وَلَمَّا رَأَيْتُ الدَّهْرَ يَخْطُبُ خُطْبَةً

وَلَمَّا رَأَيْتُ الدَّهْرَ يَخْطُبُ خُطْبَةً

وَأَيَّامُهُ تَعْدُو عَلَيَّ بَنَوْباتِ

وَأَيَّامُهُ تَعْدُو عَلَيَّ بَنَوْباتِ

And when I saw Time delivering a sermon,

When I saw time delivering a speech

And its days assailing me with calamities,

And its days rushing by with quick steps

عَصَيَتُ زَماناً قَدْ تَجاسرَ صَرْفُهُ

عَصَيَتُ زَماناً قَدْ تَجاسرَ صَرْفُهُ

وَأَتْبَعْتُ يَوْمَ الْهَمِّ يَوْمَ لَذَاذَاتِ

وَأَتْبَعْتُ يَوْمَ الْهَمِّ يَوْمَ لَذَاذَاتِ

I defied an age whose vicissitudes had grown bold,

I disobeyed an era whose course had grown bold

And followed a day of sorrow with a day of delights.

And pursued pleasure amid days of worry

وأَيْقَنْتُ أَنِّي مُهْجَةٌ مُسْتَعارَةٌ

وأَيْقَنْتُ أَنِّي مُهْجَةٌ مُسْتَعارَةٌ

تُرَدُّ إلى مِلْكِ الْمُعِيرِ بِغُصّاتِ

تُرَدُّ إلى مِلْكِ الْمُعِيرِ بِغُصّاتِ

And I knew for certain that I am a borrowed life,

And I knew I was borrowed finery

To be returned to the lender's possession with choking pangs.

To be returned to the lender in tatters

فَيا لَيْتَنِي أَمْضَيْتُ مَا كُنْتُ عازماً

فَيا لَيْتَنِي أَمْضَيْتُ مَا كُنْتُ عازماً

عَلَيْه ليَشْفِي دَاءَ صَدْري وَلَوْعاتي

عَلَيْه ليَشْفِي دَاءَ صَدْري وَلَوْعاتي

So, would that I had carried out what I had resolved

Oh, would that I had spent as I had resolved

To do, that it might cure the ailment in my breast and my burning sorrows.

To cure my heart's sickness and burning pangs