قَد كانَ مَن غَسّانَ قَبلَكَ أَم

قَد كانَ مَن غَسّانَ قَبلَكَ أَم

لاكٌ وَمِن نَصرٍ ذَوو نِعَمِ

لاكٌ وَمِن نَصرٍ ذَوو نِعَمِ

Before you there were, among Ghassan,

There were kings before you from Ghassan and lords from Nazar enjoying prosperity,

kings, and among Nasr, men of bounty.

They wore crowns with determination,

فَتَتَوَّجوا مُلكاً لَهُم هِمَمٌ

فَتَتَوَّجوا مُلكاً لَهُم هِمَمٌ

فَفَنوا فِناءَ أَوائِلِ الأُمَمِ

فَفَنوا فِناءَ أَوائِلِ الأُمَمِ

So they crowned themselves kings, men of ambition,

Then perished like the early generations of nations.

then perished as the earliest nations perished.

Do not assume time will keep you lasting,

لا تَحسَبُنَّ الدَهرَ مُخلِدَكُم

لا تَحسَبُنَّ الدَهرَ مُخلِدَكُم

أَو دائِماً لَكُمُ وَلَم يَدُمِ

أَو دائِماً لَكُمُ وَلَم يَدُمِ

Do not suppose that time will make you immortal,

Or remain eternal for you, it does not last.

or endure for you—it has not endured.

If eternity lasted for Tubba and the masters,

لَو دامَ لِتُبَّعٍ وَذَوي ال

لَو دامَ لِتُبَّعٍ وَذَوي ال

أَصناعِ مِن عادٍ وَمِن إِرَمِ

أَصناعِ مِن عادٍ وَمِن إِرَمِ

Had it endured, it would have endured for Tubbaʿ and the possessors of

Of trade from Aad and from Iram.

fortresses among ʿAd and Iram.