رَأَيتُ سَحاباً خِلتُهُ مُتَدَفِّقاً

رَأَيتُ سَحاباً خِلتُهُ مُتَدَفِّقاً

فَأَنجَمَ لَم يُمطِر وَإِن حَسُنَ الخَرجُ

فَأَنجَمَ لَم يُمطِر وَإِن حَسُنَ الخَرجُ

I saw a cloud I thought was pouring forth;

I saw a cloud I thought would pour forth;

Then it cleared without raining, though fair was its outward show.

Then it cleared without raining, though its outward appearance was fair.

وَكَم فاتَكَ الشَيءُ الَّذي كُنتَ راجِياً

وَكَم فاتَكَ الشَيءُ الَّذي كُنتَ راجِياً

وَجاءَكَ بِالمِقدارِ ما لَم تَكُن تَرجو

وَجاءَكَ بِالمِقدارِ ما لَم تَكُن تَرجو

How often what you had hoped for has passed you by,

And how often the thing you hoped for eluded you,

And what you had never hoped for came to you in its allotted measure.

And what you had not hoped for came to you by fate.