فإِن تَسأَلَنّي كَيفَ أَنتَ فَإِنَّني

فإِن تَسأَلَنّي كَيفَ أَنتَ فَإِنَّني

صَبورٌ عَلى رَيبِ الزَمانِ صَعيبُ

صَبورٌ عَلى رَيبِ الزَمانِ صَعيبُ

So if you ask me, “How are you?” then I am

If you ask me how I am, I am

If you ask me how I fare, know that indeed I

patient amid time’s vicissitudes, unyielding;

Patient with the hardship of time, arduous

Am patient against the vicissitudes of Time, unyielding;

حَريصٌ عَلى أَن لا يُرى بي كَآبَةٌ

حَريصٌ عَلى أَن لا يُرى بي كَآبَةٌ

فَيشمُتُ عادٍ أَو يُساءَ حَبيبُ

فَيشمُتُ عادٍ أَو يُساءَ حَبيبُ

careful that no sadness be seen in me,

Eager that no sadness appears on me

Diligent that no gloom be glimpsed within me,

lest an enemy gloat or a loved one be distressed.

So an enemy may not gloat or a loved one be pained

Lest an enemy should gloat, or a loved one be grieved.