1. مات معزُّ الدين من قبل أن

    يلتذَّ في الملك بأحبابه

    Muʿizz al-Din died before he could

    delight in kingship with his loved ones.

  2. ولا أنتهى منه إِلى غايةٍ

    يبلغ فيها بعض آرابه

    Nor had he reached in it a goal

    where he could fulfill some of his desires.

  3. عاجله المقدارُ في نفسه

    فابتزَّه من دون أترابه

    Fate suddenly struck at his very life,

    and snatched him away before his peers.

  4. ثوى فلم يبقَ سوى ذكره

    وما فشا من حُسن آدابه

    He lay in the grave; nothing remained but his memory

    and what had spread abroad of his fine manners.

  5. كأنه لم يغدُ يوما ولم

    يرح مليكاً بين حجّابه

    As though he had never gone forth one morning, nor

    returned at evening a king among his chamberlains;

  6. ولم تسر للغزو أحزابه

    في نصرة الله وأحرابه

    nor had his hosts marched out on campaign

    in God's cause and His battles.

  7. ليت المنايا قبلت رشوة

    فيه فلم تمرر على بابه

    If only the fates of death had accepted a bribe

    for him, and so had not passed by his door.

  8. وليتني كنت له فادياً

    دون مواليه وأصحابه

    And would that I had been his ransomer,

    rather than his retainers and his companions.

  9. سرعان ما حوَّلنا دهرُنا

    من أريه الشافي إِلى صابه

    How swiftly our time has turned us

    from its healing honey to its bitter sap!

  10. كنا نرِّجى أن يُعزَّى بنا

    لا أننا نحن نُعزَّى به

    We had hoped that he would be consoled for our loss,

    not that we ourselves would be consoled for his.

  11. مثل فؤادي ليس أحرى به

    إِلا تحليه لأحرابه

    Nothing better suits a heart like mine

    than to array itself for its battles.

  12. وهل يرى راحة عيش وقد

    أوصى به الوجد لأوصابه

    And can it find ease in living, when

    grief has bequeathed it to its torments?

  13. كل له دأب وأحرابه

    عليه طول العمر من دابه

    Each has its wont, and its battles

    against him throughout life are part of that wont.