عَتَبتُ عَلى الزَمانِ وَأَيُّ حَيٍّ

عَتَبتُ عَلى الزَمانِ وَأَيُّ حَيٍّ

مِنَ الأَحياءِ أَعتَبَهُ الزَمانُ

مِنَ الأَحياءِ أَعتَبَهُ الزَمانُ

I reproached time—and what living being

I blamed time, though what living thing

among the living has time ever appeased?

Has time not blamed among the living?

وَآمِنةٍ مِنَ الحَدَثانِ تَزري

وَآمِنةٍ مِنَ الحَدَثانِ تَزري

عَلَيَّ وَلَيسَ مِن حَدَثٍ أَمانُ

عَلَيَّ وَلَيسَ مِن حَدَثٍ أَمانُ

And many a woman, secure from fate's blows, looks down

And safe from mutability I sing,

on me—yet there is no safety from calamity.

Though safe from nothing change may bring.

وَلَيسَ بِزائِلٍ يَرمي وَيُرمى

وَلَيسَ بِزائِلٍ يَرمي وَيُرمى

مُعانٌ مَرَّةً أَو مُستَعانُ

مُعانٌ مَرَّةً أَو مُستَعانُ

And one never ceases to shoot and be shot at—

Unchanging wretchedness is sorrow’s sting.

sometimes helped, or called upon for help.

Help once, help ever. Never say again

مِتى تَأبَ الكَرامَةَ مِن كَريمٍ

مِتى تَأبَ الكَرامَةَ مِن كَريمٍ

فَما لَكَ عِندَهُ إِلاّ الهَوانُ

فَما لَكَ عِندَهُ إِلاّ الهَوانُ

Whenever you refuse honor from a noble man,

That noble spirit whom thou hast betrayed,

then you have nothing from him but humiliation.

Or only yielded to disdain.