1. يا هيكل الحب القديم

    وقدسَ أقداس الحقاب

    O ancient temple of love,

    And holy of holies of the ages!

  2. الحبُّ ربٌّ دائم

    وله الدعاءُ المستجاب

    Love is an everlasting lord,

    And prayers to him are answered.

  3. وعبيده كثرٌ ومهبط

    وحيهِ مُقَلُ الكعاب

    And his servants are many, and the place of descent

    Of his revelation is the eyes of young maidens.

  4. وبكلِّ أرضٍ هيكلٌ

    لعبيدِهِ رحب الرحاب

    And in every land there is a temple,

    With spacious courts for his servants.

  5. يا ليتَ من خلقَ الورى

    أودى به غض الإهاب

    Oh, would that he who created humankind

    Had carried them off while still tender-skinned!

  6. فالموتُ في شيخوخةٍ

    مكروهةٍ شرُّ العذاب

    For death in an old age

    That is loathsome is the worst torment.

  7. يَا لَيْتَ نَشْئِي وَارْتِقَائِي

    كَالْفَرَاشَةِ وَالْحَباب

    Oh, would that my growth and my ascent

    Were like those of the butterfly and the bubbles,

  8. حتى أموت بلا تمنٍّ

    واكتئاب واضطراب

    So that I might die without longing,

    Or dejection or turmoil.

  9. فالعيشُ من بعدِ الشبابِ

    مناحةٌ تبكي الشباب

    For life after youth

    Is a lament that weeps for youth.

  10. دع لو وليتَ كليهما

    فَمؤمِّلُ الثنتينِ خاب

    Leave both 'if' and 'would that' aside;

    For whoever pins his hopes on those two is disappointed.

  11. فالناس تفنى كالهشيم

    وتستحيل إلى تراب

    For people perish like dry grass,

    And turn to dust.

  12. يا كونُ لا تُفنِ الورى

    فغدًا تصيرُ إلى يباب

    O universe, do not destroy humankind,

    For tomorrow you will become a barren waste.

  13. إنَّ المكوَّن من ضبابٍ

    يمَّحي مثلَ الضباب

    Indeed, what is formed of mist

    Fades away like the mist.

  14. لا تبكِ كونَ مطامع

    أقوامُهُ مثل الذئاب

    Do not weep for a world of greed,

    Whose peoples are like wolves:

  15. تعدو وتفتك بالذي

    أمسى وليس لهُ كلاب

    They charge and deal death to whoever

    Reaches evening with no dogs of his own.