نذيري من عسى ولعل نفسي

نذيري من عسى ولعل نفسي

ومن أختيهما حتى وسوفا

ومن أختيهما حتى وسوفا

My own soul warns me against "perhaps" and "maybe,"

My warnings, from whom may live or perhaps my soul,

and against their two sisters, "until" and "will."

And from its two sisters, till and maybe,

فكم عللن قبلي من قرون

فكم عللن قبلي من قرون

إلى أن شافها الحدثانُ شوفا

إلى أن شافها الحدثانُ شوفا

For they lulled so many generations before me with hopes,

How many they have excused before me for centuries,

until time's vicissitudes utterly destroyed them.

Until the two cheekbones have clearly seen,

ولم نر قط أغدر من زمان

ولم نر قط أغدر من زمان

ولا بنذوره في الغدر أوفى

ولا بنذوره في الغدر أوفى

And never have we seen anything more treacherous than time,

And we have never seen time more treacherous,

nor more faithful to its vows in treachery.

Nor more faithful in treachery are its seeds,

فإن قدمت خوفاً جرَّ أمناً

فإن قدمت خوفاً جرَّ أمناً

وإن قدمت أمناً جر خوفا

وإن قدمت أمناً جر خوفا

For if you put fear first, it brings safety;

If it brings fear it will drag safety,

and if you put safety first, it brings fear.

And if it brings safety it will drag fear.