لَقَد أَورَثَ العَبسِيُّ مَجداً مُؤَثَّلاً

لَقَد أَورَثَ العَبسِيُّ مَجداً مُؤَثَّلاً

وَمَحمَدَةً مِن باقِياتِ المَحامِدِ

وَمَحمَدَةً مِن باقِياتِ المَحامِدِ

Indeed, the man of ‘Abs was bequeathed firmly rooted glory,

The gloomy one left behind enduring glory,

and praise among the praises that endure,

And praise that remains among the praises.

حِباءُ شَقيقٍ عِندَ أَحجارِ قَبرِهِ

حِباءُ شَقيقٍ عِندَ أَحجارِ قَبرِهِ

وَما كانَ يُحبى قَبلَهُ قَبرُ وافِدِ

وَما كانَ يُحبى قَبلَهُ قَبرُ وافِدِ

by the gift to Shaqiq beside the stones of his grave;

The tears of a dear brother at his grave’s stones—

no visitor’s grave before his had ever received a gift.

No grave before it was so tearfully praised.

أَتى قَومَهُ مِنهُ حِباءٌ وَكُسوَةٌ

أَتى قَومَهُ مِنهُ حِباءٌ وَكُسوَةٌ

وَرُبَّ اِمرِئٍ يَسعى لِئاخَرَ قاعِدِ

وَرُبَّ اِمرِئٍ يَسعى لِئاخَرَ قاعِدِ

A gift and clothing from him reached his people,

From him his people got gifts and garments.

and many a man strives for another who sits idle.

Yet many a man strives for another still seated.

حِياضُ المَنايا لَيسَ عَنها مُزَحزَحٌ

حِياضُ المَنايا لَيسَ عَنها مُزَحزَحٌ

فَمُنتَظِرٌ ظِمأً كَآخَرَ وارِدِ

فَمُنتَظِرٌ ظِمأً كَآخَرَ وارِدِ

There is no escape from the pools of death:

The meadows of death allow no drawing back.

so one waiting thirsty is like another arriving to drink.

A thirsty one awaits, like another who came to drink.

خَبالٌ وَسُقمٌ مُضنِئٌ وَمَنِيَّةٌ

خَبالٌ وَسُقمٌ مُضنِئٌ وَمَنِيَّةٌ

وَما غائِبٌ إِلّا كَآخَرَ شاهِدِ

وَما غائِبٌ إِلّا كَآخَرَ شاهِدِ

Affliction, debilitating sickness, and death—

Sickness, weakness, misery, and death

and one absent is no different from another present.

And no absent one but is like another present.

فَلَو كانَ حَيٌّ ناجِياً لَوَجَدتَهُ

فَلَو كانَ حَيٌّ ناجِياً لَوَجَدتَهُ

مِنَ المَوتِ في أَحراسِهِ رَبَّ مارِدِ

مِنَ المَوتِ في أَحراسِهِ رَبَّ مارِدِ

So, if any living man could escape, you would have found him—

Had he been living, speaking privately, you’d have found him

the lord of Marid, amid his guards—safe from death.

From death, in his guards, scarcely drawing back.

أَوِ الحَضرُ لَم يَمنَع مِنَ المَوتِ رَبَّهُ

أَوِ الحَضرُ لَم يَمنَع مِنَ المَوتِ رَبَّهُ

وَقَد كانَ ذا مالٍ طَريفٍ وَتالِدِ

وَقَد كانَ ذا مالٍ طَريفٍ وَتالِدِ

Or al-Hadr—it did not shield its lord from death,

Did not kinsmen hinder death’s Lord from him

though he possessed wealth, newly acquired and inherited.

When he had elegant wealth constantly increasing?

أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ الناسَ تَخلُدُ بَعدَهُم

أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ الناسَ تَخلُدُ بَعدَهُم

أَحاديثُهُم وَالمَرءُ لَيسَ بِخالِدِ

أَحاديثُهُم وَالمَرءُ لَيسَ بِخالِدِ

Have you not seen that what endures after people are gone

See you not that after people pass away

is their stories, while man himself is not immortal?

Their tales remain while man himself is not everlasting?