وليس نسيم المسك ريح حنوطه

وليس نسيم المسك ريح حنوطه

ولكنه ذاك الثناء المخلفُ

ولكنه ذاك الثناء المخلفُ

And the waft of musk is not the scent of his burial perfume,

It is not the fragrance of musk that is the wind of his balsam,

But it is that praise he left behind.

But rather it is that lingering praise left behind.

وليس صرير النعش ما تسمعونه

وليس صرير النعش ما تسمعونه

ولكنه أصلاب قوم تقصَّفُ

ولكنه أصلاب قوم تقصَّفُ

And it is not the creaking of the bier that you hear,

It is not the rattling of the bier that you hear,

But the backbones of people snapping.

But rather the backs of a people bending down.