أَرى الدَهر يَقصُدُ ما ساءَني

أَرى الدَهر يَقصُدُ ما ساءَني

كَأَنِّيَ مِن بَعضِ أَعدائِهِ

كَأَنِّيَ مِن بَعضِ أَعدائِهِ

I see Time bent on whatever brings me pain,

I see Time seeking what grieves me,

as though I were among its enemies.

As though I were one of its enemies.

فَلَستُ أُعاتِبُهُ إِن جَنى

فَلَستُ أُعاتِبُهُ إِن جَنى

لِعِلمي بِقِلَّةِ إِصغائِه

لِعِلمي بِقِلَّةِ إِصغائِه

So I do not reproach it when it does wrong,

So I do not reproach it if it does wrong,

for I know how little it listens.

For I know how little it listens.

فَلَو كانَ ثَمَّ فَتىً رَأَيُه

فَلَو كانَ ثَمَّ فَتىً رَأَيُه

بَصيرٌ بِتَشييدِ عَليائِه

بَصيرٌ بِتَشييدِ عَليائِه

Were there but a young man whose judgment

For if there were a young man whose judgment

was clear-sighted in building up his eminence,

Was discerning in building up his eminence,

لَمّا كان يُحوِجُني جودُهُ

لَمّا كان يُحوِجُني جودُهُ

إِلى غَيرِ نُصرَةِ آلائِه

إِلى غَيرِ نُصرَةِ آلائِه

his generosity would not leave me needing

His generosity would not leave me needing

anything but to champion his benefactions.

Anything but the support of his favors.