يَأتي عَلى الخَلقِ إِصباحٌ وَإِمساءُ

وَكُلُّنا لِصُروفِ الدَهرِ نَسّاءُ

Mornings and evenings come upon mankind,

And we are all subject to the turns of fate.

وَكَم مَضى هَجَرِيٌّ أَو مُشاكِلُهُ

مِنَ المَقاوِلِ سَرّوا الناسَ أَم ساءوا

How many a departed loved one or hardships

Have people kept secret or openly lamented?

تَتوى المُلوكُ وَمِصرٌ في تَغَيُّرِهِم

مِصرٌ عَلى العَهدِ وَالأَحساءُ أَحساءُ

Kings pass away and Egypt remains the same,

Loyal to its ways, constant as the constellation Ursa Major.

خَسِستِ يا أُمَّنا الدُنيا فَأُفِّ لَنا

بَنو الخَسيسَةِأَوباشٌ أَخِسّاءُ

You have failed us, oh base world, so give us,

Worthless sons of a worthless mother, consolation.

وَقَد نَطَقتِ بِأَصنافِ العِظاتِ لَنا

وَأَنتِ فيما يَظِنُّ القَومُ خَرساءُ

You have spoken to us in every form of wisdom,

Yet to others you seem mute.

وَمن لِصَخر بنِ عَمرٍو أَنَّ جُثَّتَهُ

صَخرٌ وَخَنساءَهُ في السِربِ خَنساءُ

The tomb of Sakhr ibn ‘Amr remains a rock

While his beloved rests softly in her grave.

يَموجُ بَحرُكِ وَالأَهواءُ غالِبَةٌ

لِراكِبَيهِ فَهَل لِلسُفنِ إِرساءُ

Your sea rages and the winds prevail

Against those who sail it. Can ships find safe harbor?

إِذا تَعَطَّفتِ يَوماً كُنتِ قاسِيَةً

وَإِن نَظَرتِ بِعَينٍ فَهيَ شَوساءُ

If you show mercy one day, you are cruel the next,

And if you glance with one eye, it is askance.

إِنسٌ عَلى الأَرضِ تُدمي هامَها إِحَنٌ

مِنها إِذا دَمِيَت لِلوَحشِ أَنساءُ

Men roam the earth bowing their heads.

When humbled, even wild beasts can be tamed.

فَلا تَغُرَّنكَ شُمٌّ مِن جِبالِهِمُ

وَعِزَّةٌ في زَمانِ المُلكِ قَعساءُ

Let not their stately mountains deceive you.

In the days of kings’ rule, power is soon laid low.

نالوا قَليلاً مِنَ اللَذّاتِ وَاِرتَحَلوا

بِرَغمِهِم فَإِذا النِعماءُ بَأساءُ

They enjoyed little of life’s pleasures and departed,

Despite themselves – and lo, joy turns to sorrow.