1. يا طائِراً لا يَكُفُّ

    هَل أَنتَ نَجمٌ يَرِفُّ

    O bird that never ceases,

    are you a star that flutters,

  2. أَم أَنتَ خِطفَةُ نورٍ

    أَم أَنتَ قَلبٌ يَخِفُّ

    or are you a flash of light,

    or are you a heart that grows light?

  3. تَطيرُ نَدباً طَروباً

    فَوقَ الزُهورِ تَدِفُّ

    You fly, nimble and joyful,

    above the flowers you flutter.

  4. شابَهَتني في شَبابي

    بَل إِنَّ جِسمي أَخَفُّ

    You resemble me in my youth—

    rather, my body was lighter still.

  5. قَد كانَ ريشُ جَناحي

    مِن عَسجَدٍ يُستَشَفُّ

    Indeed, the feathers of my wing were

    of translucent gold.

  6. وَكُنتُ بِالدَهرِ دَوماً

    مُستَهزِئاً أَستَخِفُّ

    And always I treated time

    with mockery, making light of it,

  7. حَتّى لَقيتُ شَديداً

    مِنَ اللَيالي يَشِفُّ

    until I met a harsh ordeal

    from the nights, which wore me thin.

  8. قَد شابَ قَلبي فَنَفسي

    عَنِ السُرورِ تَعِفُّ

    My heart has grown gray, so my soul

    abstains from joy.

  9. وَأَصبَحَ الحُزنُ حَولي

    مِن كُلِّ جَنبٍ يَحِفُّ

    And sorrow is now around me,

    encircling me on every side.

  10. وَسَوفَ يَذبُلُ قَلبي

    غَداً وَدَمعي يَجِفُّ

    And my heart will wither

    tomorrow, and my tears will dry.