ما أَكرَمَ اللَهَ عَزَّ مِن مَلِكٍ

ما أَكرَمَ اللَهَ عَزَّ مِن مَلِكٍ

وَرِزقُنا مِن دَلائِلِ الكَرَمِ

وَرِزقُنا مِن دَلائِلِ الكَرَمِ

How generous is God—exalted as a King!

How generously has God, Almighty, honored the king,

And our sustenance is among the signs of generosity.

And provided for us proofs of His generosity.

كَم عالَ مِن كافِرٍ وَكافِرَةٍ

كَم عالَ مِن كافِرٍ وَكافِرَةٍ

مِن اِبتِداءِ الصِبا إِلى الهَرَمِ

مِن اِبتِداءِ الصِبا إِلى الهَرَمِ

How many an unbelieving man and woman He has sustained,

How many an infidel man and woman has risen

from the beginning of childhood to decrepit old age.

From the beginning of youth to old age.

ثُمَّ اِستَقَلّا إِلى قُبورِهِما

ثُمَّ اِستَقَلّا إِلى قُبورِهِما

وَالقَبرُ لِلنازِلينَ كَالحَرَمِ

وَالقَبرُ لِلنازِلينَ كَالحَرَمِ

Then the two departed to their graves,

Then they descended to their graves,

and the grave is like a sanctuary for those who enter it.

And the grave is like a sanctuary to the interred.

إِذا عِظامُ الفَتى بِهِ أَرَمَّت

إِذا عِظامُ الفَتى بِهِ أَرَمَّت

حَسِبتَهُ مِن ثَمودَ أَو إِرَمِ

حَسِبتَهُ مِن ثَمودَ أَو إِرَمِ

When a young man's bones have rotted in it,

When the youth’s bones have settled in it,

you would reckon him one of Thamud or Iram.

You would think him to be from Thamud or Aram.

قَد وَطِئَ الأَخمَصانِ وَيحَهُما

قَد وَطِئَ الأَخمَصانِ وَيحَهُما

عَلى جُسومِ الرِجالِ وَالحُرُمِ

عَلى جُسومِ الرِجالِ وَالحُرُمِ

Both soles have already trodden—alas for them!—

The two shattered ones have trodden and scattered them,

upon the bodies of men and women.

Over the corpses of men and women.

يا جَسَدَ المَيتِ كَم أُضيفَ إِلى

يا جَسَدَ المَيتِ كَم أُضيفَ إِلى

تُربِكَ مِن ياسِرٍ وَمِن بَرَمِ

تُربِكَ مِن ياسِرٍ وَمِن بَرَمِ

O dead man's body, how many have been added to

Oh corpse, how much has been added

your dust—gamblers and nongamblers alike!

To your soil, of potent spell and sterile sand!

وَأَوقَدَ الناسُ فَوقَ أَرضِهِمُ

وَأَوقَدَ الناسُ فَوقَ أَرضِهِمُ

أَمثالَها مِن مُجَمَّعِ الضَرَمِ

أَمثالَها مِن مُجَمَّعِ الضَرَمِ

And people set alight, above their earth,

And people have kindled over their own land

their like, from gathered kindling.

The like of it from the gathered fuel.

لَو أَنصَفوا نَزَّهوا سَوامَهُمُ

لَو أَنصَفوا نَزَّهوا سَوامَهُمُ

مِن غَلَيانِ الكُسورِ في البُرَمِ

مِن غَلَيانِ الكُسورِ في البُرَمِ

Had they acted justly, they would have spared their grazing herds

Had they been just, they would have purified their dark souls

the boiling of their joints in earthen cooking pots.

From the seething of hatred in the dunes.

قَرمٌ هَوى مُقرِمٌ بِصارِمِهِ

قَرمٌ هَوى مُقرِمٌ بِصارِمِهِ

يَدعو بِهِ لا شُفيتَ مِن قَرَمِ

يَدعو بِهِ لا شُفيتَ مِن قَرَمِ

A breeding camel—a meat-craver brought his sharp sword down upon him—

A mangy camel fell, mangy due to his sharpness;

curses him: 'May you never be cured of craving meat!

You will not be healed from manginess.

حَرَمتَني الكَونَ في الرِياضِ وَأَن

حَرَمتَني الكَونَ في الرِياضِ وَأَن

أَنشَقَ رَيّا العَرارِ وَالبَرَمِ

أَنشَقَ رَيّا العَرارِ وَالبَرَمِ

You denied me life in the meadows, and the chance

You have forbidden me the meadows and that

to breathe the scent of oxeye flowers and acacia blossom,

The winds of the lush meadows and knolls should burst open.

أَو أَرِدَ الماءَ بَعدَ خامِسَةٍ

أَو أَرِدَ الماءَ بَعدَ خامِسَةٍ

في هَجَماتِ الحِلالِ وَالصِرَمِ

في هَجَماتِ الحِلالِ وَالصِرَمِ

or reach the water after five days,

Or that water should flow after the fifth time

amid the rush of large and small herds.

In the attacking waves of the lawful and unlawful.

قَضَّيتَ بي حَقَّ رِفقَةٍ وَفَدَت

قَضَّيتَ بي حَقَّ رِفقَةٍ وَفَدَت

حَسبُك مِن مَأثَمٍ وَمُجتَرَمِ

حَسبُك مِن مَأثَمٍ وَمُجتَرَمِ

With me you fulfilled your duty to a party of arriving guests:

You have decreed for me the right of a departed company and it sufficed

that is sin and crime enough for you!'

You from sin and criminality.

رُبَّ مَهاةٍ نَفَت بِمِروَدِها ال

رُبَّ مَهاةٍ نَفَت بِمِروَدِها ال

أَعداءَ عَن طِفلِها فَلَم يَرِمِ

أَعداءَ عَن طِفلِها فَلَم يَرِمِ

Many an oryx drove away, with her kohl-stick horn, the

How many a roaring she-camel has driven away with her bellowing

enemies from her calf, so he did not stir.

Enemies from her calf, and did not throw.

حُمَّ لَها نابِلٌ فَغادَرَها

حُمَّ لَها نابِلٌ فَغادَرَها

مَخضوبَةً بِالنَجيعِ وَهيَ رَمي

مَخضوبَةً بِالنَجيعِ وَهيَ رَمي

An archer was fated for her, and he left her

A howdah was put on her, so she left it

dyed with gore, an arrow-stricken victim.

Bloodstained with bellowing while she was throwing.