كَم يُبعِدُ الدَهرُ مَن أَرجو أُقارِبُهُ

كَم يُبعِدُ الدَهرُ مَن أَرجو أُقارِبُهُ

عَنّي وَيَبعَثُ شَيطاناً أُحارِبُهُ

عَنّي وَيَبعَثُ شَيطاناً أُحارِبُهُ

How often Time drives far away one I hope to draw near to

How time keeps from me those I hope to be close

From me, and sends a demon whom I fight.

And sends instead an enemy for me to oppose

فَيا لَهُ مِن زَمانٍ كُلَّما اِنصَرَفَت

فَيا لَهُ مِن زَمانٍ كُلَّما اِنصَرَفَت

صُروفُهُ فَتَكَت فينا عَواقِبُهُ

صُروفُهُ فَتَكَت فينا عَواقِبُهُ

Ah, what an age! Whenever there comes an end

Oh what days these are that with each turn

To its turns of fortune, its aftermath wreaks havoc among us.

Bring consequences that within us burn

دَهرٌ يَرى الغَدرَ مِن إِحدى طَبائِعِهِ

دَهرٌ يَرى الغَدرَ مِن إِحدى طَبائِعِهِ

فَكَيفَ يَهنا بِهِ حُرٌّ يُصاحِبُهُ

فَكَيفَ يَهنا بِهِ حُرٌّ يُصاحِبُهُ

Time regards treachery as one of its natural traits;

Time's nature betrays and tricks at a whim

So how can a free man who keeps its company be happy with it?

How then can the free feel safe with him?

جَرَّبتُهُ وَأَنا غِرٌّ فَهَذَّبَني

جَرَّبتُهُ وَأَنا غِرٌّ فَهَذَّبَني

مِن بَعدِ ما شَيَّبَت رَأسي تَجارِبُهُ

مِن بَعدِ ما شَيَّبَت رَأسي تَجارِبُهُ

I tested it while I was naive, and it refined me,

I tested time when young and green

After its trials had turned my hair gray.

After graying my hair, its trials I've seen

وَكَيفَ أَخشى مِنَ الأَيّامِ نائِبَةً

وَكَيفَ أَخشى مِنَ الأَيّامِ نائِبَةً

وَالدَهرُ أَهوَنُ ما عِندي نَوائِبُهُ

وَالدَهرُ أَهوَنُ ما عِندي نَوائِبُهُ

And how can I fear a calamity from the days,

Why would I now fear what days will bring

When Time's calamities are the least of my concerns?

When time itself is a lighter thing

كَم لَيلَةٍ سِرتُ في البَيداءِ مُنفَرِداً

كَم لَيلَةٍ سِرتُ في البَيداءِ مُنفَرِداً

وَاللَيلُ لِلغَربِ قَد مالَت كَواكِبُهُ

وَاللَيلُ لِلغَربِ قَد مالَت كَواكِبُهُ

Many a night I traveled alone through the desert,

How many a night in the desert alone

While the night's stars had already inclined toward the west.

As the night's stars near the west have shone

سَيفي أَنيسي وَرُمحي كُلَّما نَهِمَت

سَيفي أَنيسي وَرُمحي كُلَّما نَهِمَت

أُسدُ الدِحالِ إِلَيها مالَ جانِبُهُ

أُسدُ الدِحالِ إِلَيها مالَ جانِبُهُ

My sword is my companion; as for my spear, whenever hunger seizes

My sword and spear are my friends out there

The lions of the dens, its side turns toward them.

When lions approach, their sides I prepare

وَكَم غَديرٍ مَزَجتُ الماءَ فيهِ دَماً

وَكَم غَديرٍ مَزَجتُ الماءَ فيهِ دَماً

عِندَ الصَباحِ وَراحَ الوَحشُ طالِبُهُ

عِندَ الصَباحِ وَراحَ الوَحشُ طالِبُهُ

And in many a pool I mixed the water with blood

How many a pond I've bloodied at dawn

At dawn, and the wild beasts went in search of it.

As beasts come to drink what I've drawn

يا طامِعاً في هَلاكي عُد بِلا طَمَعٍ

يا طامِعاً في هَلاكي عُد بِلا طَمَعٍ

وَلا تَرِد كَأسَ حَتفٍ أَنتَ شارِبُهُ

وَلا تَرِد كَأسَ حَتفٍ أَنتَ شارِبُهُ

O you who desire my destruction, turn back without hope;

Oh you who hope I perish, cease your daydream

And do not approach a cup of death that you yourself will drink.

And refuse the cup if you fear its stream