وَاِسَوأَتاهُ لِأَرضٍ أَصبَحَت غَنَما

وَاِسَوأَتاهُ لِأَرضٍ أَصبَحَت غَنَما

تَرعاهُ عاجِلَةَ الأَسقامِ وَالنوبِ

تَرعاهُ عاجِلَةَ الأَسقامِ وَالنوبِ

Oh, the shame of a land that has become a flock of sheep,

And he envied a land that became plunder

Tended by swiftly arriving illnesses and calamities.

Grazed by the hastening of illnesses and misfortune

تَزدادُ ثَروَتُها وَالقَومُ نَخوَتُهُم

تَزدادُ ثَروَتُها وَالقَومُ نَخوَتُهُم

تَهوى فُتوتَها خَوّارَةَ العَصَبِ

تَهوى فُتوتَها خَوّارَةَ العَصَبِ

Its wealth increases, while the people's proud spirit—

Its wealth increases while the people's glory decreases

Its youthful vigor wanes, its sinews weak.

Its exuberant youth covet the breaking of covenants

أَهلُ الإِمارَةِ مِن صيدٍ غَطارِفَةٍ

أَهلُ الإِمارَةِ مِن صيدٍ غَطارِفَةٍ

أَو مِن ذَوي الجاهِ وَالأَلقابِ وَالرُتَبِ

أَو مِن ذَوي الجاهِ وَالأَلقابِ وَالرُتَبِ

The men of rule are drawn from proud, highborn chiefs,

The people of authority are from well-known tribes

Or from men of prestige, titles, and rank.

Or those with prestige, titles, and high office

أَحوالُهُم أَبَداً رَهنٌ لِمُنقَلِبٍ

أَحوالُهُم أَبَداً رَهنٌ لِمُنقَلِبٍ

تَحولُ مِن زاهِرٍ يَوماً إِلى عَطَبِ

تَحولُ مِن زاهِرٍ يَوماً إِلى عَطَبِ

Their fortunes are ever hostage to reversal,

Their circumstances are always subject to ups and downs

Turning one day from prosperity to ruin.

Shifting from prosperous one day to ruined the next

وَنَفخَةٌ مِن ذَوي السُلطانِ تَخلُقُهُم

وَنَفخَةٌ مِن ذَوي السُلطانِ تَخلُقُهُم

كَنَفخَةٍ خَلَقَتهُم قَبلُ في النِعَمِ

كَنَفخَةٍ خَلَقَتهُم قَبلُ في النِعَمِ

And a breath from those in power wears them out,

And a puff from the powerful creates them

Like a breath that once created them amid blessings.

Like the puff that created them before in luxury

لكِنَّ أَهلَ القُرى الأَبطالُ كُلَّهُم

لكِنَّ أَهلَ القُرى الأَبطالُ كُلَّهُم

فَخرُ البِلادِ الشَدادَ العَزمِ وَالهِمَمِ

فَخرُ البِلادِ الشَدادَ العَزمِ وَالهِمَمِ

But the village folk, heroes every one,

But the heroes of the villages, all of them

The pride of the land, strong in resolve and aspiration—

Are the pride of the firm, determined countries

إِذا هَمّو ذَهَبوا وَاِنثَل صَرحُهُم

إِذا هَمّو ذَهَبوا وَاِنثَل صَرحُهُم

وَغالَهُم غائِلُ الأَرزاءِ وَالسَقَمِ

وَغالَهُم غائِلُ الأَرزاءِ وَالسَقَمِ

If they grow feeble, they perish, and their edifice crumbles,

When they become resolute, they advance and their citadel rises high

And the scourge of calamities and sickness carries them off,

And they are helped by the guardian of honor and well-being

فَلا مَرَدَّ لَهُم لا شُيءَ يَخلِفُهُم

فَلا مَرَدَّ لَهُم لا شُيءَ يَخلِفُهُم

مِن بَعدِهِم كُلُّ شَيءٍ باتَ كَالعَدَمِ

مِن بَعدِهِم كُلُّ شَيءٍ باتَ كَالعَدَمِ

Then there is no return for them; nothing takes their place.

So they have no retreat, nothing holds them back

After them, everything becomes as nothing.

After them everything remains as if it never existed