عايِن أَواخِرَ كائِنٍ بِأَوائِلٍ

إِنَّ الهِلالَ يُحَقُّ بِالإِبدارِ

Eyes glimpse endings in beginnings,

The crescent moon deserves to wax fully,

وَاللَيلُ يُؤذِنُ بِالصَباحِ فَإِن تَرُم

فيهِ سُراكَ لِحاجَةٍ فَبِدارُ

And night heralds morning. So if in it

You seek your night patrol, then go forth!

أَرَجَوتَ أَن تُعطى اِختِيارَكَ وَالفَتى

يَغدو عالى شُمسٍ مِنَ الأَقدارِ

You hoped to be graced with your choice, and the young man

Rises to a lofty sun of destinies,

وَأَرى العَروسَ تَحَجَّبَت في خِدرِها

كَمُعَرَّسِ الآسادِ في الأَخدارِ

And I see the bride secluded in her chamber,

Like lions secluded among the thickets,

أَحسِن جِواراً لِلفَتاةِ وَعُدَّها

أُختَ السِماكِ عَلى دُنُوِّ الدارِ

Treat the girl kindly and regard her

As a neighbor at the house’s edge,

كَتَجاورُ العَينَينِ لَن تَتَلاقَيا

وَحِجازُ بَينَهُما قَصيرُ جِدارِ

As eyes are neighbors, they will not meet

Though a short wall divides between them,

وَالحَيُّ دارٍ بِالَّذي هُوَ حّادِثٌ

وَلَهُ مِنَ الأَمَلِ المُضَلَّلِ دارِ

One alive in a house is one who is new to it

And has from fanciful hopes a dwelling,

يَسعى الحَريصُ وَما القَضاءُ بِغافِلٍ

عَن رَبِّ إيرادٍ وَلا إِصدارِ

The avid one strives but Fate is not inattentive

To the Lord of livelihoods nor prevention,

كَم نِعمَةٍ لِلَّهِ يَحسِبُها اِمرُؤٌ

بِالشَحطِ وَهِيَ قَريبَةُ المُزدارِ

How many blessings of God does a man think

Are barred, while near to hand!