تَولَّى المَوْصِلِيّ فقد تَوَلَّتْ

تَولَّى المَوْصِلِيّ فقد تَوَلَّتْ

بَشَاشاتُ المَزَاهِر والقيَانِ

بَشَاشاتُ المَزَاهِر والقيَانِ

Al-Mawsili has departed, and so have vanished

Al-Mawsili has departed, and thus departed

The joys of lutes and singing girls.

The blossoms of flowers and the cups of wine,

وأيُّ مَلاَحَةٍ بقيَتْ فَتَبْقى

وأيُّ مَلاَحَةٍ بقيَتْ فَتَبْقى

حياةُ المَوْصِلي على الزَّمانِ

حياةُ المَوْصِلي على الزَّمانِ

And what beauty remains, that there might endure

And what playfulness remains to remain

Al-Mawsili’s life through the ages?

The life of Al-Mawsili in time?

سَتْبكيهِ المَزَاهِرُ والمَلاَهي

سَتْبكيهِ المَزَاهِرُ والمَلاَهي

وُيُسْعدُهُنَّ عاتقةُ الدَّنان

وُيُسْعدُهُنَّ عاتقةُ الدَّنان

The lutes and musical instruments will weep for him,

The flowers will weep for him and the delights,

And the aged wine in the jars will join their mourning.

And will gladden them the embrace of affection,

وَتبكِيهِ الغَوّيةُ إذ تَوَلَّى

وَتبكِيهِ الغَوّيةُ إذ تَوَلَّى

ولا تبكيهِ تاليةُ القُران

ولا تبكيهِ تاليةُ القُران

And the wayward woman will weep for him, since he has departed,

And the coquette will weep for him when he departed

But the woman who recites the Qur’an will not weep for him.

But she who recites the Quran will not weep for him