إِنَّ رَيْبَ الزَّمانِ طالَ انْتِكائُهْ

كَمْ رَمَتْني بحادِثٍ أَحْداثُهْ

The enmity of time is long in its scheming

How many events has it hurled at me, their happening

ظَبْيُ أُنْسٍ قَلبي مَقِيلُ ضُحاهُ

وفُؤَادِي بَرِيرُهُ وكَبَائُهْ

The gazelle of companionship, my heart its resting place at noon

And my heart its howl, and its misfortunes

كَمْ وكَمْ أَسْتَغيثُ مِنْ شَحْطَةِ الدَّا

رِ ولَمْ يُسْعِفِ النّوى مُسْتَغَاثُهْ

How many times have I cried out from the misery of the abode

But my intention did not help my crying out

ولِعَيْني دَمْعٌ تَسِيلُ مَثَاني

هِ وتَجْرِي رباعُهُ وثلاثُهْ

And tears flow down my eyelids steadily

Running in streams, in threes and fours

خِيفَةً أَن يَخُونَ عَهْدِي وأَنْ يُضْ

حِي لِغَيْرِي حُجُولُهُ ورِعَائُهْ

Fearing that he would break his vow, and that he would show

His feelings and passions to another but me

فإذا شَاءَ أَحْمَدُ بنُ عَلِيٍّ

ضَمَّ شَمْلاً لَهُ يَخافُ انْشِعَاثُهْ

But if Ahmed bin Ali

Wished to band his cloak, fearing its unraveling