1. سهامُ المنايا لا تطيشُ ولا تُخطي

    وحادي الليالي لا يجورُ ولا يبُطي

    Death's arrows neither stray nor miss;

    And the nights' camel-driver neither swerves nor lags.

  2. أرى الدهرَ يُعطي ثم يَرجع نادما

    فيسلب ما يُولي ويأخذ ما يُعطي

    I see Time give, then return regretful,

    So he strips away what he grants and takes what he gives.

  3. ويستدركُ الحُسنى بكلِّ إساءةٍ

    كما استدركَ التفريطَ والغلطَ الُمخطي

    And he makes amends for kindness with every injury,

    As the erring one remedies neglect and error.

  4. ويختار للجهل الطبيبَ تَعَلّلا

    ويستفرغُ الأدواءَ بالفَصدِ والسَّعطِ

    And, out of ignorance, he chooses a physician for solace,

    And purges ailments by bloodletting and nasal medication.

  5. ويجتابُ سَردَ السابري وإنّه

    إذا ما رمى رامي المقاديرِ كالمِرطِ

    And dons Sabiri chain mail, though it,

    When the archer of destinies shoots, is like a cloak.

  6. كأنّا ثِمارٌ للزمانِ فكفّه

    تَعيثُ فتجني بالحصاد وباللقطِ

    We are like fruits for Time, and his hand

    Wreaks havoc, gathering us by harvesting and by picking.

  7. أفي قلبه حِقدٌ علينا ففتكهُ

    بنا فَتكُ موتورٍ من الغيظِ مُشتَطِّ

    Is there a grudge against us in his heart, that his assault

    On us is that of a bereaved avenger, driven to excess by rage?

  8. وما الكونُ إلا للفسادِ وإنّما

    حياتي كموتي كالجزاء مع الشرَطِ

    And existence is only for decay; indeed,

    My life is but like my death, like consequence paired with condition.

  9. كذاك تمامُ البدرِ أصلُ مُحاقِهِ

    يكونُ وإشراقُ الكواكبِ للهبط

    So too the moon's fullness is the source of its darkening,

    And the stars' radiance is destined for descent,

  10. كوَصلِ الفتاةِ والرُّؤدِ للهجرِ والقِلي

    يكونُ وقُرب الدارِ للبعدِ والشَّحطِ

    Like union with the young woman and the tender maiden, destined for estrangement and hatred,

    And the home's nearness is destined for distance and remoteness.

  11. وقد قيل إنّ النفسَ تبقى لأَنها

    بسيطٌ وما التركيبُ إلا من البسطِ

    And it has been said that the soul endures because it is

    Simple; yet composition comes only from simple elements.

  12. ستفُني المنايا كلَّ شيءٍ فلا تُرَع

    بما زخرفُوا من نقطةٍ لكَ أو خطِّ

    Death will annihilate everything, so do not be overawed

    By whatever point or line they have embellished for you.

  13. فلا بدَّ للموتِ المقيتِ وإن أبَوا

    مقالَكَ فيها من نصيبٍ ومن قِسطِ

    So loathsome death must have—even if they reject

    Your claim about it—a share and a portion.

  14. أبى الله أن يبقى سواهُ لحكمةٍ

    رآها وأقسامٍ تَجِلُّ عن القِسطِ

    God has refused to let any but Himself remain, for a wise purpose

    He discerned, and allotments that transcend justice.

  15. لعلّكَ تستبطي حمامَكَ شَيِّقا

    رويدا ستستوحي الذي كنت تَستبطي

    Perhaps you deem your death slow in coming, longing for it;

    Wait a little: you will find swift what you used to deem slow.

  16. عرفتكِ يا دنيايَ بالغدرِ والأذى

    فما أنتِ من شأني ولا أنتِ من شَرطي

    I have known you, O my world, through treachery and harm;

    So you are no concern of mine, nor do you meet my terms.