أَهَكَذا دَوحةُ العَلياء تَنقصِفُ

أَهَكَذا دَوحةُ العَلياء تَنقصِفُ

وَهَكَذا الشَمسُ في الآفاقِ تنكسِفُ

وَهَكَذا الشَمسُ في الآفاقِ تنكسِفُ

Is this how the spreading tree of eminence snaps?

Is this how the proud palm tree sheds its leaves

And is this how the sun is eclipsed across the horizons?

And how the sun is eclipsed in the horizons?

وَهَكَذا ظُبَةُ الماضي تُفلُّ شَباً

وَهَكَذا ظُبَةُ الماضي تُفلُّ شَباً

من بعد ما زانَها الإمضاءُ والرَهفُ

من بعد ما زانَها الإمضاءُ والرَهفُ

And is this how the keen sword’s edge loses its sharpness,

Is this how the gazelles of the past grow old

After cutting power and keenness had adorned it?

After elegance and tenderness adorned them?

وَهَكَذا بهجةُ العليا وَنضرَتها

وَهَكَذا بهجةُ العليا وَنضرَتها

يزري بمُشرقِها الإظلامُ والسَدَفُ

يزري بمُشرقِها الإظلامُ والسَدَفُ

And is this how the splendor of eminence and its freshness

Is this how the joy and radiance of the lofty one

Have their radiance marred by darkness and gloom?

Is shaded by darkness and gloomy clouds?

وَهَكَذا دُرَّةُ المجد الأثيل غَدَتِ

وَهَكَذا دُرَّةُ المجد الأثيل غَدَتِ

يضمُّها بعدَ حُسنٍ الحليةِ الصَدفُ

يضمُّها بعدَ حُسنٍ الحليةِ الصَدفُ

And is this how the pearl of age-old glory has come to be

Is this how the pearl of eternal glory

Enfolded by its shell after the beauty of adornment?

Is held, after beauty, by an oyster shell?

لِلَّه أَيَّةُ روحٍ فارقَت جَسَداً

لِلَّه أَيَّةُ روحٍ فارقَت جَسَداً

وأَيُّ جثمانِ عزٍّ ضمَّه جَدَفُ

وأَيُّ جثمانِ عزٍّ ضمَّه جَدَفُ

By God, what a soul has parted from a body,

What soul has left what glorious body

And what a body of honor a grave has enfolded!

And what corpse has the shovel covered?

يا قُرَّةً لعيونِ المجد قد سَخنَت

يا قُرَّةً لعيونِ المجد قد سَخنَت

بَكى لَها الأَشرَفان المَجدُ والشرفُ

بَكى لَها الأَشرَفان المَجدُ والشرفُ

O coolness to the eyes of glory, now grown hot,

O delight of the eyes of glory, you have departed,

The two noblest—glory and honor—wept for it.

And the noblest shed tears for you, glory and honor.