سَأَلتُ المَكرُماتِ وَقَد تَبَدَّت

وَعَهدي قَد مَضى بِالمَكرُماتِ

I questioned noble virtues when they appeared,

Though my days with noble virtues had long since passed:

بِأَيَّةِ حالَةٍ بانَت وَكانَت

لَقَد بانَت وَباتَت في المَواتِ

“In what condition had they gone, and what had become of them?”

They had indeed departed and lain among the dead.

فَقالَت قَد صَدَقَت عَدِمتُ لَكِن

أَبو مَندورٍ قَد أَحيا رُفاتي

Then they said, “You have spoken truly: I was no more—but

Abu Mandur has brought my remains back to life.”