ولست باحيا من رجال رأَيتهم

ولست باحيا من رجال رأَيتهم

لكل امرىء يوماً حمام ومصرع

لكل امرىء يوماً حمام ومصرع

Nor am I longer-lived than men I have seen.

I am not alive among the men I have seen

For every man, one day, there is death and a place to fall.

For every man there is a day of bath and death

دعا ضابئاً داعي المنايا فجاءة

دعا ضابئاً داعي المنايا فجاءة

وَلَمّا دعوا باسم ابن دارة اسمعوا

وَلَمّا دعوا باسم ابن دارة اسمعوا

Death's herald suddenly summoned Dabi'.

Death's caller called for a wanderer, so he suddenly came

And when they called Ibn Dara's name, they made themselves heard.

And when they called by the name of Ibn Darah, listen

وَحصن بصحراء الثويّة بيته

وَحصن بصحراء الثويّة بيته

أَلا إِنَّما الدنيا متاع يمتعُ

أَلا إِنَّما الدنيا متاع يمتعُ

And Hisn's home is in the desert of al-Thuwayya.

And Aus ibn Mughirah Al-Quraymi has passed away

Behold, this world is only a pleasure to enjoy.

Above Abu Yat's winds he has a grave

وأَوس بن مغراء القريمي قد ثوى

وأَوس بن مغراء القريمي قد ثوى

له فوق أَبيات الرياحي مضجعُ

له فوق أَبيات الرياحي مضجعُ

And Aws ibn Maghra' al-Quraymi has come to rest.

And Nabighah Al-Ja'di in the sand his home

His resting place is above al-Riyahi's dwellings.

Upon it a marble ornamented roof

وَنابغة الجعدي بالرمل بيته

وَنابغة الجعدي بالرمل بيته

عليه صفيح من رخام مرصعُ

عليه صفيح من رخام مرصعُ

And Nabigha al-Ja'di's home is in the sand.

And my tribe did not return from Humayri

Over it lie inlaid slabs of marble.

To Ibn Wathil when his soul departs

وَما رجعت من حميري عصابة

وَما رجعت من حميري عصابة

إلى ابن وثيلٍ نفسه حين تنزعُ

إلى ابن وثيلٍ نفسه حين تنزعُ

And no Himyarite band brought back

I see Ibn Jamil's home in the island

To Ibn Wathil his soul as it was being torn away.

He left the life and what he used to collect

أَرى ابن جميل بالجَزيرة بيته

أَرى ابن جميل بالجَزيرة بيته

وقد ترك الدنيا وما كانَ يجمعُ

وقد ترك الدنيا وما كانَ يجمعُ

I see Ibn Jamil, his home in al-Jazira,

In Najran, the joints of Al-Najashi have become

And he has left the world and what he used to gather.

A place where pigeons roost and coo

بنجران اوصال النجاشي اصبحت

بنجران اوصال النجاشي اصبحت

تَلوذُ به طيرٌ عكوف ووقّع

تَلوذُ به طيرٌ عكوف ووقّع

In Najran, al-Najashi's limbs have come to lie;

And Shamakh and Muzarrid have died

Birds seek shelter by him, lingering and perched.

Oh mighty one, I do not care if you prevent

وَقَد ماتَ شماخ ومات مزرَّد

وَقَد ماتَ شماخ ومات مزرَّد

واي عزيز لا ابالك يمنعُ

واي عزيز لا ابالك يمنعُ

And Shammakh has died, and Muzarrad has died.

Those are people who have passed for their flood

And what mighty man—may you have no father!—can be shielded?

As Luqman ibn 'Ad and Tubba' have died

اولئك قوم قد مضوا لسيلهم

اولئك قوم قد مضوا لسيلهم

كَما ماتَ لقمان بن عاد وُتبعُ

كَما ماتَ لقمان بن عاد وُتبعُ

Those are men who have passed on along their stream,

Just as Luqman son of 'Ad and Tubba' died.