دهرٌ رمتني بريبه ريبه

ما تنقضي من خطوبه خطبه

Time has treated me unfairly, so unfairly,

With unending troubles and tribulations.

ما سببٌ من صروفه عجبٌ

إلا اجتماعٌ لهله سببه

Its strange turns are a wonder,

Just random events for no reason.

يا طيب عيش الوحيد منفردا

لنفسه همّه ومكتسبه

O the joy of living alone, self-reliant,

Concerned only with oneself and one's gains.

كم ثعلب لا يفوته طلبٌ

اثقله عند عدوه ذنبه

How many a sly fox overlooking his quest

Is burdened at the foe's door with his sin.

وكم بعير عود له جلدٌ

أوهنهُ في قيامه قتبه

And many a camel, whose skin is all scar,

Whose kneeling has worn his knees threadbare.

وصاحب لي أرضيته زمنا

والدهرُ تتلو سرورهُ نخبه

And a friend who pleased me for ages,

With joys dispelled by time's blows.

حتّى إذا ما الزمان قصّر بي

وجرّعتني كؤوسه نوبه

Until when time let me down,

And made me drink deep of its cups,

شكَوت ما بي فبات مشتكيا

دهرا عبوسا دارت بنا كربه

I complained of what pained me, spending the night complaining

Of a sullen fate that brought us distress.

بي جرب وهو يشتكي جربا

شعلي حكاكي وشعله جربه

I suffered, still complaining of suffering,

My ardour kindled, my ardour aflame.

أبدي ازورارا وصدّ عن غضَب

من غير جرم بل خانه أدبه

Revealing passions, though free of crime,

Rather betrayed by manners urbane,

قلت له قول حوّل فطن

قد راضه من زمانه عجبه

I said to time words that gave pause to thought:

"Strange pleasures you reap from your days."

من لم يكن في رضاه ينفعني

رضاه عني يسرني غضبه

He who finds not, in pleasing me, pleasure

May his pleasure in my pain give me joy.