دنا أملي حتى مددت لأخذه

دنا أملي حتى مددت لأخذه

يداً فأنثنى نحو المجرة راحلا

يداً فأنثنى نحو المجرة راحلا

My hope drew near—so near that, to seize it, I stretched out

My hope drew near, until I reached out to grasp it,

a hand; then it wheeled away, journeying toward the Milky Way.

with my hand—but it turned away, departing toward the Milky Way.

فأصبحت لا أرجو وقد كنت موقناً

فأصبحت لا أرجو وقد كنت موقناً

وأضحى مع الشعري وقد كان حاصلا

وأضحى مع الشعري وقد كان حاصلا

So I came to hope for nothing, though I had once been certain;

So I no longer hoped, though I had been certain,

and it ended up beside Sirius, though once it had been within my grasp.

and it came to be with Sirius, though it had been in hand.

وقد كنت محسوداً فأصبحت حاسداً

وقد كنت محسوداً فأصبحت حاسداً

وقد كنت مأمولاً فأصبحت آملا

وقد كنت مأمولاً فأصبحت آملا

I had been envied, but then I became envious;

And I had been envied, but became envious.

I had been the object of hope, but then became one who hoped.

And I had been one others looked to with hope, but became one who hopes.

كذا الدهر في كراته وانتقاله

كذا الدهر في كراته وانتقاله

فلا يأمنن الدهر من كان عاقلا

فلا يأمنن الدهر من كان عاقلا

Such is Fortune in its reversals and changes;

Such is time in its turns and changes;

so let no one who is wise ever feel safe from Fortune.

so let no wise person ever trust time.