وَلَتَأتِيَن بَعدي قُرونٌ جَمَّةٌ

تَرعى مَخارِمَ أَيكَةٍ وَلَدودا

Surely many generations will come after me,

grazing the passes of Aykah and Ladud.

فَالشَمسُ طالِعَةٌ وَلَيلٌ كاسِفٌ

وَالنَجمُ تَجري أَنحُساً وَسُعودا

The sun will rise, while night veils the world in darkness,

and the stars will course on—ill-omened and auspicious—

حَتّى يُقالَ لِمَن تَعَرَّقَ دَهرَهُ

يا ذا الزَمانَةِ هَل رَأَيتَ عَبيدا

until someone whose age has struck deep roots is asked:

“O decrepit one, have you ever seen ʿUbayd?”

مِأَتَي زَمانٍ كامِلٍ وَنَصِيَّةٍ

عِشرينَ عِشتُ مُعَمَّراً مَحمودا

Two hundred full years, and half of

twenty, I lived—long-lived and praised.

أَدرَكتُ أَوَّلَ مُلكِ نَصرٍ ناشِئً

وَبِناءَ سِندادٍ وَكانَ أُبيدا

I witnessed Nasr’s rule when first it arose,

and the building of Sindad, which stood enduring.

وَطَلَبتُ ذا القَرنَينِ حَتّى فاتَني

رَكضاً وَكِدتُ بِأَن أَرى داأُودا

I pursued Dhu al-Qarnayn until he outstripped me,

at a gallop; and I nearly saw David.

ما تَبتَغي مِن بَعدِ هَذا عيشَةً

إِلّا الخُلودَ وَلَن تَنالَ خُلودا

After all this, what life could you desire

except immortality? Yet immortality you will never attain.

وَلَيَفنَيَن هَذا وَذاكَ كِلاهُما

إِلّا الإِلَهَ وَوَجهَهُ المَعبودا

Surely this and that shall both perish,

except God and His worshiped Face.