

وَهَذَا الذَّرِى والفَرعُ مِن آلِ بَارِقِ

Two bands—this one, the champion of all Ghamid,

Two groups - this the dried-up branch of all,

And this one, the pinnacle and highest branch of the house of Bariq.

And this the fresh shoots from the family of Barak.

فَأُويِستُ مِمَّن كُنتُ آمُلُ نَفعَهُ

فَأُويِستُ مِمَّن كُنتُ آمُلُ نَفعَهُ

إِذَا نُسِفَت مِنّا كِرَامُ الخَلاًَئِقِ

إِذَا نُسِفَت مِنّا كِرَامُ الخَلاًَئِقِ

So I despaired of those whose aid I had hoped for,

I am in despair at the loss of those I hoped to benefit from,

When men of noble character were swept away from among us.

When the generous among us are destroyed.

وثوَّبَ دَاعِى المَوتِ بِالمَوتِ بَينَنَا

وثوَّبَ دَاعِى المَوتِ بِالمَوتِ بَينَنَا

وَدَارَت رَحَى حَربٍ بِقُعسِ البَطارِقِ

وَدَارَت رَحَى حَربٍ بِقُعسِ البَطارِقِ

And death's herald sounded death's call among us,

And death's caller continued to call death upon us,

And war's millstone turned upon the unbending commanders.

As the millstone of war turned at Al-Qusayr.

وَعَاذَت بِأَيدِيهَا النِّسَاءُ كأَنَّهَا

وَعَاذَت بِأَيدِيهَا النِّسَاءُ كأَنَّهَا

مَصَابِيحُ لَيلٍ أَو وَمِيضُ العَقائِقِ

مَصَابِيحُ لَيلٍ أَو وَمِيضُ العَقائِقِ

And the women shielded themselves with their hands, as though they were

There the women raised their hands like lamps in the night,

Lamps in the night, or flashes of lightning.

Or the glittering shine of carnelians.

ودُرُنَا وَدَارَ الجَمعُ فِى حَمَسِ الوَغَى

ودُرُنَا وَدَارَ الجَمعُ فِى حَمَسِ الوَغَى

كَمَا دَارَ وِلدَانٌ لَهُوا بِالمَخَارِقِ

كَمَا دَارَ وِلدَانٌ لَهُوا بِالمَخَارِقِ

And we wheeled, and the host wheeled in the heat of battle,

Our houses and the army revolved madly in the tumult,

As boys wheel about, playing with cloth whips.

As children play wildly with their toy windmills.

هُنالِكَ لاَ يُزجِى حَيَاهَا لِنَفعِهَا

هُنالِكَ لاَ يُزجِى حَيَاهَا لِنَفعِهَا

إِيَاسٌ وَلاَ يُرجَى لِدَفعِ البَوَائِقِ

إِيَاسٌ وَلاَ يُرجَى لِدَفعِ البَوَائِقِ

There, no longer does he bring her life-giving rain for her benefit—

There neither life will be prolonged for its benefit,

Iyas—nor is he looked to for warding off calamities.

Nor is averting disasters hoped for.

فَيَا عينُ بَكِّى الرَّاتِقِينَ أُولِى النُّهَى

فَيَا عينُ بَكِّى الرَّاتِقِينَ أُولِى النُّهَى

سِمَامًَ العِدَى وَابكِى حُمَاةَ الحقائِقِ

سِمَامًَ العِدَى وَابكِى حُمَاةَ الحقائِقِ

O eye, weep for the menders of rifts, men of wisdom,

So weep, O eye, for the people of virtue and wisdom,

Poison to their foes—and weep for the guardians of honor.

The poison of the enemy, and weep for the defenders of truth.

وَبَكَّى إِيَاساً فَارِسَ الحَرب ِواندُبِى

وَبَكَّى إِيَاساً فَارِسَ الحَرب ِواندُبِى

حِمَاهَا لَدَى الهَيجَاءِ فِى كُلِّ مَأزِقِ

حِمَاهَا لَدَى الهَيجَاءِ فِى كُلِّ مَأزِقِ

And weep for Iyas, war's horseman, and mourn

Weep in despair, O knight of war, and mourn

Her bulwark in battle, in every perilous strait.

Their protection amidst the frenzied attacks at every pass.

فَقَد فُجِعَت أَزدُ العِرَاقِ وَشَامِهَا

فَقَد فُجِعَت أَزدُ العِرَاقِ وَشَامِهَا

وَأزدُ عُمَانٍ بِالطَّوالِ الغَرَانِقِ

وَأزدُ عُمَانٍ بِالطَّوالِ الغَرَانِقِ

For the Azd of Iraq and their kin in al-Sham have been bereaved,

The people of Azd in Iraq and Syria are grieved,

And the Azd of Oman, bereft of those tall, crane-like youths.

As are the Azd in Oman, by the towering calamities.

وأمحَلَ وَادِينَا وَأَوحَشَ أَهلُهُ

وأمحَلَ وَادِينَا وَأَوحَشَ أَهلُهُ

وَبُدّلَ مِن فُرسَانِهِ بِالنَّوَاعِقِ

وَبُدّلَ مِن فُرسَانِهِ بِالنَّوَاعِقِ

And our valley became barren, and its people desolate,

It left our valley desolate and frightened its people away,

And its horsemen were replaced by croaking crows.

And replaced its horsemen with ostriches.

