أَيَزورُنا شَرخُ الشَبابِ فَيُرتَجى

أَم يَستَقِرُّ بِمَنزِلٍ فَيُزارُ

Does the glint of youth but visit us, then hoped for?

Or does it settle down, frequented then?

هَيهاتَ ما لَم يَنتَفِض مِن قَبرِهِ

مُضَرٌ فَيُبعَثُ أَو يَهُبَّ نِزارُ

Alas! None stirs from the grave that was Muḍar

To live again, or Nizar springs up.

أَضلَلتُهُ وَصَبَرتُ عَنهُ فَلا يَدَي

أَزمَت عَلَيهِ وَلا الدُموعُ غِزارُ

I lost him; no help came from hand of mine;

No copious tears were rained from eyelids' cloud.

تُطوى النَضارَةُ بِاللَيالي مِثلَ ما

يُطوى بِأَيدي الصائِناتِ إِزارُ

So chastity by nights is folded up

As knotted apron is by spinners wound.

وَالعَيشُ حَربٌ لَم يَضَع أَوزارَها

إِلّا الحِمامُ وَكُلُّنا أَوزارُ

Life is a war whose gear no dove casts off

Save only turtledoves - the rest have gear.