تُخالِفُنا الدُنيا عَلى السَخطِ وَالرِضى

فَإِن أَوشَكَ الإِنسانُ قالَت لَهُ مَهلا

The world opposes us in anger and contentment

When a person is about to rejoice it says to him: wait!

هِيَ الماءُ لَوَ انَّي بِعِلمي وَرَدتُهُ

لَقُلتُ لِنَفسيَ كانَ مَورِدُهُ جَهلا

It is water, if only I knew its course

I would say to myself: its course was ignorance

فَما رَئِمَت طِفلاً وَلا أَكرَمَت فَتىً

وَلا رَحِمَت شَيخاً وَلا وَقَّرَت كَهلا

It never had mercy on a child, honored a young man

Had compassion on an old man, or respected an elder

قَطَعنا إِلى السَهلِ الحَزونَةَ نَبتَغي

يَساراً فَلَم نُلفِ اليَسيرَ وَلا السَهلا

We headed to the sad plain seeking

Ease but we did not find ease or plain sailing

فَلا تَأمُلِ الأَيّامَ لِلخَيرِ مَرَّةً

فَلَيسَت لِخَيرٍ أَن يُظَنَّ بِها أَهلا

So do not expect good days ever

For good is not thought well of in them