عادَةَ الأَيّامِ لا أُنكِرُها

عادَةَ الأَيّامِ لا أُنكِرُها

فَرَحٌ تَقرُنُهُ لي بِتَرَح

فَرَحٌ تَقرُنُهُ لي بِتَرَح

The wont of the days I do not disavow:

I do not deny the habit of the days:

a joy they couple for me with grief.

joy they couple for me with grief.

إِن تَكُن تُفسِدُ ما تُصلِحُهُ

إِن تَكُن تُفسِدُ ما تُصلِحُهُ

فَكَذا الدَهرُ إِذا دَرَّ رَمَح

فَكَذا الدَهرُ إِذا دَرَّ رَمَح

If they undo what they mend,

If they spoil what they mend,

so does Time: when it gives milk, it kicks.

such is Time: when it yields milk, it kicks.

وَإِذا قامَ عَلى النَهجِ اِنثَنى

وَإِذا قامَ عَلى النَهجِ اِنثَنى

وَإِذا سارَ عَلى القَصدِ جَنَح

وَإِذا سارَ عَلى القَصدِ جَنَح

When it takes the clear path, it turns away;

And when it keeps to the path, it turns aside;

when it follows the straight course, it veers aside.

and when it follows a straight course, it veers away.

وَيُرَبّيكَ فَلا تَفرَح بِهِ

وَيُرَبّيكَ فَلا تَفرَح بِهِ

فَهوَ كَالجازِرِ رَبّى فَذَبَح

فَهوَ كَالجازِرِ رَبّى فَذَبَح

It may fatten you—but do not rejoice in that,

And it rears you, so do not rejoice in it;

for it is like a slaughterer who fattens, then slaughters.

for it is like the slaughterer, who reared, then slaughtered.

غَيرَ أَنَّ النَهيَ مِنهُ كُلَّما

غَيرَ أَنَّ النَهيَ مِنهُ كُلَّما

جَمَحَ الدَهرُ بِوادِيَّ كَبَح

جَمَحَ الدَهرُ بِوادِيَّ كَبَح

Yet caution against it, whenever

Yet the reason gained from it, whenever

Time runs wild through my valley, reins it in.

Time bolts through my valley, reins it in.