لا تَرْكَنَنَّ إِلَى الزَّمَانِ فَرُبَّمَا

لا تَرْكَنَنَّ إِلَى الزَّمَانِ فَرُبَّمَا

خَدَعَتْ مَخِيلَتُهُ الْفُؤَادَ الْغَافِلا

خَدَعَتْ مَخِيلَتُهُ الْفُؤَادَ الْغَافِلا

Never put your trust in time, for often

Do not rely on time, for often

its rain-promising cloud has deceived the heedless heart.

Its delusions deceive the heedless heart.

وَاصْبِرْ عَلَى مَا كَانَ مِنْهُ فَكُلَّمَا

وَاصْبِرْ عَلَى مَا كَانَ مِنْهُ فَكُلَّمَا

ذَهَبَ الْغَدَاةَ أَتَى الْعَشِيَّةَ قَاِفلا

ذَهَبَ الْغَدَاةَ أَتَى الْعَشِيَّةَ قَاِفلا

And patiently bear whatever comes from it, for whenever

And be patient with what has passed, for whenever

it leaves in the morning, it returns in the evening.

Morning departs, evening returns laden.

كَفَلَ الشَّقَاءَ لِمَنْ أَنَاخَ بِرَبْعِهِ

كَفَلَ الشَّقَاءَ لِمَنْ أَنَاخَ بِرَبْعِهِ

وَكَفَى ابْنَ آدَمَ بِالْمَصَائِبِ كَافِلا

وَكَفَى ابْنَ آدَمَ بِالْمَصَائِبِ كَافِلا

It guarantees misery to whoever camps in its abode,

Hardship is guaranteed for whoever halts at its abode,

and is guarantor enough of calamities for Adam's son.

And man's share of calamities suffices as a burden.

يَمْشِي الضَّرَاءَ إِلَى النُّوُسِ وَتَارَةً

يَمْشِي الضَّرَاءَ إِلَى النُّوُسِ وَتَارَةً

يَسْعَى لَهَا بَيْنَ الأَسِنَّةِ رَافِلا

يَسْعَى لَهَا بَيْنَ الأَسِنَّةِ رَافِلا

It walks under cover of thickets toward souls, and at times

Affliction walks to the intimate, and sometimes

hastens toward them among spearheads, trailing its robes.

It hustles between the tongues spreading.

لا يَرْهَبُ الضِّرْغَامَ بَيْنَ عَرِينِهِ

لا يَرْهَبُ الضِّرْغَامَ بَيْنَ عَرِينِهِ

بَأْساً وَلا يَدَعُ الظِّبَاءَ مَطَافِلا

بَأْساً وَلا يَدَعُ الظِّبَاءَ مَطَافِلا

It does not fear the lion within its lair

It does not fear the gloom in its den,

for its might, nor spare gazelles with their fawns.

Nor does it leave the bright plains untrodden.

بَيْنَا تَرَى نَجْمَ السَّعَادَةِ طَالِعَاً

بَيْنَا تَرَى نَجْمَ السَّعَادَةِ طَالِعَاً

فَوْقَ الأَهِلَّةِ إِذْ تَرَاهُ آفِلا

فَوْقَ الأَهِلَّةِ إِذْ تَرَاهُ آفِلا

While you see the star of good fortune rising

While you see the star of fortune rising

above the crescent moons, suddenly you see it setting.

Above the crescent, behold it setting.

فَإِذَا سَأَلْتَ الدَّهْرَ مَعْرِفَةً بِهِ

فَإِذَا سَأَلْتَ الدَّهْرَ مَعْرِفَةً بِهِ

فَاسْأَلْ لِتَعْرِفَهُ النَّعَامَ الْجَافِلا

فَاسْأَلْ لِتَعْرِفَهُ النَّعَامَ الْجَافِلا

So if you ask about time, seeking knowledge of it,

So if you ask time to get to know it,

then ask the fleeing ostriches, that you may know it.

Ask the ostriches wandering in the desert.

فَالدَّهْرُ كَالدُّولابِ يَخْفِضُ عَالِياً

فَالدَّهْرُ كَالدُّولابِ يَخْفِضُ عَالِياً

مِنْ غَيْرِ مَا قَصْدٍ وَيَرْفَعُ سَافِلا

مِنْ غَيْرِ مَا قَصْدٍ وَيَرْفَعُ سَافِلا

For time, like a waterwheel, lowers the high

For time is like a spinning wheel, lowering the sublime

without intent, and raises the low.

Without intent, and raising up the lowly.