من كان أخطأهُ الزمانُ بكيدِهِ

من كان أخطأهُ الزمانُ بكيدِهِ

فلديَّ من كيدِ الزمان فريُّهُ

فلديَّ من كيدِ الزمان فريُّهُ

If time has spared anyone its scheming,

He who was wronged by fate through its deceit

I have suffered the enormity of time's scheming.

I have protection from the guile of fate

وردَ البشيرُ بقرب من أحببتُهُ

وردَ البشيرُ بقرب من أحببتُهُ

حتى إِذا استبشرتُ جاءَ نعيُّهُ

حتى إِذا استبشرتُ جاءَ نعيُّهُ

The bearer of glad tidings came, announcing the nearness of the one I loved;

And the herald came with news of my beloved

But just as I rejoiced, news of his death arrived.

So I rejoiced, and then came word of his death

ما حالُ مفجوعٍ بمنيةِ نفسِه

ما حالُ مفجوعٍ بمنيةِ نفسِه

قد بانَ عنهُ شقيقُهُ وصفيُّهُ

قد بانَ عنهُ شقيقُهُ وصفيُّهُ

How fares one stricken by the death of his own soul,

What is the state of one grief-stricken by his own soul

His brother and cherished friend having parted from him?

When even his brother and friend have left him

أألذُّ طعمَ العيشِ بعدَ فراقهِ

أألذُّ طعمَ العيشِ بعدَ فراقهِ

إنّي إِذاً قاسي الفؤادِ خليُّهُ

إنّي إِذاً قاسي الفؤادِ خليُّهُ

Can I savor the taste of life after parting from him?

Is life still sweet after his departure?

Then I would indeed be hard of heart, devoid of it.

If so, my heart must be hard and cold

ولربما كانَ الحياةُ عقوبةً

ولربما كانَ الحياةُ عقوبةً

حتى يعذَّبَ بالبقاءِ شقيُّهُ

حتى يعذَّبَ بالبقاءِ شقيُّهُ

And life can sometimes be a punishment,

And perhaps life itself is a punishment

So that its wretched sufferer is tormented by living on.

So that the wretched suffer from enduring it