أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ الدَهرَ قَطَّعَني حَزّا

أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ الدَهرَ قَطَّعَني حَزّا

وَأَصحَبَني ذُلّاً وَأَثكَلَني عِزّا

وَأَصحَبَني ذُلّاً وَأَثكَلَني عِزّا

Have you not seen that Time has slashed me to pieces,

Have you not seen that fate has torn me to shreds

And made humiliation my companion and bereaved me of honor?

And burdened me with humiliation and endowed me with glory?

أَلا رُبَّ وَجهٍ في الثَرى كانَ عابِساً

أَلا رُبَّ وَجهٍ في الثَرى كانَ عابِساً

إِذا خِفتُ بَطشاً مِن يَدِ الدَهرِ أَو غَمزا

إِذا خِفتُ بَطشاً مِن يَدِ الدَهرِ أَو غَمزا

Ah, many a face now in the earth would frown

Oh, many a face in the dust was once frowning

When I feared a blow from Time's hand, or a pinch.

When I feared the tyranny of fate or a blow from its hand.

مُلوكٌ وَإِخوانٌ تَرى بِسَماحِهِم

مُلوكٌ وَإِخوانٌ تَرى بِسَماحِهِم

مِنَ البِشرِ في ديباجِ أَوجُهِهِم طَرزا

مِنَ البِشرِ في ديباجِ أَوجُهِهِم طَرزا

Kings and brothers—through their generosity you see

Kings and brothers whom you see—from their generosity

Embroidery of cheerfulness in the brocade of their faces.

Humans are adorned in brocade and splendor.

فَقَدتُهُمُ مُستَكرِهاً وَكَنَزتُهُم

فَقَدتُهُمُ مُستَكرِهاً وَكَنَزتُهُم

ثَواباً وَأَجراً في بُطونِ الثَرى كَنزا

ثَواباً وَأَجراً في بُطونِ الثَرى كَنزا

I lost them against my will, and stored them up

I have lost them, though I wished otherwise,

As recompense and reward—a treasure in the depths of the earth.

And treasured them as reward and recompense in the bellies of the earth.