أُوَدِّعُ يَومي عالَماً إِنَّ مِثلَهُ

إِذا مَرَّ عَن مِثلي فَلَيسَ يَعودُ

I bid farewell to a life, the like of which,

If it passes by the likes of me, will not return,

وَما غَفَلاتُ العَيشِ إِلّا مَناحِسٌ

وَإِن ظَنَّ قَومٌ أَنَّهُنَّ سُعودُ

And the heedlessness of living is nothing but misfortune,

Though some may think it brings happiness.

كَأَنّي عَلى العودِ الرَكوبِ مُهَجِّراً

إِذا نَصَّ حِرباءُ الظَهيرَةِ عودُ

As if I were departing on a camel at noon

When the heat of midday departed and returned.

سَرى المَوتُ في الظَلماءِ وَالقَومُ في الكَرى

وَقامَ عَلى ساقٍ وَنَحنُ قُعودُ

Death crept in the darkness while people were heedless,

And rose on one leg while we were seated.

وَتِلكَ لَعَمرُ اللَهِ أَصعَبُ خُطَّةٍ

كَأَنَّ حُدوري في التُرابِ صُعودُ

By God, that is the most difficult situation,

As if my burial cloth was ascending the earth.

وَإِنَّ حَياتي لِلمَنايا سَحابَةٌ

وَإِنَّ كَلامي لِلحِمامِ رَعودُ

And my life to death is like a cloud,

And my words to doves are like thunder.

يُنَجِّزُ هَذا الدَهرُ ما كانَ مَوعِداً

وَتَمطُلُ مِنهُ بِالرَجاءِ وُعودُ

This life fulfils its promised appointed time,

Yet hope of delay from it continues to linger.