1. Life is hardship, and death is hardship too,
If only the cooing dove were far away!

2. A hand grew yellow, and a blade grew blunt,
A soul desired, and an eye shed tears.

3. And the fire of his brazier in the darkness
Seeks to kindle the years with raising smoke.

4. Whoever lived tries to mend his shirt
And fill his shirt and cure his grief.

5. And he whom the grave embraced cannot be blamed
For what he gained or what he hoarded.

6. He becomes dust equally, whether
Silk or spearhead touches him.

7. And drinking the cup of oblivion with green fernid
Is as if upon their wedding nights the brides perished.

8. Nor does anger diminish his forbearance
If he is titled “remembering” or “forgetting.”

9. He is congratulated for good he attained,
But congratulations are not for what he intended.

10. And it is nearer for him who was in felicity
To meet doom than to meet purpose.

11. Wondrous is my body, its spirit
Has continuously served until it weakened.

12. And it has charged him its marvels
At times singly, at times in pairs.

13. The son of Adam contradicts the state of the branches
For those yielded fruit while this reaped.

14. Dyeing changes his gray hair,
But did it change his back when it bent?

15. When he never betrayed time, it came to him
Deceitfully and said, “Be dimmed!”

16. And horses are the equals of the noble
While the sons of the lowly are but ponies.

17. I have an appointment at the cup of death,
But I know not when its time will come.

18. An age speaks to its sons openly
Though they are ignorant of what it meant.

19. It changes its barrenness to ease
And its events demolish what was built.

20. You have succeeded if you were given heavens
When you visited Mecca or Mina.