للمرء في أيامه عبر

للمرء في أيامه عبر

والصفو يحدث بعده كدر

والصفو يحدث بعده كدر

A person finds lessons in his days,

In his days, man faces lessons,

For man, in his days, there are lessons,

and serenity is followed by trouble.

Then calm occurs after turmoil.

And serenity is followed by trouble.

خرس الزمان لمن تأمله

خرس الزمان لمن تأمله

تطق وخبز صروفه خبر

تطق وخبز صروفه خبر

Time's muteness, to whoever reflects upon it,

Time kept silent for one who examined it.

Time is mute to the one who contemplates it,

is [speech], and [experience] of its vicissitudes is knowledge.

Its ups and downs told the news.

Yet it speaks, and the experience of its changes is news.

نادى فأسمع لو وعت إذن

نادى فأسمع لو وعت إذن

وأرى العواقب لو رأى بصر

وأرى العواقب لو رأى بصر

It called out and made itself heard—if only an ear had heeded;

It called out, so listen, if you were aware,

It called out to be heard, if only an ear were aware,

and showed the consequences—if only an eye had seen.

And I see the consequences, if sight could see.

And showed the consequences, if only a sight could see.

كم قال هبوا طالما هجعت

كم قال هبوا طالما هجعت

منكم عيون حقها السهر

منكم عيون حقها السهر

How often it said, “Awake! Long have slumbered

How often have I said: come, though you have slept,

How often it said 'Arise!', for long have slept

eyes among you whose due is wakefulness.

Eyes that stay up late are their right.

Eyes of yours that ought to be keeping watch.

أبإذن من هو مبصري صمم

أبإذن من هو مبصري صمم

أم قلب من هو سامعي حجر

أم قلب من هو سامعي حجر

Is there deafness in the ear of one who sees me,

With the permission of the One who makes me see though deaf,

Is there deafness in the ear of one who sees me?

or is the heart of one who hears me stone?

Or a heart that makes me hear though stony.

Or is the heart of one who hears me made of stone?

لولا عماكم ما جاءت النر

لولا عماكم ما جاءت النر

ومواعظي ما جاءت النذر

ومواعظي ما جاءت النذر

But for your blindness, the [unclear word] would not have come;

Were it not for your blindness, adversity would not have come,

Were it not for your blindness, the Fire would not have come,

and my admonitions—no warnings came [wording unclear].

And my advice would not have come as a warning.

And my admonitions and warnings would not have arrived.

هذي مصارع معشرٍ هلكوا

هذي مصارع معشرٍ هلكوا

وعطتكم بالصمت فاعتبروا

وعطتكم بالصمت فاعتبروا

These are the places where a people perished;

These are the ends of a group who perished.

These are the death-grounds of a people who perished;

they admonished you in silence, so take heed.”

I gave you silence, so take heed.

They preached to you with silence, so take heed.

قالت أرى ليل الشباب بدت

قالت أرى ليل الشباب بدت

للشيب فيه أنجم زهر

للشيب فيه أنجم زهر

She said, “I see the night of youth, in which have appeared

The night of youth seemed to dawn

She said, 'I see the night of youth has revealed

bright stars of gray hair.”

With stars of old age blossoming in it.

Stars of grey hair shining within it.'

فأجبتها لا تكثري عجباً

فأجبتها لا تكثري عجباً

من شيبةٍ لم يجنها كبر

من شيبةٍ لم يجنها كبر

I answered her, “Do not marvel so greatly

I told her: Do not be so surprised

So I answered her, 'Do not marvel too much

at gray hair not brought on by old age.

At white hair untouched by old age.

At a greyness not harvested by old age.

لكن طويت من الهموم لظىً

لكن طويت من الهموم لظىً

أضحى لها في عارضي شرر

أضحى لها في عارضي شرر

Rather, I have harbored a blaze of cares,

Rather, I have folded the heat of anxieties

But I have folded within me a flame of worries,

whose sparks are now upon my cheeks.”

That made sparks fly on my temple.

That became sparks upon my temples.'

حسنت شمائلكم وأوجهكم

حسنت شمائلكم وأوجهكم

فتطابقا مرأىً ومختبر

فتطابقا مرأىً ومختبر

Fair are your dispositions and your faces,

You have beautified your looks and faces

Your characters and faces were beautiful,

so outward appearance and proven worth agree.

Matching perfectly in appearance and character.

So they matched in appearance and in essence.

والحسن في صور النفوس وإن

والحسن في صور النفوس وإن

راقتك من أجسامها الصور

راقتك من أجسامها الصور

And beauty lies in the forms of souls, even if

Beauty lies in the forms of souls, even if

For beauty lies in the forms of souls, even if

the forms of their bodies delight you.

You liked their physical forms.

The forms of bodies have delighted you.

لا ضعضعت أيدي الخطوب لكم

لا ضعضعت أيدي الخطوب لكم

ركنا ولا راعتكم الغير

ركنا ولا راعتكم الغير

May calamity's hands never shake

The hands of misfortunes could not shake you,

May the hands of misfortune never shake for you

a pillar of yours, nor may fortune's changes frighten you.

A pillar, nor disturb you, O strangers!

A pillar, nor may the changes of time alarm you.