خُطوبٌ لِلقُلوبِ بِها وَجيبُ

خُطوبٌ لِلقُلوبِ بِها وَجيبُ

تَكادُ لَها مَفارِقُنا تَشيبُ

تَكادُ لَها مَفارِقُنا تَشيبُ

Calamities that set hearts pounding;

Sorrows for hearts with which they grey

The crowns of our heads almost turn gray because of them.

Our separation from them nearly makes us old

نَرى الأَقدارَ جاريَةً بِأَمرٍ

نَرى الأَقدارَ جاريَةً بِأَمرٍ

يَريبُ ذَوِي العُقولِ بِما يَريبُ

يَريبُ ذَوِي العُقولِ بِما يَريبُ

We see fate's decrees proceeding in a way

We see fate flowing with a matter

that unsettles men of reason with its unsettling ways.

That makes those of intellect doubtful with what makes them doubtful

فَتَنجَحُ في مَطالِبِها كِلابٌ

فَتَنجَحُ في مَطالِبِها كِلابٌ

وَأُسْدُ الغابِ ضارِيَةٌ تَخيبُ

وَأُسْدُ الغابِ ضارِيَةٌ تَخيبُ

So dogs succeed in their pursuits,

So dogs succeed in their demands

while fierce lions of the forest fail.

While lions wandering in the jungle fail

وَتُقسَمُ هَذِهِ الأَرزاقُ فِينا

وَتُقسَمُ هَذِهِ الأَرزاقُ فِينا

فَما نَدري أَتُخطيءُ أَم تُصيبُ

فَما نَدري أَتُخطيءُ أَم تُصيبُ

And these provisions are apportioned among us,

And sustenance is divided among us

so we do not know whether they miss the mark or hit it.

We know not whether it misses or hits

وَنَخضَعُ راغِبينَ لَها اِضطِراراً

وَنَخضَعُ راغِبينَ لَها اِضطِراراً

وَكَيفَ يُلاطِمُ الإِشفى لَبيبُ

وَكَيفَ يُلاطِمُ الإِشفى لَبيبُ

And we submit to them willingly, under compulsion.

And we submit desiring to it out of compulsion

And how can a wise man trade blows with an awl?

And how can the wise contend with the inevitable