ما لِلمَنِيَّةِ لا تَزالُ مُلِحَّةً

ما لِلمَنِيَّةِ لا تَزالُ مُلِحَّةً

تَعدو عَلَيَّ وَما أُطيقُ قِتالَها

تَعدو عَلَيَّ وَما أُطيقُ قِتالَها

Why is Death ever so insistent,

Death, you are ever so bitter,

Charging against me when I cannot bear to fight her?

Assailing me when I've no strength left to fight.

تَسقي المُلوكَ بِكَأسِ حَتفٍ مُرَّةٍ

تَسقي المُلوكَ بِكَأسِ حَتفٍ مُرَّةٍ

وَلِتُلبِسَنَّكَ إِن بَقيتَ جَلالَها

وَلِتُلبِسَنَّكَ إِن بَقيتَ جَلالَها

She gives kings drink from a bitter cup of death,

You serve kings a cup of vile poison,

And if you live on, she will surely clothe you in her robes.

And if they live, clothe them in your gown.

أَردَت أَغَرَّ مِنَ المُلوكِ مُتَوَّجاً

أَردَت أَغَرَّ مِنَ المُلوكِ مُتَوَّجاً

وَرِثَ النُبُوَّةَ بَدرَها وَهِلالَها

وَرِثَ النُبُوَّةَ بَدرَها وَهِلالَها

She struck down a radiant, crowned king,

You took one more splendid than crowned kings -

Who inherited prophethood—its full moon and its crescent.

Inheritor of the Prophet's light and glory.

أَغنى العُفاةِ بِنائِلٍ مُتَدَفِّقٍ

أَغنى العُفاةِ بِنائِلٍ مُتَدَفِّقٍ

مَلءَ البِلادَ دَوافِعاً فَأَسالَها

مَلءَ البِلادَ دَوافِعاً فَأَسالَها

He enriched those seeking gifts with overflowing bounty,

You left the destitute gushing tears,

Filling the lands with surging torrents, he set them flowing.

Flooding every land with sorrows for him.