أَينَ المُلوكُ وَأَينَ ما جَمَعوا وَما

أَينَ المُلوكُ وَأَينَ ما جَمَعوا وَما

ذَخَروهُ مِن ذَهَبِ المَتاعِ الذاهِبِ

ذَخَروهُ مِن ذَهَبِ المَتاعِ الذاهِبِ

Where are the kings, and where is all they amassed, and all

Where are the kings, and where is what they amassed and what

they hoarded of gold—the treasure that passes away?

they hoarded of gold—that fleeting worldly wealth—

وَمِنَ السَوابِغِ وَالصَوارِمِ وَالقَنا

وَمِنَ السَوابِغِ وَالصَوارِمِ وَالقَنا

وَمِنَ الصَواهِلِ بُدَّنٍ وَشَوازِبِ

وَمِنَ الصَواهِلِ بُدَّنٍ وَشَوازِبِ

Where are the ample coats of mail, the keen swords, and the lances,

and of full-length coats of mail, keen swords, and spears,

and the neighing steeds, the stout and the gaunt?

and of neighing horses, stout and lean?

كانَت سَوابِقُها تُحَمِّلُ مِنهُمُ

كانَت سَوابِقُها تُحَمِّلُ مِنهُمُ

أَقمارَ أَندِيَةٍ وَأُسدَ كَتائِبِ

أَقمارَ أَندِيَةٍ وَأُسدَ كَتائِبِ

Their fleet horses once carried from among them

Their swiftest steeds used to bear, from among them,

moons of assembly halls and lions of battalions.

moons of assemblies and lions of battalions.

كانوا لُيوثَ خَفِيَّةٍ لَكِنَّهُم

كانوا لُيوثَ خَفِيَّةٍ لَكِنَّهُم

سَكَنوا غِياضَ أَسِنَّةٍ وَقَواضِبِ

سَكَنوا غِياضَ أَسِنَّةٍ وَقَواضِبِ

They were lions lurking unseen, yet they

They were lions of Khafiyyah, yet they

dwelt in thickets of spearheads and cutting swords.

dwelt in thickets of spearheads and cleaving blades.

قَصَفَتهُم ريحُ الرَدى وَرَمَتهُمُ

قَصَفَتهُم ريحُ الرَدى وَرَمَتهُمُ

كَفُّ المَنونِ بِكُلِّ سَهمٍ صائِبِ

كَفُّ المَنونِ بِكُلِّ سَهمٍ صائِبِ

The wind of death shattered them, and struck them

The wind of death shattered them, and they were struck

the hand of Fate with every unerring arrow.

by the hand of doom with every unerring arrow.