قَلَّ لِلَّيلِ وَالنَهارِ اِكتِراثي

وَهُما دائِبانِ في اِستِحثاثي

I care little for night or day,

Though both are ever pressing me on.

ما بَقائي عَلى اِختِرامِ اللَيالي

وَدَبيبِ الساعاتِ بِالأَحداثِ

My life rests not on respecting nights,

Nor the passage of hours with events.

يا أَخي ما أَغَرَّنا بِالمَنايا

في اِتِّخاذِ الأَثاثِ بَعدَ الأَثاثِ

O brother, how the ends misled us

In acquiring furnishings, one after another!

لَيتَ شِعري وَكَيفَ أَنتَ إِذا ما

وَلوَلَت بِاِسمِكَ النِساءُ الرَواثي

Would that I knew, when your name

Is moaned by the wailing women,

لَيتَ شِعري وَكَيفَ أَنتَ مُسَجّى

تَحتَ رَدمٍ حَثاهُ فَوقَكَ حاثِ

Would that I knew how you lie,

Beneath a rubble heaped over you.

لَيتَ شِعري وَكَيفَ أَنتَ وَماحا

لُكَ فيما هُناكَ بَعدَ ثَلاثِ

Would that I knew, what's become of you

In the Hereafter, after three days!

إِنَّ يَوماً يَكونُ فيهِ بِمالِ ال

مَرءِ أَولى بِهِ ذَوّ الميراثِ

One day will come when a man's wealth

Will be foremost for his heir.

لَحَقيقٌ بِأَن يَكونَ الَّذي يَر

حَلُ عَمّا حَوى قَليلَ التُراثِ

Indeed, he who departs from what he hoarded

Is little troubled by meager inheritance.

أَيُّها المُستَغيثُ بي حَسبُكَ اللَ

هُ مُغيثُ الأَنامِ مِن مُستَغاثِ

O you who calls on me for help, suffice you

God as the helper of men in need!

فَلَعَمري لَرُبَّ يَومِ قُنوطٍ

قَد أَتى اللَهُ بَعدَهُ بِالغِياثِ

By my life, after many a day of despair

God sends relief thereafter!