لَعَمري لَقَد رَدَّ الزَمانُ وَرَيبُهُ

لَعَمري لَقَد رَدَّ الزَمانُ وَرَيبُهُ

نَفيسَةَ مِن مُلكٍ إِلى شَرِّ مَقعَدِ

نَفيسَةَ مِن مُلكٍ إِلى شَرِّ مَقعَدِ

By my life, time and its vicissitudes have indeed reduced

By my life, time and its vicissitudes

Nafisa from royal power to the worst of seats,

Have brought down Nufaysa from kingdom to the worst abode,

سَبِيَّةَ قَومٍ لَو دَعَت لَأَجابَها

سَبِيَّةَ قَومٍ لَو دَعَت لَأَجابَها

بَنا الحَربِ ضَرّابو يَدَي كُلَّ أَصيَدِ

بَنا الحَربِ ضَرّابو يَدَي كُلَّ أَصيَدِ

A captive woman whose people, had she called, would have answered her—

A captive of a people who, had she called them, would have answered her,

Sons of war, smiters of both hands of every haughty lord.

Men of war, strikers with every hand.

وَلَو لَم يَمُت آلُ المُهَلَّبِ لَم تَكُن

وَلَو لَم يَمُت آلُ المُهَلَّبِ لَم تَكُن

تَناوَلُها بِالرِجلِ مِنكَ وَلا اليَدِ

تَناوَلُها بِالرِجلِ مِنكَ وَلا اليَدِ

And had the house of al-Muhallab not perished, you would not be

Had not the Al of Muhalhil perished,

Touching her with your foot, nor with your hand.

She would not have been handled by you, neither by hand nor foot.

تَنَحَّ أَهانَ اللَهُ مَثواكَ خاسِئاً

تَنَحَّ أَهانَ اللَهُ مَثواكَ خاسِئاً

عَنِ اِسمِ نَبِيِّ المُسلِمينَ مُحَمَّدِ

عَنِ اِسمِ نَبِيِّ المُسلِمينَ مُحَمَّدِ

Withdraw—may God dishonor your abode—in disgrace,

May God abase your dwelling! You have turned away

From the name of the Muslims’ Prophet, Muhammad.

From the name of Muhammad, prophet of the Muslims.