وقكُلُّ اِمرِئٍ بِأَثافي الدَهرِ مَرجومُ

وَكُلُّ بَيتٍ طَويلِ السَمكِ مَهدومُ

Every mortal is fated by the vicissitudes of time,

And every towering mansion is destined to crumble.

لا سوقَةٌ مِنهُمُ يَبقى وَلا مَلِكٌ

مِمَّن تَمَلَّكَهُ الأَحرارُ وَالرومُ

No ruler remains of those who ruled, nor king

Of those who ruled the free and the Romans.

إِنَّ الحَوادِثَ لا يَبقى لِنائِبِها

إِلّا الإِلَهُ وَراسي الأَصلِ مَعلومُ

For time's events no substitute remains

Except God, whose origin is known and firm.

وَقَد أَتاني حَديثٌ غَيرُ ذي طِيَلٍ

مِن مَعشَرٍ رَأيُهُم قِدماً تَهاميمُ

And there came to me news not lightly told

From a people whose minds hastily judge.

إِنَّ الشَجاةَ الَّتي حَدَّثتُمُ اِعتَرَضَت

خَلفَ اللَها لَم تُسَوِّغها البَلاعيمُ

The branches they told of were crossed

Behind God - specious arguments swayed them not.

إِن كانَ صَخرٌ تَوَلّى فَالشَماتُ بِكُم

وَلَيسَ يَشمَتُ مَن كانَت لَهُ طومُ

If the rock has tumbled, do not gloat over us,

He who has a shelter does not gloat.

مُرُّ الحَوادِثِ يَنقادُ الجَليدُ لَها

وَيَستَقيمُ لَها الهَيّابَةُ البومُ

The flow of events tames the untamed,

And the grim of face obey it with awe.

قَد كانَ صَخراً جَليداً كامِلاً بَرِعاً

جَلدَ المَريرَةِ تُنميهِ السَلاجيمُ

He was rock and ice, fully competent and adept,

Whose rigor was heightened by calamities.

فَأَصبَحَ اليَومَ في رَمسٍ لَدى جَدَثٍ

وَسطَ الضَريحِ عَلَيهِ التُربُ مَركومُ

Today he lies in a tomb by the gravesite,

Dust heaped upon him, buried.

تَاللَهِ أَنسى اِبنَ عَمروِ الخَيرِ ما نَطَقَت

حَمامَةٌ أَو جَرى في الغَمرِ عُلجومُ

By God! The son of 'Amr, may I forget the good he spoke

Or what dove flew or fish swam in the deep.

أَقولُ صَخرٌ لَدى الأَجداثِ مَرمومُ

وَكَيفَ أَكتُمُهُ وَالدَمعُ مَسجومُ

I say: a rock by the graves, pelted!

How can I conceal him, while my tears flow copiously?