قُل لِلفَتى نَصرَ أَبي الفَتحِ

قُل لِلفَتى نَصرَ أَبي الفَتحِ

إِنَّ المُقاتِلَ حَلَّ بِالنَطحِ

إِنَّ المُقاتِلَ حَلَّ بِالنَطحِ

Tell the young man Nasr Abu al-Fath:

Tell the young man Nasr Abu al-Fath

Indeed, the Warrior has alighted at al-Nath.

That the warrior attacked with a headbutt

وَأَراهُ قَهقَرَ فيهِ ثُمَّ مَضى

وَأَراهُ قَهقَرَ فيهِ ثُمَّ مَضى

قُدماً وَمُدَّبِراً إِلى الرُمحِ

قُدماً وَمُدَّبِراً إِلى الرُمحِ

And I see that he retreated there, then went

And I saw him retreat from it, then go

forward and backward toward the Spear.

Forward and turn back to the spear

وَأَرى النُحوسَ لَهُ مُساعَدَةً

وَأَرى النُحوسَ لَهُ مُساعَدَةً

فَاِنظُر لِنَفسِكَ وَاِقبَلَن نُصحي

فَاِنظُر لِنَفسِكَ وَاِقبَلَن نُصحي

And I see the ill-omened stars aiding him;

And I see misfortune helping him

so look to yourself, and do accept my advice.

So look out for yourself and accept my advice

وَوَجَدتُ ذَلِكَ إِذ حَسِبتَ لَهُ

وَوَجَدتُ ذَلِكَ إِذ حَسِبتَ لَهُ

مِمّا يَدُلُّ عَلى غَلا القَمحِ

مِمّا يَدُلُّ عَلى غَلا القَمحِ

And I found this, when you reckoned for him,

And I found that when you counted for him

to be among the signs of wheat growing dear,

What indicates the expensiveness of wheat

وَنُزولَ أَمرٍ لا أَفوهُ بِهِ

وَنُزولَ أَمرٍ لا أَفوهُ بِهِ

لَو كانَ يَبلُغُ بي إِلى الرِبحِ

لَو كانَ يَبلُغُ بي إِلى الرِبحِ

and of a coming event I will not speak of,

And the descent of a matter I dare not utter

even if it were to bring me profit.

Even if it would profit me

وَإِذا رَأَيتَ البَدرَ في بُلَعٍ

وَإِذا رَأَيتَ البَدرَ في بُلَعٍ

نَزَلَ القَضاءُ بِأَبرَحِ البَرحِ

نَزَلَ القَضاءُ بِأَبرَحِ البَرحِ

And when you see the full moon in Bulaʿ,

And when you see the full moon in eclipse

fate descends with the direst affliction.

Destiny descended with the most intense eclipse

يا رُبَّ طالِعَةِ العِشاءِ أَتَت

يا رُبَّ طالِعَةِ العِشاءِ أَتَت

بِخِلافِ ذاكَ طَوالِعُ الصُبحِ

بِخِلافِ ذاكَ طَوالِعُ الصُبحِ

Ah, many an evening ascendant has been followed

O Lord of the rising of the evening, it came

by dawn's ascendants, contrary to it!

Unlike the risings of dawn

وَلَرُبَّ رافِلَةٍ عَشِيَّتُها

وَلَرُبَّ رافِلَةٍ عَشِيَّتُها

في الوَشيِ أَضحَت وَهيَ في المِسحِ

في الوَشيِ أَضحَت وَهيَ في المِسحِ

And many a woman trailing her robes at evening

And the Lord of a barge that darkened in the evening

in brocade was, by morning, clad in sackcloth,

At dawn emerged damp

تَبكي عَلى مَن كانَ يُكرِمُها

تَبكي عَلى مَن كانَ يُكرِمُها

نَحّاءَ بَينَ نَوادِبٍ نُحِّ

نَحّاءَ بَينَ نَوادِبٍ نُحِّ

weeping for the one who used to honor her,

Crying over one who honored her

sobbing among sobbing mourners.

A wail between mourning women's laments