كَأنّ العينِ خالَطها قَذاها

كَأنّ العينِ خالَطها قَذاها

لِخزنٍ واقعٍ أفنى كراها

لِخزنٍ واقعٍ أفنى كراها

As though a mote had mingled with the eye,

As though a mote had lodged within my eye,

because of a grief that struck and drove away its sleep—

From a grief that has struck and robbed it of sleep,

عَلى ولدٍ وَزين الناس طرّاً

عَلى ولدٍ وَزين الناس طرّاً

إِذا ما النارُ لَم ترَ مَن صلاها

إِذا ما النارُ لَم ترَ مَن صلاها

for a son, the adornment of all mankind,

For a son, the adornment of all mankind,

whenever the fire found no one to warm himself beside it.

When the fire could not see who warmed himself at it.

لَئِن حَزنت بنو عَبسٍ عليهِ

لَئِن حَزنت بنو عَبسٍ عليهِ

فَقَد فَقدت بهِ عبسٌ فتاها

فَقَد فَقدت بهِ عبسٌ فتاها

If the sons of ʿAbs have indeed grieved for him,

If indeed the sons of ʿAbs have mourned him,

then ʿAbs has indeed lost in him its young champion.

Then ʿAbs has indeed lost its young hero in him.

فَمَن لِلضّيفِ إِن هبّت شمالٌ

فَمَن لِلضّيفِ إِن هبّت شمالٌ

مُزعزعةٌ يُجاوِبها صَداها

مُزعزعةٌ يُجاوِبها صَداها

Who, then, will care for the guest when a north wind blows,

Who, then, will tend the guest if a north wind blows,

buffeting hard, with its echo answering it?

Blustering, with its echo answering it?

أَسيّدكم وَحاميكم تَركتم

أَسيّدكم وَحاميكم تَركتم

عَلى الغبراءِ مُنهدماً رحاها

عَلى الغبراءِ مُنهدماً رحاها

Is it your chief and your protector whom you left

Have you left your chief and your protector

fallen upon al-Ghabrāʾ—its millstone?

On the dusty earth, the tribe’s millstone shattered?

تَرى الشمّ الجحاجحَ مِن بغيضٍ

تَرى الشمّ الجحاجحَ مِن بغيضٍ

تَبدّدَ جَمعُها في مُصطلاها

تَبدّدَ جَمعُها في مُصطلاها

You would see the proud, mighty chiefs of Baghīḍ,

You see the proud, mighty chiefs of Baghīḍ,

their gathered host dispersed in the furnace of battle;

Their host scattered in their battle’s blaze.

فَيَتركها إِذا اِضطربت بِطعنٍ

فَيَتركها إِذا اِضطربت بِطعنٍ

وَيَنهبها إِذا اِشتَجَرت قَناها

وَيَنهبها إِذا اِشتَجَرت قَناها

he would leave them when they convulsed with spear-thrusting,

Then he leaves them pierced by thrusts when they clash,

and plunder them when their lances interlocked.

And plunders them when their spears interlock.

حَذيفةُ لا سُقيتَ مِنَ الغَوادي

حَذيفةُ لا سُقيتَ مِنَ الغَوادي

وَلا روّتكَ هاطلةٌ نداها

وَلا روّتكَ هاطلةٌ نداها

Hudhayfa, may no morning raincloud ever water you,

Ḥudhayfa, may no morning rains water you,

nor any pouring cloud drench you with its rain,

Nor may a pouring cloud drench you with its moisture,

كَما أَفجَعتني بِفتىً كريمٍ

كَما أَفجَعتني بِفتىً كريمٍ

إِذا وُزِنَت بنو عَبسٍ وفاها

إِذا وُزِنَت بنو عَبسٍ وفاها

just as you bereaved me of a noble young man

Just as you bereaved me of a noble young man,

who, when Banu ʿAbs were weighed, made their scale full.

Who, if the sons of ʿAbs were weighed, would balance them all.

فَدَمعي بعدهُ أبداً هطولٌ

فَدَمعي بعدهُ أبداً هطولٌ

وَعَيني دائمٌ أبداً بكاها

وَعَيني دائمٌ أبداً بكاها

So after him my tears will pour forever,

So, after him, my tears pour down forever,

and my eye—its weeping will endure forever.

And my eye weeps ceaselessly, forever.