لا تَرْكَنَنَّ إِلَى الزَّمَانِ فَرُبَّمَا

خَدَعَتْ مَخِيلَتُهُ الْفُؤَادَ الْغَافِلا

Do not rely on time, for often

Its delusions deceive the heedless heart.

وَاصْبِرْ عَلَى مَا كَانَ مِنْهُ فَكُلَّمَا

ذَهَبَ الْغَدَاةَ أَتَى الْعَشِيَّةَ قَاِفلا

And be patient with what has passed, for whenever

Morning departs, evening returns laden.

كَفَلَ الشَّقَاءَ لِمَنْ أَنَاخَ بِرَبْعِهِ

وَكَفَى ابْنَ آدَمَ بِالْمَصَائِبِ كَافِلا

Hardship is guaranteed for whoever halts at its abode,

And man's share of calamities suffices as a burden.

يَمْشِي الضَّرَاءَ إِلَى النُّوُسِ وَتَارَةً

يَسْعَى لَهَا بَيْنَ الأَسِنَّةِ رَافِلا

Affliction walks to the intimate, and sometimes

It hustles between the tongues spreading.

لا يَرْهَبُ الضِّرْغَامَ بَيْنَ عَرِينِهِ

بَأْساً وَلا يَدَعُ الظِّبَاءَ مَطَافِلا

It does not fear the gloom in its den,

Nor does it leave the bright plains untrodden.

بَيْنَا تَرَى نَجْمَ السَّعَادَةِ طَالِعَاً

فَوْقَ الأَهِلَّةِ إِذْ تَرَاهُ آفِلا

While you see the star of fortune rising

Above the crescent, behold it setting.

فَإِذَا سَأَلْتَ الدَّهْرَ مَعْرِفَةً بِهِ

فَاسْأَلْ لِتَعْرِفَهُ النَّعَامَ الْجَافِلا

So if you ask time to get to know it,

Ask the ostriches wandering in the desert.

فَالدَّهْرُ كَالدُّولابِ يَخْفِضُ عَالِياً

مِنْ غَيْرِ مَا قَصْدٍ وَيَرْفَعُ سَافِلا

For time is like a spinning wheel, lowering the sublime

Without intent, and raising up the lowly.