أقولُ لدهر قد توالت خُطوبُهُ

أليس لهذا يا زمانُ زوالُ

I say to time that brought misfortunes successive

Is there no end, O time, to your caprices?

فقال اصطبر كم دولة قد تغيّرت

لكلّ زمان دولةُ ورجالُ

It said: "Have patience - how many a realm was altered!

For every time there is a state imposed by men."