كَم ذا نَهنىء بِالآمال أَنفُسَنا

كَم ذا نَهنىء بِالآمال أَنفُسَنا

حَتّى كَأن الفَتى طول المَدا باقى

حَتّى كَأن الفَتى طول المَدا باقى

How often we cheer ourselves with hopes,

How much do we congratulate ourselves with hopes

till it seems a young man will endure for all time!

As if the youth will last forever

فَالدَهرُ يَبسم عَن حِقد بَشائِرِه

فَالدَهرُ يَبسم عَن حِقد بَشائِرِه

فينا وَيَطوى نِكالا ضِمن اِشفاق

فينا وَيَطوى نِكالا ضِمن اِشفاق

For Time smiles, revealing the malice of its glad tidings

Yet time smiles at us with its malicious tidings

toward us, and enfolds punishment within compassion.

And folds its wrath within care

فَاِنظُر تَر الناس سَكرى غفلة عظمت

فَاِنظُر تَر الناس سَكرى غفلة عظمت

اِدارها الدَهر وَاِستَغنى عَن الساقي

اِدارها الدَهر وَاِستَغنى عَن الساقي

So look: you will see people drunk on heedlessness grown immense,

Look how people are drunk with grand delusion

which Time has passed round, dispensing with the cupbearer.

Time turns them and is independent of the cupbearer

ما الحَظ اِلّا اِمتِلاك المَرء عفته

ما الحَظ اِلّا اِمتِلاك المَرء عفته

وَما السَعادَة اِلّا حُسن أَخلاق

وَما السَعادَة اِلّا حُسن أَخلاق

Good fortune is nothing but a man's possession of his chastity,

Fortune is naught but a man preserving his chastity

and happiness is nothing but good character.

And happiness is naught but good morals