لا تندبن ليلى ولا أطلالها

لا تندبن ليلى ولا أطلالها

يوماً إذا ظعنت بها أجمالها

يوماً إذا ظعنت بها أجمالها

Do not mourn Layla, nor the ruins she left behind,

Do not lament Layla, nor her ruined dwellings,

when one day her camels bear her away.

When, one day, her camels carry her away.

واندب هديت قصور سادات عفت

واندب هديت قصور سادات عفت

قد نالهم ريب الزمان ونالها

قد نالهم ريب الزمان ونالها

Mourn instead—may you be guided—the vanished palaces of lords:

And lament—may you be guided—the effaced palaces of lords;

time’s vicissitudes overtook them, and the palaces too.

Time's vicissitudes have struck them and their palaces.

درست معالمها لدرس ملوكها

درست معالمها لدرس ملوكها

وتغيرت من بعدهم أحوالها

وتغيرت من بعدهم أحوالها

Their landmarks vanished as their kings vanished,

Their landmarks were effaced because their kings had vanished,

and after them, all their fortunes changed.

And their condition changed after those kings were gone.

فإذا مررت بربعهم فلتبكهم

فإذا مررت بربعهم فلتبكهم

واسأله عن نسوانها ورجالها

واسأله عن نسوانها ورجالها

So if you pass by their dwelling, weep for them,

So when you pass by their dwelling, weep for them,

and ask it about its women and its men.

And ask it about its women and its men.

فلسان حال الربع يخبر أنهم

فلسان حال الربع يخبر أنهم

أفلت كواكبهم وغاب هلالها

أفلت كواكبهم وغاب هلالها

For the tongue of the dwelling’s condition declares that

For the tongue of the dwelling's condition declares that

their stars have set, and its crescent moon has disappeared.

Their stars have set, and its crescent has vanished.

كانوا إذا نزل العفاة ببابهم

كانوا إذا نزل العفاة ببابهم

جادوا لها بالمال قبل سؤالها

جادوا لها بالمال قبل سؤالها

Whenever needy petitioners alighted at their door,

They would, whenever seekers of bounty came to their door,

they lavished wealth upon them before they could ask.

Lavish wealth on them before they asked.

وإذا انتضوا أسيافهم يوم الوغى

وإذا انتضوا أسيافهم يوم الوغى

كانت لها الهامات غمد نصالها

كانت لها الهامات غمد نصالها

And when they drew their swords on the day of battle,

And when they unsheathed their swords on the day of battle,

heads became sheaths for their blades.

Heads served as sheaths for their blades.

أنبا علي في الورى مشهورة

أنبا علي في الورى مشهورة

بالبأس والتقوى وبذل نوالها

بالبأس والتقوى وبذل نوالها

The tales of ʿAli are renowned among humankind

Ali's sons are renowned among humankind,

for valor, piety, and bounty freely bestowed.

For valor, piety, and the bestowal of their bounty.

يا دهر إن هدمت قواعد مجدهم

يا دهر إن هدمت قواعد مجدهم

فلهم من العلياء رؤوس جبالها

فلهم من العلياء رؤوس جبالها

O Time, though you have demolished the foundations of their glory,

O Time, if you have demolished the foundations of their glory,

the peaks of glory’s mountains remain theirs.

Yet theirs are the summits of the mountains of eminence.

لهم الإمامة والخلافة بعدها

لهم الإمامة والخلافة بعدها

صلحت لهم حقاً وهم أكفا لها

صلحت لهم حقاً وهم أكفا لها

The imamate is theirs, and the caliphate after it;

The imamate is theirs, and the caliphate after it;

it is rightfully fitting for them, and they are worthy of it.

It rightly befitted them, and they were best qualified for it.