أَينَ القُرونُ بَنو القُرونِ

أَينَ القُرونُ بَنو القُرونِ

وَذَوُو المَدائِنِ وَالحُصونِ

وَذَوُو المَدائِنِ وَالحُصونِ

Where are the generations, sons of generations,

Where are the generations, sons of the generations,

And the lords of cities and fortresses,

And those of cities and fortresses,

وَذَوُو التَجَبُّرِ في المَجا

وَذَوُو التَجَبُّرِ في المَجا

لِسِ وَالتَكَبُّرِ في العُيونِ

لِسِ وَالتَكَبُّرِ في العُيونِ

And those who were overbearing in assem-

And those of arrogance in gatherings

blies, and haughty in people's eyes?

And haughtiness in eyes?

كانوا المُلوكَ فَأَيُّهُم

كانوا المُلوكَ فَأَيُّهُم

لَم يُفنِهِ رَيبُ المَنونِ

لَم يُفنِهِ رَيبُ المَنونِ

They were kings—so which of them

They were kings - so which of them

Was not destroyed by the ravages of death?

Was not undone by the visitor of death?

أَو أَيُّهُم لَم يُلفَ في

أَو أَيُّهُم لَم يُلفَ في

دارِ البِلى غَلِقَ الرُهونِ

دارِ البِلى غَلِقَ الرُهونِ

Or which of them was not found in

Or which of them was not wrapped in the abode of ruin,

The abode of decay, pledged beyond redemption?

With debts sealed shut?

وَلَقَد غَنوا في عيشَةٍ

وَلَقَد غَنوا في عيشَةٍ

لَيسَت لِأَنفَسِهِم بِدونِ

لَيسَت لِأَنفَسِهِم بِدونِ

And indeed they lived a life

They lived in luxury

That was not beneath them.

That was not theirs forever to own.

صاروا حَديثاً بَعدَهُم

صاروا حَديثاً بَعدَهُم

إِنَّ الحَديثَ لَذو شُجونِ

إِنَّ الحَديثَ لَذو شُجونِ

They became a tale after their passing;

After them they became tales -

Indeed, the tale has many branches.

And a tale is mournful.

وَالدَهرُ دائِبَةٌ عَجا

وَالدَهرُ دائِبَةٌ عَجا

إِبُ صَرفِهِ جَمُّ الفُنونِ

إِبُ صَرفِهِ جَمُّ الفُنونِ

And time—unceasing are the won-

Time constantly turns

ders of its vicissitudes—is rich in forms.

With the changes of all things.

لا بُدَّ فيهِ لِئامِنِ ال

لا بُدَّ فيهِ لِئامِنِ ال

أَيّامِ مِن يَومٍ خَأُونِ

أَيّامِ مِن يَومٍ خَأُونِ

Within it, there must be, for one who trusts the

In it, for the days of man's life,

days, a treacherous day.

There is no escape from an evil day.