في قديم الدهر قد كان لنا

ملك رام دخول الظلمات

In the ancient times we had

A king who wanted to enter the darkness

ليشع النور منها ويرى

أهلها قدرته عند الثبات

To shine light from it and let

Its people see his power in adversity

ثم يسخلف فيهم مثلهم

ولداً أزهر علوي الصفات

Then he would be succeeded by one of them

A blossoming son, sublime in attributes

طلبوا الصلح إليه فأبى

أن يذوقوا معه روح الحياة

They asked him for peace but he refused

For them to taste with him the spirit of life

فرأى ستة بلدان بها

ورأى ستة أملاك عتاة

So he saw six countries

And saw six tyrannical kings

ودعا الطباخ حتى جاءه

بالمدى مشحودة فيها البتات

And called the cook until he came

With a knife to cut up the meat

فصل الأعضاء منها قطعة

قطعة فهي كأمثال الفتات

He cut the pieces one

By one so they were like crumbs

فهو يستخرج بالطبع لها

ودكاً يخرج من ذاك الرفات

He extracts with the marks for them

A buttress that comes out from that rubble

وأتى الملك بأدهان لهم

في ذكاء المسك من طيب الشذاة

And the king came with oils for them

In the scent of musk from the aroma of flowers

ثم لما دهن الملك بها

نَعَّمَته ريح تلك النفحات

Then when the king was anointed with it

Its scent was diffused by those breaths

فغدا وهو طري السن من

بعد شيب فهو يُصبي الصَّبَوات

So he became youthful from

Old age so he makes the youths

ونفى الظلَّ الترابيَّ الذي

كان فيه فهو نوريّ السمات

And dispelled the earthly shadow that

Was in him so he is luminous in attributes

ثم ولاّها فتى من نسله

خالداً لا يتقي ريب الممات

Then he made one of his descendants his successor

Eternal, fearing no doubt of death

يا لها من دهنة من مَسّها

قاتل النار بصبر وثبات

Oh what an anointing that whoever touched it

The fire was killed with patience and resolve

رَمَزَ القوم عليه ضنةً

فهم يدعونه ماء الحياة

The people harbored resentment towards him

Calling him the water of life