يا مَحَلَّ المُلوكِ أَينَ ملوكٌ

يا مَحَلَّ المُلوكِ أَينَ ملوكٌ

ظافَرتهُم خِلالَكَ النعماءُ

ظافَرتهُم خِلالَكَ النعماءُ

O abode of kings, where are the kings

O dwellings of kings, where are the kings

whom prosperity favored in your midst?

Whose blessings filled you, O abodes of joy?

نَعِمُوا والزَّمَانُ يَضحَكُ مِنهُم

نَعِمُوا والزَّمَانُ يَضحَكُ مِنهُم

رُبَّ ضَحكٍ يَكُونُ مِنهُ بُكَاءُ

رُبَّ ضَحكٍ يَكُونُ مِنهُ بُكَاءُ

They lived in ease, while time laughed at them;

They revelled, and time laughed at them -

Many a laugh gives rise to weeping.

Many a laugh leads on to weeping and woe.

هُدِموا وَالبِنَاءُ بَاقٍ مشيدٌ

هُدِموا وَالبِنَاءُ بَاقٍ مشيدٌ

ليتَهُم شُيّدوا وَهُدّ البِناءُ

ليتَهُم شُيّدوا وَهُدّ البِناءُ

They were torn down, yet the building still stands lofty;

They were laid low, yet their edifices remain,

Would that they had been built up, and the building torn down!

Would that they had built, and destruction destroyed!