أَعَبدَ اللَهِ دَع لَوّاً وَلَيتا

أَعَبدَ اللَهِ دَع لَوّاً وَلَيتا

فَقَد أَصبَحتَ يا مِسكينُ مَيتا

فَقَد أَصبَحتَ يا مِسكينُ مَيتا

O ʿAbd Allāh, leave off “if” and “would that.”

Worship God and leave vain conceit,

For you are now dead, poor wretch.

For you have become, o wretched one, dead.

وَكُنتَ بِخِلَّتَينِ تُدِلُّ حَتّى

وَكُنتَ بِخِلَّتَينِ تُدِلُّ حَتّى

رُميتَ مِنَ السَماءِ كَما رَمَيتا

رُميتَ مِنَ السَماءِ كَما رَمَيتا

And you used to boast of two qualities, until

You used to be so stingy and miserly,

you were struck from the sky, just as you had struck.

Until you were cast down from the sky as you yourself cast down.

بِلينٍ مَرَّةً وَبِقَدرِ عَونٍ

بِلينٍ مَرَّةً وَبِقَدرِ عَونٍ

فَسُوِّدَ وَجهُ عَونٍ وَاِطَّلَيتا

فَسُوِّدَ وَجهُ عَونٍ وَاِطَّلَيتا

With softness once, and with ʿAwn’s standing;

Show a little flexibility and some help,

so ʿAwn’s face was blackened, and you became smeared.

So the face of Help can brighten and the dark clouds disperse.

فَأَنتَ اليَومَ في خِزيٍ عَظيمٍ

فَأَنتَ اليَومَ في خِزيٍ عَظيمٍ

فَكَيفَ غَداً تَكونُ إِذا اِلتَحَيتا

فَكَيفَ غَداً تَكونُ إِذا اِلتَحَيتا

So today you are in great disgrace;

Today you are in deep disgrace -

then how will you fare tomorrow, when you grow a beard?

How will you be tomorrow when the two armies meet?