لَم يَبقَ شَيءٌ مِنَ الدُنيا بِأَيدينا
إِلّا بَقِيَّةُ دَمعٍ في مَآقينا
Nothing remains of this world in our hands
Except the remnants of tears in our eyes
كُنّا قِلادَةَ جيدِ الدَهرِ فَاِنفَرَطَت
وَفي يَمينِ العُلا كُنا رَياحينا
We were the necklace of time’s neck, now unstrung
And in fortune’s right hand we were sweet basil
كانَت مَنازِلُنا في العِزِّ شامِخَةً
لا تُشرِقُ الشَمسَ إِلّا في مَغانينا
Our dwellings stood lofty in glory
The sun shone only in our cupolas
وَكانَ أَقصى مُنى نَهرِ المَجَرَّةِ لَو
مِن مائِهِ مُزِجَت أَقداحُ ساقينا
If the water of the Milky Way was mixed
With the wine of our cupbearer’s cup
وَالشُهبُ لَو أَنَّها كانَت مُسَخَّرَةً
لِرَجمِ مَن كانَ يَبدو مِن أَعادينا
The shooting stars, if they were at our command
Would pelt those enemies who dared oppose us
فَلَم نَزَل وَصُروفُ الدَهرِ تَرمُقُنا
شَزراً وَتَخدَعُنا الدُنيا وَتُلهينا
But fate’s turns did not cease to watch us
Toying with us, the world misleading us
حَتّى غَدَونا وَلا جاهٌ وَلا نَشَبٌ
وَلا صَديقٌ وَلا خِلُّ يُواسينا
Until we found ourselves with no glory or youth
No friend or companion to console us
