من كان أخطأهُ الزمانُ بكيدِهِ

فلديَّ من كيدِ الزمان فريُّهُ

He who was wronged by fate through its deceit

I have protection from the guile of fate

وردَ البشيرُ بقرب من أحببتُهُ

حتى إِذا استبشرتُ جاءَ نعيُّهُ

And the herald came with news of my beloved

So I rejoiced, and then came word of his death

ما حالُ مفجوعٍ بمنيةِ نفسِه

قد بانَ عنهُ شقيقُهُ وصفيُّهُ

What is the state of one grief-stricken by his own soul

When even his brother and friend have left him

أألذُّ طعمَ العيشِ بعدَ فراقهِ

إنّي إِذاً قاسي الفؤادِ خليُّهُ

Is life still sweet after his departure?

If so, my heart must be hard and cold

ولربما كانَ الحياةُ عقوبةً

حتى يعذَّبَ بالبقاءِ شقيُّهُ

And perhaps life itself is a punishment

So that the wretched suffer from enduring it