عَجِبتُ لِآمِرِنا لَم يُطَع

عَجِبتُ لِآمِرِنا لَم يُطَع

وَلِلخُلدِ عِزٌّ فَلَم يُستَطَع

وَلِلخُلدِ عِزٌّ فَلَم يُستَطَع

I marvelled that our commander was not obeyed,

I'm amazed that he who was commanded is not obeyed,

And immortality is unassailable, so it could not be attained.

And eternity has honor but could not be attained,

وَنَظمُ أُناسٍ تَناهى إِلَيَّ

وَنَظمُ أُناسٍ تَناهى إِلَيَّ

مِن عَهدِ آدَمَ ثُمَّ اِنقَطَع

مِن عَهدِ آدَمَ ثُمَّ اِنقَطَع

And a chain of people reached me

And a string of people reached me

From Adam's time, then broke off.

From the time of Adam then was cut off,

وَأَشنَبَ إِن أَنظَرَتهُ المَنونُ

وَأَشنَبَ إِن أَنظَرَتهُ المَنونُ

فَلا بُدَّ مِن قَصمٍ أَو لَطَع

فَلا بُدَّ مِن قَصمٍ أَو لَطَع

And one with lovely teeth, if Death grants him respite,

And if death looked upon him, he frowned,

Has no escape from broken teeth or toothlessness.

So there's no alternative but a breaking or a loosening,

فَلا تَيأَسَنَّ لِلَيلٍ دَجا

فَلا تَيأَسَنَّ لِلَيلٍ دَجا

وَلا تَفرَحَنَّ بِفَجرٍ سَطَع

وَلا تَفرَحَنَّ بِفَجرٍ سَطَع

So never despair at a night grown dark,

So do not despair of the darkest night,

Nor ever rejoice at a dawn that shone forth.

Nor rejoice at the rising of a radiant dawn,

وَلا تَحفِلَنَّ أَلِلسَيّبِ أَم

وَلا تَحفِلَنَّ أَلِلسَيّبِ أَم

مَعَ السَيفِ قُدِّمَ ذاكَ النَطَع

مَعَ السَيفِ قُدِّمَ ذاكَ النَطَع

Nor care whether for largesse or

And pay no heed whether the sword was brought

Alongside the sword that leather mat was brought forth.

Before or after that fatal blow.