أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ الدَهرَ قَطَّعَني حَزّا

وَأَصحَبَني ذُلّاً وَأَثكَلَني عِزّا

Have you not seen that fate has torn me to shreds

And burdened me with humiliation and endowed me with glory?

أَلا رُبَّ وَجهٍ في الثَرى كانَ عابِساً

إِذا خِفتُ بَطشاً مِن يَدِ الدَهرِ أَو غَمزا

Oh, many a face in the dust was once frowning

When I feared the tyranny of fate or a blow from its hand.

مُلوكٌ وَإِخوانٌ تَرى بِسَماحِهِم

مِنَ البِشرِ في ديباجِ أَوجُهِهِم طَرزا

Kings and brothers whom you see—from their generosity

Humans are adorned in brocade and splendor.

فَقَدتُهُمُ مُستَكرِهاً وَكَنَزتُهُم

ثَواباً وَأَجراً في بُطونِ الثَرى كَنزا

I have lost them, though I wished otherwise,

And treasured them as reward and recompense in the bellies of the earth.