ما عاقِدُ الحَبلِ يَبغي بِالضُحى عَضَداً

ما عاقِدُ الحَبلِ يَبغي بِالضُحى عَضَداً

إِلّا كَصاحِبِ مُلكٍ عاقِدِ التاجِ

إِلّا كَصاحِبِ مُلكٍ عاقِدِ التاجِ

The rope-tier seeking support in the forenoon is no different

He who ties the knot at daybreak desires no help

from a sovereign binding on his crown.

Except like the owner of a kingdom crowning himself

وَما رَأَينا صُروفَ الدَهرِ تارِكَةً

وَما رَأَينا صُروفَ الدَهرِ تارِكَةً

لَيثاً بِتَرجٍ وَلا ظَبياً بِفِرتاجِ

لَيثاً بِتَرجٍ وَلا ظَبياً بِفِرتاجِ

We have not seen time’s vicissitudes spare

We have not seen the turns of fate leaving

a lion in Tarj or a gazelle in Firtaj.

A lion with a necklace or a gazelle with a crown

ما أَعدَلَ المَوتَ مِن آتٍ وَأَستَرَهُ

ما أَعدَلَ المَوتَ مِن آتٍ وَأَستَرَهُ

فَهَيِّجني فَإِني لَستُ مُهتاجِ

فَهَيِّجني فَإِني لَستُ مُهتاجِ

How just a visitor death is, and how well it conceals!

How impartial is death to the one who comes and the one who hides

So rouse me, for I am not agitated.

So rouse me, for I am not startled

العَيشُ أَفقَرَ مِنّا كُلَّ ذاتِ غِناً

العَيشُ أَفقَرَ مِنّا كُلَّ ذاتِ غِناً

وَالمَوتُ أَغنى بِحَقٍّ كُلَّ مُحتاجِ

وَالمَوتُ أَغنى بِحَقٍّ كُلَّ مُحتاجِ

Life has impoverished every wealthy one among us,

Life is poorer than us, all who boast riches

and death has truly enriched everyone in need.

And death is richer in truth than all who beg

إِذا حَياةٌ عَلينالِلأَذى فَتَحَت

إِذا حَياةٌ عَلينالِلأَذى فَتَحَت

باباً مِنَ الشَرِّ لاقاهُ بِإِرتاجِ

باباً مِنَ الشَرِّ لاقاهُ بِإِرتاجِ

If life, to our hurt, opens against us

When a life opens to harms

a door of evil, death meets it by bolting it shut.

A door of evil, he meets it with turmoil