لِلدَّهرِ إِدبارٌ وَإِقبالُ

وَكُلُّ حالٍ بَعدَها حالُ

Time has its ups and downs,

And every state that comes will also go.

وَصاحِبُ الأَيّامِ في غَفلَةٍ

وَلَيسَ لِلأَيّامِ إِغفالُ

The days pass heedlessly,

But days cannot be heedless.

وَالمَرءُ مَنسوبٌ إِلى فِعلِهِ

وَالناسُ أَخبارٌ وَأَمثالُ

A man is known for what he does,

People are but news and examples.

يا أَيُّها المُطلِقُ آمالَهُ

مِن دونِ آمالِكَ آجالُ

O you who has let go of hopes,

Without your hopes, lifespan is short.

كَم أَبلَتِ الدُنيا وَكَم جَدَّدَت

مِنّا وَكَم تُبلي وَتَغتالُ

How much the world grew old and renewed itself;

It made us old and destroys us.

ما أَحسَنَ الصَبرَ وَلا سِيَّما

بِالحُرِّ إِن ضاقَت بِهِ الحالُ

How excellent is patience, especially

For the free man when state is straitened.

يَشهَدُ أَعدائي بِأَنّي فَتىً

قَطّاعُ أَسبابٍ وَوَصّالُ

My enemies witness I'm a gallant man

Who severs ties and connects them.

لا تَملِكُ الشِدَّةُ عَزمي وَلا

يُبطِرُني جاهٌ وَلا مالُ

Hardship has no sway over my resolve,

Nor do status and money entice me.

بَلِّغ أَميرَ المُؤمِنينَ الَّذي

لَم آلُهُ نُصحاً وَلا آلو

Convey to the Commander of the Faithful, whom

I haven’t failed advising or supporting.