الدّهْرُ أضيقُ فُسحةً في أنْ يُرى

الدّهْرُ أضيقُ فُسحةً في أنْ يُرى

بالحُزْنِ والكَمَدِ المُضاعَفِ يُقطَعُ

بالحُزْنِ والكَمَدِ المُضاعَفِ يُقطَعُ

Life's span is too brief to be seen

The days are too narrow to be seen

spent in sorrow and redoubled anguish.

With double sorrow and despair

وإذا قطَعْتَ زَمانَهُ في كُرْبَةٍ

وإذا قطَعْتَ زَمانَهُ في كُرْبَةٍ

ضيّعْتَ في الأوْهامِ ما لا يرْجِعُ

ضيّعْتَ في الأوْهامِ ما لا يرْجِعُ

And if you spend its time in distress,

And if you end its time in misery

you squander on illusions what will never return.

You will lose in illusion what does not return

فاقْنَع بِما أعطاكَ دهْرُكَ واغتَنِمْ

فاقْنَع بِما أعطاكَ دهْرُكَ واغتَنِمْ

منْهُ السّرورَ وخلِّ ما لا يُقْنِعُ

منْهُ السّرورَ وخلِّ ما لا يُقْنِعُ

So be content with what your life has given you, and seize

So be content with what your days have given you

joy from it, and leave aside what brings no contentment.

And make use of its joys and leave what does not satisfy