قيلَ عاشَت بِمَوتِهِ وَاِرثوهُ

قيلَ عاشَت بِمَوتِهِ وَاِرثوهُ

حَيث كانوا مِن فُقرِهم في اِكتِئاب

حَيث كانوا مِن فُقرِهم في اِكتِئاب

It was said: his heirs prospered through his death,

They said she lived on after his death, his heirs,

for they had been dejected by their poverty.

As they remained sunk in dejection and poverty.

قُلت لا بدع قَد سَمعنا قَديماً

قُلت لا بدع قَد سَمعنا قَديماً

يَوم مَوت الحَمار عيد الكِلاب

يَوم مَوت الحَمار عيد الكِلاب

I said: no wonder—we heard long ago:

I said this is no novelty, we have heard long ago -

The day of the donkey’s death is the dogs’ feast.

The day the donkey died was a feast day for dogs.