طرقت بنشوة روضةٍ ربعيةٍ

طرقت بنشوة روضةٍ ربعيةٍ

بات الندى في نورها يترقرقُ

بات الندى في نورها يترقرقُ

I visited by night, in rapture, a vernal garden;

She came by night with the rapture of a springtime garden,

the dew spent the night shimmering among its blossoms.

The dew shimmering all night amid its blossoms.

خلق تخلقه زمانك مرة

خلق تخلقه زمانك مرة

وإلى الخليقة يرجع المتخلِّق

وإلى الخليقة يرجع المتخلِّق

A character your lifetime assumes but once—

A disposition your age once assumed;

and whoever assumes a character returns to his native nature.

One who affects a character returns to his innate nature.

لو أمتع المرءَ الشبابُ حياتَه

لو أمتع المرءَ الشبابُ حياتَه

أزرى به أن المآرب تخلق

أزرى به أن المآرب تخلق

Were youth to delight a man throughout his life,

Even if youth gave a man enjoyment throughout his life,

the wearing thin of his aspirations would bring him low.

The wearing-out of desires would diminish him.