إِذا ما بَدَت فينا عَطاياهُ عَقَّبَت

إِذا ما بَدَت فينا عَطاياهُ عَقَّبَت

وَكَم بادِئٍ لِلمُزنِ غَيرَ مُعَقَّبِ

وَكَم بادِئٍ لِلمُزنِ غَيرَ مُعَقَّبِ

Whenever his gifts appear among us, they follow one upon another—

and how many a rain cloud begins to give, yet never follows through!

وَلَمّا يُفَرِّرهُ تَقَلُّبَ دَهرِهِ

وَلَمّا يُفَرِّرهُ تَقَلُّبَ دَهرِهِ

فَقُلتَ لَعَلَّ الدَهرَ لَم يَتَقَلَّبِ

فَقُلتَ لَعَلَّ الدَهرَ لَم يَتَقَلَّبِ

The reversals of his fortune had not yet put him to flight,

so I said, “Perhaps Fortune has not turned at all.”

وَيَدنو لَهُ المَطلوبُ حَتّى كَأَنَّما

وَيَدنو لَهُ المَطلوبُ حَتّى كَأَنَّما

يُواكِبُ ضَوءَ الصُبحِ في كُلِّ مَطلَبِ

يُواكِبُ ضَوءَ الصُبحِ في كُلِّ مَطلَبِ

What he seeks draws near to him, until it seems

the light of dawn keeps pace with him in every quest.