طَلَبَ البَقاءَ بِكُلِّ فَألٍ صالِحِ

طَلَبَ البَقاءَ بِكُلِّ فَألٍ صالِحِ

وَبِكُلِّ جارٍ سانِحٍ أَو بارِحِ

وَبِكُلِّ جارٍ سانِحٍ أَو بارِحِ

He sought long life through every favorable omen,

With every virtuous try he longed for life

And through every creature passing rightward or leftward.

And every generous or parting neighbor

سَمّاهُ سَعداً ظَنَّ أَن يَحيا بِهِ

سَمّاهُ سَعداً ظَنَّ أَن يَحيا بِهِ

عَمري لَقَد أَلفاهُ سَعدَ الذابِحِ

عَمري لَقَد أَلفاهُ سَعدَ الذابِحِ

He named him Saʿd, thinking he would live through him.

He called it bliss, expecting he’d survive

By my life, he found him to be Saʿd al-Dhābiḥ—the Slaughterer’s Fortune.

Yet my life found it but a slaughtering saber