قَرَنتَ الجِيادِ بِأَجمالِها

لِتُعسِفَ نَفَساً بِآمالِها

You harnessed the steeds with their beauty,

To tyrannize a soul with its hopes.

وَلا بُدَّ مِن سَيرِها مَرَّةً

بَعدَ اِلتِفاتٍ إِلى مالِها

Yet they must travel once,

After turning to their possessions.

وَأَفضَلُ ما اِكتَسَبَت أُمَّةٌ

وَإِن شَقِيَت حُسنُ أَعمالِها

The best that a nation has gained,

However miserable, is the beauty of its deeds.

وَلا خَيرَ في أَن تُمَدَّ الحَياةُ

وَنُقصانُها مِثلُ إِكمالِها

No good in extending life,

Its shortening is like completing it.

فَوَيهاً وَواهاً لِسَيلِ المَنو

نِ كَم جَرَّ عيراً بِأَحمالِها

Alas, alas for the torrents of time!

How much laden caravans have they drawn with their burdens!

أُمورٌ تُوافي جُنودَ الرَدى

بِتَفصيلِها بَعدَ إِجمالِها

Matters that meet the troops of decline,

By detailing them after summarizing them.

وَقَد أَعمَلَ الناسُ أَفكارَهُم

فَلَم يُغنِهِم طولُ إِعمالِها

People have used their thoughts,

Yet the length of their use has not benefited them.

فَهَل يُرمِلُ الدَهرُ أُمَّ الأَنامِ

فَتَفقِدُ نَسلاً بِإِرمالِها

Will time make the mother of men senile,

So she loses a progeny with her barrenness?