مَن يَطلِبِ الدَهرُ تُدرِكهُ مَخالِبُهُ

وَالدَهرُ بِالوِترِ ناجٍ غَيرُ مَطلوبِ

Whoever seeks glory, its claws will catch him,

And time lies in wait though unpursued.

ما مِن أُناسٍ ذَوي مَجدٍ وَمَكرُمةٍ

إِلّا يَشُدُّ عَلَيهِم شِدَّةَ الذيبِ

No people of repute and honor exist,

Whom severity of fate does not subdue,

حَتّى يُبيدَ عَلى عَمدٍ سَراتَهُمُ

بِالنافِذاتِ مِنَ النَبلِ المَصايِيبِ

Till it destroys their glories deliberately,

With arrows of death unerring their aim.

إِنّي وَجَدتُ سِهامَ المَوتِ مُعرِضَةً

بِكُلِّ حَتفٍ مِنَ الآجالِ مَكتوبِ

Verily I found death's arrows everywhere,

On each forehead of life the name inscribed.