سُليمانُ مَفْسدةُ المملكَهْ

سُليمانُ مَفْسدةُ المملكَهْ

فأهلكَهُ اللَّهُ واستدْركَهْ

فأهلكَهُ اللَّهُ واستدْركَهْ

Sulayman is the ruin of the kingdom;

Solomon corrupted the kingdom,

so may God destroy him and overtake him.

So Allah destroyed him and took him to task.

رعى طبرستان رعيَ المُضِي

رعى طبرستان رعيَ المُضِي

ع وهْيَ إلى الحَشْرِ مُسْتَهْلكَهْ

ع وهْيَ إلى الحَشْرِ مُسْتَهْلكَهْ

He tended Tabaristan as a negligent keeper would,

He shepherded Tabaristan with ruinous guidance,

and it lies ruined until the Resurrection.

Taking it to destruction bit by bit.

وما كان براً على ضَعْفِهِ

وما كان براً على ضَعْفِهِ

ولا فاجراً قَبْلُ ما أفتكه

ولا فاجراً قَبْلُ ما أفتكه

He was not righteous, for all his weakness,

He was not righteous in his weakness,

nor wicked before—how murderous he is!

Nor wicked before he wrought havoc.

هو الأسدُ الوَرْدُ في قصرِهِ

هو الأسدُ الوَرْدُ في قصرِهِ

ولكنَّه ثعلبُ المعْرَكَهْ

ولكنَّه ثعلبُ المعْرَكَهْ

He is the tawny lion in his palace,

He was the lion, the blossom in his palace,

but he is the fox of the battlefield.

Yet the fox on the battlefield.

وأحسِبُ فرعونَ في كفره

وأحسِبُ فرعونَ في كفره

وهامانَ ما سلكا مسلَكَهْ

وهامانَ ما سلكا مسلَكَهْ

And I reckon Pharaoh, in his unbelief,

I reckon Pharaoh in his disbelief,

and Haman never trod his path.

And Haman never walked his path.

توقّعْ لبغدادَ إذْ ساسها

توقّعْ لبغدادَ إذْ ساسها

زِفافاً فقدْ أصبحَتْ مُمْلكهْ

زِفافاً فقدْ أصبحَتْ مُمْلكهْ

Expect for Baghdad, now that he rules her,

Expect Baghdad’s wedding when it is ruled

a bridal procession, for she is now betrothed.

By him, for it has become a kingdom.

سَيُتْبِعُها طبرِسْتانَها

سَيُتْبِعُها طبرِسْتانَها

تَصَبَّر لذاك فما أوشكَهْ

تَصَبَّر لذاك فما أوشكَهْ

He will make her follow her Tabaristan;

Tabaristan will follow it,

summon patience for that—how soon it will come!

He pretended to be devout, yet danger lurks.

أتاها فزلزل أرْكانَها

أتاها فزلزل أرْكانَها

وأشْلَى ابْن أوْسٍ على الصَّعْلَكَهْ

وأشْلَى ابْن أوْسٍ على الصَّعْلَكَهْ

He came to her and shook her pillars,

He came to it, shaking its pillars,

and incited Ibn Aws to brigandage.

And paralyzing Ibn Aws at the rocks.

وقد كادَ يَهْوي بها عَرْشُها

وقد كادَ يَهْوي بها عَرْشُها

ولكنْ تباركَ من أمسكَهْ

ولكنْ تباركَ من أمسكَهْ

And her throne nearly came crashing down with her,

Its throne almost collapsed under it,

but blessed is the One who held it up.

But blessed is He who upheld it.

وجدتُ مُوَلّيَهُ مُلْقياً

وجدتُ مُوَلّيَهُ مُلْقياً

بكلْتا يديْهِ إلى التَّهْلُكَهْ

بكلْتا يديْهِ إلى التَّهْلُكَهْ

I found the man who appointed him casting himself

I found its governor thrown down,

with both his hands into destruction.

With both hands reaching out to destruction.