يا دَهرُ ما أَقساكَ يا دَهرُ

لَم يَحظَ فيكَ بِطائِلٍ حُرُّ

O Time, how harsh you are, O Time

No free man has enjoyed success with you

أَمّا اللّئامُ فَأَنتَ صاحِبُهُم

وَلَهُم لَدَيكَ العَطفُ وَالنَصرُ

As for the base, you are their companion

And you grant them favor and victory

يَبقى اللَئيمُ مَدى الحَياةِ فَلا

يَرتاعُ مِنهُ لِحادِثٍ صَدرُ

The base person endures throughout life

His heart undaunted by any mishap

تَصفُو لَهُ الدُنيا بِلا كَدَرٍ

وَيُطِيعُهُ في عَيشِهِ اليُسرُ

Life treats him smoothly, without turmoil

And ease obeys his living

فَمرامُهُ سَهلٌ وَكَوكَبُهُ

سَعدٌ وَغُصنُ سُرورِهِ نَضرُ

His goals are easy, his star is fortunate

And the branch of his joy is verdant

وَعَلى الكَريمِ يَدٌ يُسَلِّطُها

مِنكَ الجَفاءُ المُرُّ وَالقَسرُ

While upon the noble you inflict

A bitter, harsh oppression and coercion

إِن نابَ خَطبٌ فَهوَ عُرضَتُهُ

يَفريهِ مِنهُ النابُ وَالظِفرُ

If he seeks help for a problem, it flees him

And victory and triumph evade him

أَو يَبغِ مَعروفاً لَدَيكَ غَداً

يَنحى عَلَيهِ حادِثٌ نُكرُ

Or if he seeks a favor from you tomorrow

Some awful event blocks his path

مَرعاهُ جَدبٌ وَالحُظوظُ لَهُ

حَربٌ وَجانِبُ عَيشِهِ وَعرُ

His pasture is barren, his luck is war

And the side of his life is bare

وَجَناهُ شَوكٌ وَالبُحورُ لَهُ

وَشَلٌ وَحَشوُ فُؤادِهِ جَمرُ

His harvest is thorns, and for him the seas

Are stalled, and the core of his heart embers

يا دَهرُ دَع ظُلمَ الكِرامِ فَهُم

عَقدٌ لِنَحرِكَ لَو دَرى النَحرُ

O Time, cease the injustice to the noble

For they are the necklace at your throat, if only the throat knew

سالِمهُمُ وَاِستَبقِ وُدَّهُمُ

فَهمُ نُجومُ ظَلامِكَ الزهرُ

Greet them in peace, and keep their love

For they are stars in your dark night