مَلَّ سَقامي عُوَّدُه

وَخانَ دَمعي مُسعِدُه

My sickness has become habitual,

And my tears have betrayed their promiser.

وَضاعَ مِن لَيلي غَدُه

طوبى لِعَيني تَجِدُه

The morrow of my night is lost,

Blessing to the eye that finds it.

غُلَّت مِنَ الدَهرِ يَدُه

قَتّالَةٌ مَن تَلِدُه

Time has tied his hand,

A killer is he who gives him birth.

يَفنى فَيَبقى أَبَدُه

وَالمَوتُ ضارٍ أَسَدُه

He passes away yet his impact remains eternal,

And death is a vicious lion at his command.

يا مَن عَناني حُسَّدُه

يُقيمُهُ وَيُقعِدُه

O He who envied my rein,

Setting me up and putting me down.

فَإِنَّهُ في حَلقِهِ

طَعمُ شَجاً يُرَدِّدُه

For in his throat,

Is the taste of rancor he echoes.

سَهَرتُ لَيلاً أَرقُدُه

حَظُّ الحَسودِ كَمَدُه

I stayed up at night while he slept,

The lot of the envious lasts briefly.

قالوا قَليلاً عَدَدُه

مَن غَشَّ قَلَّ وَلَدُه

They said few are his number,

He who cheats, scorns his son.