أسد تفرُّ اليَوم مِن أَشبالِها

أسد تفرُّ اليَوم مِن أَشبالِها

لِتقلب الأَيّام في أَحوالِها

لِتقلب الأَيّام في أَحوالِها

Lions flee today from their cubs,

The lioness today flees from her cubs

Because of time’s reversals in their fortunes.

To change the days into their conditions

كانَت مَرابضها في جلق فَغَدَت

كانَت مَرابضها في جلق فَغَدَت

بِالروم وَهِيَ أَشدّ مِن آجالِها

بِالروم وَهِيَ أَشدّ مِن آجالِها

Their lairs were in Jilliq, but now lie

Her dens were in Jelq then she became

In Rum, which is harsher than their appointed deaths.

In Rome while she is stronger than her terms

لِجُسومِها لَم يَبق في أَرواحِها

لِجُسومِها لَم يَبق في أَرواحِها

ارب لعمر أَبيك غَير زَوالِها

ارب لعمر أَبيك غَير زَوالِها

For their bodies, their souls no longer harbor

For their bodies, nothing remains in their souls

Any wish—by your father’s life—save their passing.

Except their decline, by the life of your father!

وَتَرى الجَداول في الرِياض كَأَنَّها

وَتَرى الجَداول في الرِياض كَأَنَّها

بيض النُصول تَروعها بِصَلالها

بيض النُصول تَروعها بِصَلالها

And they see the streams in the gardens as though they were

And you see the streams in the gardens as if they are

Gleaming blades, frightening them with their clang.

White gazelles, frightened by their whistling

هانَت وَكانَ العز في عَتباتِها

هانَت وَكانَ العز في عَتباتِها

وَتَذَلَلت لِلناس بَعد دَلالِها

وَتَذَلَلت لِلناس بَعد دَلالِها

They were abased, though glory once dwelt at their thresholds,

It became defamed while honor was in its thresholds

And humbled themselves before men after their proud bearing.

And it was humiliated to the people after its arrogance