إِلى ما أَجرُّ قُيودَ الحَياةِ

وَلا بُدَّ مِن فَكِّ هَذا الإِسار

To what do I drag the shackles of life

And I must unchain these bonds

وَدُنيايَ إِن وَهَبَت بِاليَمينِ

يَسارَ الفَتى أَخَذَت بِاليَسار

If my world gifts with the right hand

It seizes the youth’s left hand with the left

فَلا تَغبِطَنَّ بَعضَ خُدّامِها

فَكُلُّهُمُ دائِبٌ في خَسارِ

So do not envy any of its servants

For all of them are in constant loss

قَدِمنا إِلَيها عَلى رُغمِنا

وَنَخرُجُ مِن ضَنكِها بِاِقتِسارِ

We came to it against our will

And we leave its oppression forcefully

فَلا تَأمَنَن إِن وَفَدَ الحِمامِ

غادٍ عَلى موَجِ القَومِ سارِ

So do not feel safe if the pigeons arrive

Flying upon the waves of the people smoothly

فَتىً يَتَنادى حَناني الزَمانُ

وَما بَعدَ ذَلِكَ إِلّا اِنكِسارِ

A youth whose time calls tenderly

After that there is nothing but breaking down

فَطَوراً تَجيشُ غِمارُ المِياهِ

وَطَوراً تُصادِفُ ذاتَ اِنحِسارِ

Sometimes the clouds of water surge

And sometimes it faces recession

وَما جَهِلَ الحَيُّ مِن عامِرٍ

سُرورَ النُسورِ بِقَتلى النِسارِ

The living did not know from Amer

The eagles’ joy in killing the hunters