أحسنُ ممّا تضمّنَ العطنُ

أحسنُ ممّا تضمّنَ العطنُ

وبلدةٍ قد أبادَها الزمَنُ

وبلدةٍ قد أبادَها الزمَنُ

Fairer than what the camels’ watering-place held,

Better than what was implied in promise,

Lovelier than all the resting-grounds enclose,

and a town that Time has laid waste,

And a country that time has destroyed,

Or any town that Time has worn away,

ومن طلولٍ طالَ الزمانُ بها

ومن طلولٍ طالَ الزمانُ بها

يطول فيها البكاءُ والحزنُ

يطول فيها البكاءُ والحزنُ

and ruins over which long ages have passed,

And from tall heights where time lingered,

Or ruins where the ancient silence grows,

where weeping and sorrow linger,

Where weeping and sorrow lingered long,

Where weeping and deep sorrow hold their sway,

ظبيٌ أعارَ الزمانَ مقلتَهُ

ظبيٌ أعارَ الزمانَ مقلتَهُ

كأنّهُ في جمالهِ وثَنُ

كأنّهُ في جمالهِ وثَنُ

is a gazelle who lent Time his eye;

A gazelle who lent his eye to time

A gazelle who lent to Time his very eye,

in his beauty, he is like an idol.

As if in his beauty an idol.

As if he were an idol, standing high.