أَهاتِفَةَ الأَيكِ خَلّي الأَنامَ

وَلا تَثلِبيهِ وَلا تَمدَحي

O nightly caller, leave people be

Do not blame them nor praise them

وَإِن كُنتِ شادِيَةً فَاِصمُتي

وَإِن كُنتِ باكِيَةٍ فَاِصدَحي

And if you are happy, stay silent

And if you are sad, cry out loud

كَدَحنا لِفانِيَةٍ حُلوَةٍ

فَكَيفَ نَلومُكَ إِن تَكدَحي

We have toiled for fleeting sweetness

How could we blame you if you toil too

وَإِن حَمَلَت راحَتي راحَها

بِأَقداحِها لَم تَفُز أَقدُحي

If you carried my comfort, carried it away

With your cups, no cups could outpour it

وَما يُضحِكُ السِنَّ في دَهرِها

كَأَنَّ المَصائِبَ لَم تَفدَحِ

What makes this age laugh in its course

As if disasters never spread wide