إنَّ السلاطين الَّذين اعتَلَوا

إنَّ السلاطين الَّذين اعتَلَوا

في حُفَرٍ هاويَةٍ قَد هَوَوا

في حُفَرٍ هاويَةٍ قَد هَوَوا

Indeed, the sultans who rose on high

The tyrants who rose high

have fallen into deep pits.

In deep dark pits have fallen

نادهم مالَهُمُ بَعدَما

نادهم مالَهُمُ بَعدَما

قد طبقوا الأرض مَضوا وانزووا

قد طبقوا الأرض مَضوا وانزووا

Call out to them: why, after

Their wealth is of no use to them now

having filled the earth, have they departed and withdrawn?

After they have become one with the earth and vanished

ما بالُ أغصانِهم ذبَّلٌ

ما بالُ أغصانِهم ذبَّلٌ

وما لَهُم تحتَ الثَّرى قد ثَووا

وما لَهُم تحتَ الثَّرى قد ثَووا

Why are their branches withered,

Why have their branches withered

and why have they lain beneath the soil?

And why beneath the soil have they decayed

لم يُلو حق اللَهِ إذ جاءهم

لم يُلو حق اللَهِ إذ جاءهم

وكم غريمٍ قبلَهُ قد لَووا

وكم غريمٍ قبلَهُ قد لَووا

God's claim was not deferred when it came to them,

They did not fulfill God's right when it came to them

though they had put off many a creditor before it.

And how many adversaries before them have bent

انظر إلى دارهم بعدَهُم

انظر إلى دارهم بعدَهُم

خاليةً خاويةً إذ خَووا

خاليةً خاويةً إذ خَووا

Look at their dwelling after them,

Look at their abode after them

empty and desolate, since they perished.

Empty, desolate when they have departed

وادخُل بلا إذنٍ ولا رقبةٍ

وادخُل بلا إذنٍ ولا رقبةٍ

واعلُ ذُرى كُل منيعٍ أَووا

واعلُ ذُرى كُل منيعٍ أَووا

And enter without permission or fear,

And enter without permission or constraint

and climb the summits of every stronghold where they sheltered.

And tread the dust of every unassailable fortress

إن لم تُفد من حالهم عبرةً

إن لم تُفد من حالهم عبرةً

فاهوَ هواهُم واجتو ما اجتووا

فاهوَ هواهُم واجتو ما اجتووا

If you gain no lesson from their condition,

If you take no lesson from their state

then love what they loved and loathe what they loathed.

Then desire what they desired and seek what they sought