كَيفَ لا أَندَبُ أَمسي

وَمَماتي في غَدي

How can I not lament my evening,

And my death in the morrow?

فَاَنا مُذ حَلَّ تَعسي

فَرَّ حَظّي من يَدي

For since my misery arrived,

My fortune has slipped from my hand.

ضعفتُ روحي بِصَدري

وَتَلاشَت في الفُؤاد

My soul weakened in my chest,

And faded in my heart.

فَاِنطَفَت جذوةُ عُمري

وَاِستَحالَت لرماد

So the ember of my life extinguished,

And turned to ashes.

مُنيَتي هَل تَذكُرينا

وَقفَةً قُربَ الغَدير

My death, will you remember us,

Stopping by the pond?

حَيثُ أَلفينا الغصونا

هامِساتٍ في الأَثير

Where we met the bowing branches,

Whispering in the ether.

وَالسنونو راحِلاتُ

تلمس الماءَ الركود

And the years, travelers

Feeling the stagnant water,

مثلها تِلكَ الحَياةُ

مخرَت بَحر الوُجود

Like them is that life,

It died in the sea of existence.

يا لَهُ وَقتاً تَقَضّى

بَينَ لهو وَدَدِ

Oh what a time has passed

Between play and affection.

يَومَ كانَ الحُبُّ فَرضا

صافِياً كَالعسجَدِ

When love was a duty,

Pure as valerian.

أَيُّها المُنشِدُ رِفقاً

فَلَقَد وَلّى الشَباب

O singer, gently,

For youth has passed.

مَن قَضى في الكَونِ عِشقاً

لا يُؤاسيهِ الرباب

Who spent his life loving

Is not consoled by music.

إِنَّما قَبلَ المَماتِ

ذَكِّر الصَبَّ بميّ

Rather before death,

Remind the youth with wine.

غَنِّ لي لَحنَ الحَياةِ

ظبيَةَ الأُنسِ إِلَيَّ

Sing to me the melody of life,

The gazelle of company back to me.