1. شَيَّب أَصْداغِي الهُموم الهِمَمُ

    لَيْلَةٌ لَيْلَا وَيَوْمٌ أَيْوَمُ

    Weighty cares have turned my temples gray.

    A pitch-dark night and a long, hard day.

  2. قَدْ رابَنِي النِسْيانُ والتَوَهُّمُ

    فَكِدْتُ مِنْ طُول اللَيالِي أَهْرَمُ

    Indeed, forgetfulness and uncertain imaginings have unsettled me.

    So I have almost grown decrepit from the long passage of nights.

  3. وَما ارْمَأَزَّ الأُسْحُمانُ الأَسْحَمُ

    تَهْوِي الدَواهِي حَوْلَهُ وَيَسْلَمُ

    Yet the dark, jet-black one has not flinched.

    Calamities fall around him, and he escapes unharmed.

  4. فَالآنَ تُبْلَى بِي الجِيادُ السُهَّمُ

    وَلا تُجارِيني إِذا ما سَوَّموا

    So now the lean, fine steeds are put to the test against me.

    And they cannot keep pace with me when set galloping.

  5. وَشَخَصَت أَبْصارُهُمْ وَأَجْذَمُوا

    لا تَشْتُمِ الناسَ كَما لا تُشْتَمُ

    And their eyes stared fixedly, and they hastened on.

    Do not insult people, so that you will not be insulted.