عَرَفتُ سَجايا الدَهرِ أَمّا شُرورُهُ

عَرَفتُ سَجايا الدَهرِ أَمّا شُرورُهُ

فَنَقدٌ وَأَمّا خَيرُهُ فَوُعودُ

فَنَقدٌ وَأَمّا خَيرُهُ فَوُعودُ

I have learned Time's ways: as for its evils,

I have known the ways of fate, for its evils are cash, while its goods are mere promises.

they are cash in hand; and as for its good, mere promises.

If this is how the world is, then leave it, even if all fortunes were ascent.

إِذا كانَتِ الدُنيا كَذاكَ فَخَلِّها

إِذا كانَتِ الدُنيا كَذاكَ فَخَلِّها

وَلَو أَنَّ كُلُّ الطالِعاتِ سُعودُ

وَلَو أَنَّ كُلُّ الطالِعاتِ سُعودُ

If the world is like that, then leave it,

We slept, owning no repose from harm, and it rose with what we feared while we sat.

even if all the rising stars are auspicious.

So let not death appall you, borne on a rider’s shadow, for to sink in dust is to rise.

رَقَدنا وَلَم نَملِكَ رُقاداً عَنِ الأَذى

رَقَدنا وَلَم نَملِكَ رُقاداً عَنِ الأَذى

وَقامَت بِما خِفنا وَنَحنُ قُعودُ

وَقامَت بِما خِفنا وَنَحنُ قُعودُ

We slept, yet could not secure sleep free from harm,

And how many times have lightning bolts in torrents warned us, and how many times have thunders in the clouds alarmed us.

And it rose to do what we feared, while we sat still.

فَلا يَرهَبَنَّ المَوتَ مِن ظِلِّ راكِباً

فَلا يَرهَبَنَّ المَوتَ مِن ظِلِّ راكِباً

فَإِنَّ اِنحِداراً في التُرابِ صُعودُ

فَإِنَّ اِنحِداراً في التُرابِ صُعودُ

So let whoever remains mounted never fear death,

For a descent into the dust is an ascent.

وَكَم أَنذَرَتنا بِالسُيولِ صَواعِقٌ

وَكَم أَنذَرَتنا بِالسُيولِ صَواعِقٌ

وَكَم خَبَّرَتنا بِالغَمامِ رُعودُ

وَكَم خَبَّرَتنا بِالغَمامِ رُعودُ

And how often thunderbolts have warned us of floods,

And how often thunderclaps have told us of clouds.