فَقَد أَصبَحَت نَفسِى لِذَاكَ حَزِينَةً

فَقَد أَصبَحَت نَفسِى لِذَاكَ حَزِينَةً

وَشَابَ لِمَا حُمِّلتُ مِنهُ مَفَارِقِى

وَشَابَ لِمَا حُمِّلتُ مِنهُ مَفَارِقِى

For my soul has grown sorrowful at that,

My soul has thus become saddened by it all,

And the partings of my hair have grayed from the burden it laid on me.

And my separation from them has turned my hair gray.

فَمَا أَنَا فِى طُولِ الحَيَاةِ بِرَاغِبٍ

فَمَا أَنَا فِى طُولِ الحَيَاةِ بِرَاغِبٍ

وَمَا أَنَا إِذ بَانُوا لِدَهرٍ بِوَامِقِ

وَمَا أَنَا إِذ بَانُوا لِدَهرٍ بِوَامِقِ

So I have no desire for a long life,

I have no more desire for life now they are gone,

And since they departed, I have no love for time.

Now they have vanished for all time.

فَلَيتَ المَنَايَا أَقصَدَتنِى سِهَامُهَا

فَلَيتَ المَنَايَا أَقصَدَتنِى سِهَامُهَا

وَعَاقَت أَبَا بَكرٍ بِزَحرٍ عَوَائِقِى

وَعَاقَت أَبَا بَكرٍ بِزَحرٍ عَوَائِقِى

Would that death's arrows had struck me down,

Would that death's arrows had struck me down,

And my hindrances had held Abu Bakr back with Zahr,

And avoided Abu Bakr with his piercing enemies,

وَلَم تُبقِ فِى طَيشٍ رَعَاعٍ أّذِلَّةٍ

وَلَم تُبقِ فِى طَيشٍ رَعَاعٍ أّذِلَّةٍ

عَوَاوِيرَ فِى الهَيجَا غَداةَ التَّلاَحُقِ

عَوَاوِيرَ فِى الهَيجَا غَداةَ التَّلاَحُقِ

And had not left me amid the recklessness of abject rabble,

And had not left me in the chaos of vile rabble,

Cowards in battle on the morning of the clash,

Fleeing in panic the morning after the night attack,

إذَا مَا الخُصى طَارَت وَجادَ بِنَفسِهِ

إذَا مَا الخُصى طَارَت وَجادَ بِنَفسِهِ

أَخُو المَوتِ تَحتَ اللاَّمِعَات الخَوافِقِ

أَخُو المَوتِ تَحتَ اللاَّمِعَات الخَوافِقِ

When testicles flew and he freely gave his life—

When men's fortitudes take wing, and the brother of death

Death's brother, beneath the flashing, swinging blades.

Throws himself beneath the flashing blades.

وَحَامَى المُحَامِى عَن أَبِيهِ وَبَرَّزَت

وَحَامَى المُحَامِى عَن أَبِيهِ وَبَرَّزَت

بأَحسَابِهَا أَهلُ البُيُوتِ الشَّوَاهِقِ

بأَحسَابِهَا أَهلُ البُيُوتِ الشَّوَاهِقِ

And the defender shielded his father, and they distinguished themselves—

When the protector protected his father, and people of rank

By their ancestral merits, the men of lofty houses.

Drew themselves up proudly in their lofty homes.

وَعَرَّدَ أَبنَاءُ اللِّثَامِ مَخَافَةً

وَعَرَّدَ أَبنَاءُ اللِّثَامِ مَخَافَةً

وَحَامَى حُماةُ الجَمعِ عَن ذِى الوَشَائِقِ

وَحَامَى حُماةُ الجَمعِ عَن ذِى الوَشَائِقِ

And the sons of the face-veil fled in fear,

And the youths in turbans fled in their fear,

And the host's defenders guarded the man with the dried meat.

While the protectors of the army shielded its founder from harm.

وَإن أَكُ مَفجُوعاً حَزِيناً مُرَزَّأً

وَإن أَكُ مَفجُوعاً حَزِيناً مُرَزَّأً

يُؤَرِّقُنِى طَيفُ الهُمُومِ الطَّوَارِقِ

يُؤَرِّقُنِى طَيفُ الهُمُومِ الطَّوَارِقِ

And though I am bereaved, sorrowful, stricken by loss,

Though I am distraught, mournful and rent with grief,

Kept awake by the specter of sorrows that visit by night,

Restless from the specters of misfortune attacking by night,

فَمَا أَنَا بِالوَانِى وَلاَ عَاجِزِ القُوَى

فَمَا أَنَا بِالوَانِى وَلاَ عَاجِزِ القُوَى

وَلاَ نَزِقٍ يَخشَى أَذَاتِى مُرَافِقِى

وَلاَ نَزِقٍ يَخشَى أَذَاتِى مُرَافِقِى

Yet I am not faltering, nor feeble in strength,

I am neither weak, nor lacking in strength,

Nor so hotheaded that my companion fears harm from me.

Nor a feeble man fearing those accompanying me.

وَلاَ لاَطمٍ وَجهَ ابنِ عَمِّى سَفَاهَةً

وَلاَ لاَطمٍ وَجهَ ابنِ عَمِّى سَفَاهَةً

وَلاَ أَنَا بِالعَورَاءِ يَوماً بِنَاطِقِ

وَلاَ أَنَا بِالعَورَاءِ يَوماً بِنَاطِقِ

Nor do I slap my cousin's face in folly,

I am no foolish slanderer insulting my cousin,

Nor do I ever utter a shameful word.

Nor on any day am I an inarticulate stammerer.