بَني الدَهرِ مَهلاً إِن ذَمَمتُ فِعالَكُم

فَإِنّي بِنَفسي لا مَحالَةَ أَبدَأُ

O children of time, give me respite, though you may condemn my deeds,

For I alone will inevitably begin.

مَتى يَتَقَضّى الوَقتُ وَاللَهُ قادِرٌ

فَنَسكُنُ في هَذا التُرابِ وَنَهدَأُ

Whenever time demands and Allah is able,

We will settle in this dust and become still.

تَجاوَرَ هَذا الجِسمُ وَالرَوحُ بُرهَةٌ

فَما بَرِحَت تَأَذى بِذاكَ وَتَصدَأُ

This body and soul neighbor each other for a while.

They have not ceased tormenting and wearing away at one another.