لَوif كانَwere يَبقىto endure علىthrough الأَيامthe days ذوone possessed of شَرفٍhonor
لَو كانَ يَبقى على الأَيام ذو شَرفٍ
لِمَجدِهِby virtue of his glory لَمwould not يُمتdie فَهمٌFahm وَماand those whom وَلداhe begot
لِمَجدِهِ لَم يُمت فَهمٌ وَما وَلدا
If a man of honor could endure through the ages,
By virtue of his glory, Fahm and his offspring would not have died.
حلَتdescended علىupon مالكِthe king of الأَملاكِkings جائِحَةٌa calamity
حلَت على مالكِ الأَملاكِ جائِحَةٌ
هَدَّتit demolished بِناءَthe edifice of العُلاgreatness وَالمَجدِand glory فاِنفصداso it split asunder
هَدَّت بِناءَ العُلا وَالمَجدِ فاِنفصدا
A calamity befell the king of kings,
Shattering the edifice of greatness and glory, which split asunder.
إِذاthen جَذيمَةُJadhimah لاdo not تَبعدgo far away وقدthough already غَلَبَتhas prevailed
إِذا جَذيمَةُ لا تَبعد وقد غَلَبَت
بِهِover him المَناياdeath وقدand already أَودىhe has perished وقدand already بَعُداhe has gone far away
بِهِ المَنايا وقد أَودى وقد بَعُدا
Then, Jadhimah, be not far away, though death has prevailed
Over him, and he has perished and gone far away.
لَوif كانَwere يُفدىto be ransomed ببيتِby a house of العِزِّhonor ذوone possessed of كَرَمٍnobility
لَو كانَ يُفدى ببيتِ العِزِّ ذو كَرَمٍ
فَداكwould ransom you منwhoever حَلَّdwelt in سَهلَthe plains of الأَرضِthe earth والخَلَداand the rugged ground
فَداك من حَلَّ سَهلَ الأَرضِ والخَلَدا
If a noble man could be ransomed by a house of honor,
All who dwell on earth’s plains and rugged ground would ransom you.
ياO راعيَshepherd of المُلكِthe realm أَضحىhas become الملكُthe realm بعدكَafter you لاnot
يا راعيَ المُلكِ أَضحى الملكُ بعدكَ لا
تَدرىknow الرُعاةthe shepherds أَجارَhas it strayed? الملكُthe realm أَمor قَصداkept a straight course
تَدرى الرُعاة أَجارَ الملكُ أَم قَصدا
O shepherd of the realm, after you the realm is such that no
Shepherds know whether it has strayed or kept a straight course.