أَنفَعُ ما اِستَعمَلتَهُ الياسُ

أَنفَعُ ما اِستَعمَلتَهُ الياسُ

لِأَنَّهُ لَيسَ بِهِ باسُ

لِأَنَّهُ لَيسَ بِهِ باسُ

Despair is the most useful thing you have employed,

The most useful thing you have employed is despair

for there is no harm in it.

For it is devoid of harm

ما الناسُ في عَصرِكَ هَذا عَلى

ما الناسُ في عَصرِكَ هَذا عَلى

ما قَد تَراهُ مِنهُمُ ناسُ

ما قَد تَراهُ مِنهُمُ ناسُ

The people in this age of yours are not—judging by

People in your era now whatever

what you may see of them—truly human.

You see of them, it's just people

إِن وَعَدوا لَم يُنجِزوا الوَعدَ أَو

إِن وَعَدوا لَم يُنجِزوا الوَعدَ أَو

يَشيبَ مِن مَطلِهِمُ الراسُ

يَشيبَ مِن مَطلِهِمُ الراسُ

If they promise, they do not fulfill the promise until

If they promise, they do not fulfill the promise, or

the head turns gray from their stalling.

The head turns gray from waiting for them