ما جاءَنا مِمَّن مَضى خَلَفُ

ماجاءَ إِلّا الخَلفُ لا الخَلَفُ

Nothing remains of those who passed before

Except their progeny, not their predecessors

آثارُهُم فيها مَزابِلُهُم

وَنَسيمُ ذِكرشهِمُ بِها جِيَفُ

Their ruins contain their rubbish

And the breeze of their memory is rotten

غابوا وَغابَ الجودُ بَعدَهُمُ

فَاليَومَ لا شَرَفٌ وَلا سَرَفُ

They passed away, and generosity passed away after them

So today there is no nobility or extravagance

لَهفي لِفُرقَةِ مَن عَدِمتُهُم

وَيَقِلُّ بَعدَ فِراقِها اللَهفُ

I yearn for those I have lost

And after their departure, yearning decreases

وَمَضى الَّذينَ بِظِلِّهِم كَنَفٌ

وَأَنّى الَّذينَ يُظِلُّهُم كُنُفُ

Those who gave shade with their protection are gone

Where are those now who can give shade with their protection?

عَطَفوا وَقَد قَدَروا وَأَعقَبَهُم

قَومٌ بِهِم قَدَروا وَما عَطَفوا

They were gentle and they were destined and succeeded by

A people destined who did not gently entreat

إِنَّ السَعادَةَ فارَقَت سَلَفاً

مَن لا لَهُ في أَمسِها سَلَفُ

Indeed, happiness has parted from ancestors

For those who have no past share in it