وَلَقَد تعلم سَلمى أَنَّني

وَلَقَد تعلم سَلمى أَنَّني

صادِقُ الوَعدِ وَفِيٌّ بِالذّمَمْ

صادِقُ الوَعدِ وَفِيٌّ بِالذّمَمْ

And Salma surely knows that I

Salma has learned that I am

am true to my word, faithful to my pledges.

True to my word and faithful to promises

وَالفَتى يَعدو وَيسري لَيلَه

وَالفَتى يَعدو وَيسري لَيلَه

وَهوَ في نَبلِ المَنايا بِأُمَمْ

وَهوَ في نَبلِ المَنايا بِأُمَمْ

And the young man hastens and journeys through his night,

And the young man makes promises and travels at night

while he is within close range of death's arrows.

While he is destined for different fates

بَينَما يُصبِحُ يَوماً ناعِماً

بَينَما يُصبِحُ يَوماً ناعِماً

في غِنىً فاشٍ وَأَهلٍ وَنَعَمْ

في غِنىً فاشٍ وَأَهلٍ وَنَعَمْ

While he awoke one day at ease,

While one day he wakes up feeling content

amid abundant wealth, family, and herds,

In abundant riches, family, and comfort

أمَّه مُختَرِمُ المَوتِ وَمَن

أمَّه مُختَرِمُ المَوتِ وَمَن

يَكُ لِلمَوتِ بأمّ يُختَرَمْ

يَكُ لِلمَوتِ بأمّ يُختَرَمْ

death's ravager sought him out; and whoever

His mother is nearing death and whoever

is within death's reach is cut down.

Is destined for death will meet it

فَثوى لَيسَ لَهُ مِمّا حَوى

فَثوى لَيسَ لَهُ مِمّا حَوى

غَيرَ أَكفانٍ وَنَعشٍ وَرَجَمْ

غَيرَ أَكفانٍ وَنَعشٍ وَرَجَمْ

So he lay dead, with nothing of what he had amassed

So he took refuge but of what he sought

save shrouds, a bier, and a grave cairn.

He got nothing but shrouds, a bier, and stones