عَجِبتُ لِأَحداثِ البَلاءِ وَلِلدَّهرِ

وَلِلحَينِ يَأتي المَرءَ مِن حَيثُ لا يَدري

I wondered at the turns of fate and time

And how man's endpoint creeps up from behind

إِذا ذَكَرَت نَفسي مَعَ اللَيلِ مُحرِزاً

تَأَوَّهتُ مِن حُزنٍ عَلَيهِ إِلى الفَجرِ

When my soul recalled its night-filled lonely fort

I sighed till dawn, so heavy was its hurt

سَرى مُحرِزٌ وَاللَهُ أَكرَمَ مُحرِزاً

بِمَنزِلِ أَصحابِ النُخَيلَةِ وَالنَهرِ

It marched away, that hostel now forlorn

Where palms once cast on stream their flick'ring forms