غَدوتُ بِخيرَةٍ وَرَخاءِ حالِ

وَرُحتُ بِحَسرَةٍ وَكُسوفِ بالِ

I awoke in comfort and prosperity,

Yet departed in sorrow and gloom.

وَأَحرَ بِأَن تَنالَ السُوءُ مِمَّن

تُصاحِبُ حُسنَ ظَنٍّ بِاللَيالي

I was pained that evil should come

From one whose company I kept in good faith.

غَفِلتُ عَنِ الزَمانِ وَقَد تَراءَت

نَوائِبُهُ وَحادِثُ صَرفِها لِي

I was heedless of time

As its vicissitudes and events turned against me.

فَما نَفَعَ التَحَسُّر إِذ دَهاني

وَقَد عَلِقَت حَبائِلُهُ حِبالي

Regret availed me naught when it seized me,

For its ropes had bound my ropes.

تَلاعبُ بي حَوادِثُهُ وقِدماً

تَلاعَبُ بِالكِرامِ وَبِالرِجالِ

Its events toyed with me, and with dignity

And men it toyed step by step.

كَذاكَ الدَهرُ طَوراً سلمُ ناسٍ

وَطَوراً حَربُهُم يَومَ السِجالِ

Thus time is peace for some people at times,

And at times their war on an arena of contention.

فَصَبراً في النَوائِبِ فَهوَ ذُخرٌ

تَؤولُ بِهِ إِلى خَيرِ المآلِ

So patience during tribulations is a treasure

By which you attain the best outcome.

لَعَلَّ اللَهَ يَصنَعُ عَن قَريبٍ

فَلَيسَ يُؤودُهُ حَلُّ العِقالِ

Perhaps God will soon set things right,

For the unraveling of knots is not hard for Him.

فَتخلصُ مِن صُروفِ زَمانِ سُوءٍ

خَلاصَ السَيفِ حودث بِالصِقالِ

You will then be saved from the turns of an evil time,

Like a sword cleansed with polishing.

وَتَنكَشِفُ المَكارِهُ عَن سُرورٍ

كَما اِنكَشَفَ السرارُ عَنِ الهِلالِ

Troubles will recede, giving way to joy,

As the new moon's emergence follows darkness.