وَإِن يَرجِعِ النُعمانُ نَفرَح وَنَبتَهِج

وَإِن يَرجِعِ النُعمانُ نَفرَح وَنَبتَهِج

وَيَأتِ مَعَدّاً مُلكُها وَرَبيعُها

وَيَأتِ مَعَدّاً مُلكُها وَرَبيعُها

And if al-Nuʿmān returns, we rejoice and exult;

If Nu'man returns, we will rejoice and be delighted,

And to Maʿadd come its kingship and its springtime;

And Ma'dan will come back with its kingdom and spring,

وَيَرجِع إِلى غَسّانَ مُلكٌ وَسُؤدُدٌ

وَيَرجِع إِلى غَسّانَ مُلكٌ وَسُؤدُدٌ

وَتِلكَ المُنى لَو أَنَّنا نَستَطيعُها

وَتِلكَ المُنى لَو أَنَّنا نَستَطيعُها

And kingship and eminence return to Ghassān.

And the kingdom and protection will return to Ghassan,

And those are the wishes—if only we could fulfill them.

And those hopes - if only we could achieve them!

وَإِن يَهلِكِ النُعمانُ تُعرَ مَطِيَّهُ

وَإِن يَهلِكِ النُعمانُ تُعرَ مَطِيَّهُ

وَيُلقَ إِلى جَنبِ الفِناءِ قُطوعُها

وَيُلقَ إِلى جَنبِ الفِناءِ قُطوعُها

And if al-Nuʿmān perishes, his riding camels will be stripped bare,

But if Nu'man perishes, his riding animal will be stripped,

And their saddlecloths will be cast beside the courtyard.

And his remains will be cast beside destruction,

وَتَنحَط حَصانٌ آخِرَ اللَيلِ نَحطَةً

وَتَنحَط حَصانٌ آخِرَ اللَيلِ نَحطَةً

تَقَضقَضُ مِنها أَو تَكادُ ضُلوعُها

تَقَضقَضُ مِنها أَو تَكادُ ضُلوعُها

And late at night a chaste woman heaves a deep sigh;

And another horse will stumble at the end of night,

Her ribs shatter from it—or nearly do—

Its ribs almost or completely crushed.

عَلى إِثرِ خَيرِ الناسِ إِن كانَ هالِكاً

عَلى إِثرِ خَيرِ الناسِ إِن كانَ هالِكاً

وَإِن كانَ في جَنبِ الفَتاةِ ضَجيعُها

وَإِن كانَ في جَنبِ الفَتاةِ ضَجيعُها

In mourning for the best of men, if he has perished,

Following the best of people, if he is destroyed,

Even if the maiden's bedfellow lies beside her.

And if his resting place is beside the young woman.