أَقفَرَ إِلّا مِن نَباتٍ مَنزِلُهْ

أَقفَرَ إِلّا مِن نَباتٍ مَنزِلُهْ

وَدَرَسَت آياتُهُ وَطَلَلُهْ

وَدَرَسَت آياتُهُ وَطَلَلُهْ

His dwelling has grown deserted, save for Nabāt.

His dwelling place is bare save for some plants

And its traces and ruins have faded away.

Its verses and traces have been erased

قَد بانَ مِنها كُلُّ شَيءٍ تَفعَلُهْ

قَد بانَ مِنها كُلُّ شَيءٍ تَفعَلُهْ

إلّا الغِناءُ نَصبُهُ وَرَمَلُهْ

إلّا الغِناءُ نَصبُهُ وَرَمَلُهْ

All that she used to do has left her,

Everything it did has now become apparent

except singing—its naṣb and ramal styles.

Except for the singing, its mode and melody

فَهِيَ كَما أُرسِلَ حَقّاً مَثَلُهْ

فَهِيَ كَما أُرسِلَ حَقّاً مَثَلُهْ

مالِكَ مِن شَيخِكَ إِلّا عَمَلُهْ

مالِكَ مِن شَيخِكَ إِلّا عَمَلُهْ

So she truly fits the saying that was proclaimed:

So it is as was truthfully made its parable

“You have nothing from your old man except his work.”

You have from your elder none but his work