لِكُل شَيء إِذا ما تَمَّ نُقصانُ

وَكُل قَول مِن العذال بُهتانُ

For all things, when complete, some flaw will show,

And every word from the ashamed is false.

فَالعَبد يَشكو إِذا ضَنّ الزَمان وَما

يَدري حَقيقاً بِأَن اللَه رحمن

The servant complains when time treats harshly, not

Knowing truly that Allah is Beneficent.

فَالدَهر طوراً تَراه بِالسُرور وَفى

وَلَيسَ فيهِ إِلى الإِنسان أَحزان

Time seems happy for a while,

In it, no sorrows for man.

وَفي لَيال تَشيم الدَهر ذا حزن

سُبحان من ذا لَهُ في خَلقه شان

Yet nights make time seem sad,

Praise Him whose creation has glory.

وَرب خَير أَتاه في رِياض هنا

فَالرَوض بِالغَم وَالأَحزان مَلآن

A lord's bounty came to him in meadows of bliss,

Yet the meadow filled with gloom and sorrows.

هُوَ الزَمان وَلَكن كَم يَرى ترحاً

كَأَنَّهُ لِجَميع السُوء وَزّان

It is time, but see how often it seems joyous,

As if for all evil it is the weigher.

هَوُ الزَمان إِذا ما رمت تَسأله

عَن نسبة قال جدي اليَوم مُطران

When you ask time for tidings,

It says, “My grandfather today is made wet by rain.”

يا صاح بَعد إِلى الأَزمان لا تركن

قَد صَح مَن قالَ إِن الدَهر خوّان

Oh you who calls out to time, do not trust it,

True is he who said time is treacherous.

يَجور دَوماً عَلى أَهل الوَفا عَمداً

وَفيهِ كَم ذا لقي الأَرزاء إِنسان

It wrongs the loyal intentionally,

And in it many met calamities, people.