أَتَهزَأُ مِنّي أُمُّ عَمرَةَ أَن رَأَت

أَتَهزَأُ مِنّي أُمُّ عَمرَةَ أَن رَأَت

نَهاراً وَلَيلاً بَلَّياني فَأَسرَعا

نَهاراً وَلَيلاً بَلَّياني فَأَسرَعا

Does Umm ‘Amrah mock me because she has seen

Does Umm ‘Amrah mock me when she saw

day and night wear me out and hasten on?

Night and day wearing me out and hastening?

فَإِن أَكُ لاقَيتُ الدَهاريسَ مِنهُما

فَإِن أَكُ لاقَيتُ الدَهاريسَ مِنهُما

فَقَد أَفنَيا النُعمانَ قَبلي وَتُبَّعا

فَقَد أَفنَيا النُعمانَ قَبلي وَتُبَّعا

For if I have encountered calamities from them both,

For if I do meet misfortunes from them

they have already destroyed al-Nu‘man before me, and Tubba‘.

They had wasted Nu’man before me, and followed suit

وَلا يَلبَثُ الدَهرُ المُفَرِّقُ بَينُهُ

وَلا يَلبَثُ الدَهرُ المُفَرِّقُ بَينُهُ

عَلى الفيلِ حَتّى يَستَديرَ فَيُصرَعا

عَلى الفيلِ حَتّى يَستَديرَ فَيُصرَعا

Nor does Time, whose parting sunders, linger long

Time, the separator, is quick to come between us

over the elephant before it turns about and is felled.

Until it turns around and knocks us down

كَما قالَ سَعدٌ إِذ يَقودُ بِهِ اِبنَهُ

كَما قالَ سَعدٌ إِذ يَقودُ بِهِ اِبنَهُ

كَبِرتَ فَجَنِّبني الأَرانِبَ صَعصَعا

كَبِرتَ فَجَنِّبني الأَرانِبَ صَعصَعا

As Sa‘d said when his son was leading him:

As Sa’d said when leading his son on the elephant:

“You have grown old; so steer me clear of rabbits, Sa‘sa‘.”

“You’ve grown; spare me these rabbits, rustler!”