بَني الدَهرِ مَهلاً إِن ذَمَمتُ فِعالَكُم

بَني الدَهرِ مَهلاً إِن ذَمَمتُ فِعالَكُم

فَإِنّي بِنَفسي لا مَحالَةَ أَبدَأُ

فَإِنّي بِنَفسي لا مَحالَةَ أَبدَأُ

O sons of Time, be patient if I condemn your deeds;

O children of time, give me respite, though you may condemn my deeds,

for I inevitably begin with myself.

For I alone will inevitably begin.

مَتى يَتَقَضّى الوَقتُ وَاللَهُ قادِرٌ

مَتى يَتَقَضّى الوَقتُ وَاللَهُ قادِرٌ

فَنَسكُنُ في هَذا التُرابِ وَنَهدَأُ

فَنَسكُنُ في هَذا التُرابِ وَنَهدَأُ

When will time come to an end—and God has the power—

Whenever time demands and Allah is able,

so we may dwell in this dust and be still?

We will settle in this dust and become still.

تَجاوَرَ هَذا الجِسمُ وَالرَوحُ بُرهَةٌ

تَجاوَرَ هَذا الجِسمُ وَالرَوحُ بُرهَةٌ

فَما بَرِحَت تَأَذى بِذاكَ وَتَصدَأُ

فَما بَرِحَت تَأَذى بِذاكَ وَتَصدَأُ

This body and the soul dwelt side by side for a while;

This body and soul neighbor each other for a while.

so the soul never ceased to suffer from that and to rust.

They have not ceased tormenting and wearing away at one another.