فَبِتُّ أُعَدِّي كَم أَسَافَت وغَيَّرَت

فَبِتُّ أُعَدِّي كَم أَسَافَت وغَيَّرَت

وُقُوعُ الَمنُونِ مِن مَسُودٍ وَسائدِ

وُقُوعُ الَمنُونِ مِن مَسُودٍ وَسائدِ

So I spent the night counting how many were destroyed and changed

For long have I pondered how fate changes and alters,

By the blows of death, subjects and rulers alike.

Bringing down those once high on cushions and pillows.

صَرَعنَ قُباذاً رَبَّ فارِسَ كُلِّها

صَرَعنَ قُباذاً رَبَّ فارِسَ كُلِّها

وَحَشَّت بأَيديها بَوارِقَ آمِدِ

وَحَشَّت بأَيديها بَوارِقَ آمِدِ

They struck down Qubadh, lord of all Persia,

It felled the commanders, lords of the Persian realm,

And with their hands kindled Amid's lightning-flashes.

And with its hands made their bright swords dim.

عَصَفنَ عَلَى الَحيقار وَسطَ جُنودِهِ

عَصَفنَ عَلَى الَحيقار وَسطَ جُنودِهِ

وبَيَّتنَ في لَذَّاتِهِ رَبَّ مارِدِ

وبَيَّتنَ في لَذَّاتِهِ رَبَّ مارِدِ

They stormed upon al-Hayqar amid his troops,

It swept against Al-Hayqar amidst his armies,

And attacked the lord of Marid by night amid his pleasures.

And made ruins of the abodes of many a demon.

وجِئنَ بِتُركٍ مِن قَرارِ بِلادهِمِ

وجِئنَ بِتُركٍ مِن قَرارِ بِلادهِمِ

يَسيرُ بِجَمعٍ كالدَّبَا الُمتَسانِدِ

يَسيرُ بِجَمعٍ كالدَّبَا الُمتَسانِدِ

And brought Turks from the heart of their lands,

The Turks it brought, from the lands of their clans,

Marching with a host like young locusts massed together.

Marching in force, linked together like camels in a caravan.

وأَخرَجنَ يَومَ الَحوصِ سَيِّدَ حِميَرٍ

وأَخرَجنَ يَومَ الَحوصِ سَيِّدَ حِميَرٍ

بِحَرِبَةِ جِّنيٍّ مِن الَحبشِ حارِدِ

بِحَرِبَةِ جِّنيٍّ مِن الَحبشِ حارِدِ

And on the day of al-Haws drove out the lord of Himyar,

On the day of Al-Haws, it brought forth the lord of donkeys

With the spear of a raging jinn from among the Abyssinians.

With the rage of a Jinn from Abyssinia, untamable.

ومُلكُ سُليمَان بنِ داودَ زُلِّزلَت

ومُلكُ سُليمَان بنِ داودَ زُلِّزلَت

وريدانَ قَد أَلحَقنَهُ بالصَّعائدِ

وريدانَ قَد أَلحَقنَهُ بالصَّعائدِ

And the kingdom of Solomon son of David was shaken;

The kingdom of Solomon son of David it made shake

And Raydan they had reduced to bare earth.

And tore it down, reducing it to rubble.

وخَلفَ بَني النَّاصُورِ لَم يَبقَ مِنهُمُ

وخَلفَ بَني النَّاصُورِ لَم يَبقَ مِنهُمُ

بِقَيَّةُ مَولوُدٍ ولا ذِكرُ والِدِ

بِقَيَّةُ مَولوُدٍ ولا ذِكرُ والِدِ

And after the sons of al-Nasur, none of them remained—

Of the sons of Al-Nasour none remain

Not a surviving child, nor the memory of a father.

No newborn, nor memory of forebear.

وكانَ مُلوكُ الرُّومِ يُجبَى إليهمُ

وكانَ مُلوكُ الرُّومِ يُجبَى إليهمُ

قَناطيرُ مالٍ مِن خَراجٍ وزائدِ

قَناطيرُ مالٍ مِن خَراجٍ وزائدِ

And to the kings of Rome were once brought

The kings of Rome once owed tribute

Great weights of wealth, from tribute and surplus.

Of wealth from taxes and overage.

فلا تَغبِطَن إنساً بِشَيءٍ يُنالُهُ

فلا تَغبِطَن إنساً بِشَيءٍ يُنالُهُ

مِنَ الدَّهرِ لا مالٍ ولا عَيشِ واجِدِ

مِنَ الدَّهرِ لا مالٍ ولا عَيشِ واجِدِ

So never envy a mortal for anything he gains

So envy no man what he gains from fate -

From time—neither wealth nor a life of plenty.

Possessions or life of ease.