إذا نلتَ مأمولاً على رأس برهةٍ

إذا نلتَ مأمولاً على رأس برهةٍ

حسبْتُك قد أحرزت غُنماً من الغُنمِ

حسبْتُك قد أحرزت غُنماً من الغُنمِ

When you attained something hoped for at the end of a span of time,

If you obtain a long-awaited wish suddenly,

I thought you had secured some gain;

I think you have gained some gains.

ولم تذكر الغُرْم الذي قد غرمْتَهُ

ولم تذكر الغُرْم الذي قد غرمْتَهُ

من العُمُر الماضي ويا لك من غُرْمِ

من العُمُر الماضي ويا لك من غُرْمِ

And you did not remember the loss you had already incurred

But you forgot the losses you had incurred

From your life already spent—and what a loss!

previously, oh how much loss!

رأيتُ حياةَ المرء رهناً بموته

رأيتُ حياةَ المرء رهناً بموته

وصحَّتَهُ رهناً كذلك بالسُّقمِ

وصحَّتَهُ رهناً كذلك بالسُّقمِ

I saw a man's life held hostage to his death,

I saw a person's life hostage to his death,

And his health likewise held hostage to sickness.

and his health likewise hostage to illness.

إذا طاب لي عيشي تنغصتُ طيبه

إذا طاب لي عيشي تنغصتُ طيبه

بصدق يقيني أن سيذهبُ كالحُلمِ

بصدق يقيني أن سيذهبُ كالحُلمِ

When my life grows sweet to me, I find its sweetness spoiled

If my living becomes pleasant, I spoil its pleasure

By my firm certainty that it will vanish like a dream.

with my sincere belief that it will disappear like a dream.

ومن كان في عيشٍ يراعي زواله

ومن كان في عيشٍ يراعي زواله

فذلك في بؤسٍ وإن كان في نُعمِ

فذلك في بؤسٍ وإن كان في نُعمِ

And whoever lives mindful of life's passing,

And whoever lives while minding its passing

That person is in misery, even if he lives in bliss.

is in misery even if amidst bounty.