مَتى أَرى الدّهرَ قد آلت مصايرُهُ

مَتى أَرى الدّهرَ قد آلت مصايرُهُ

إلى الّذي كان مألوفاً ومعهودا

إلى الّذي كان مألوفاً ومعهودا

When shall I see that Time's fortunes have returned

When will I see fate turn its course

to what was familiar and well known?

To what was once familiar and expected

كم ذا أرى كلَّ مذمومٍ ولست أرى

كم ذا أرى كلَّ مذمومٍ ولست أرى

بين الورى أبدَ الأيّامِ محمودا

بين الورى أبدَ الأيّامِ محمودا

How long shall I see every blameworthy man, yet not see

How much do I see all that is blameworthy yet I do not see

among mankind, through all time, a praiseworthy one?

Among people forever anything praiseworthy

قالتْ أراك بهمٍّ لا تفارقُهُ

قالتْ أراك بهمٍّ لا تفارقُهُ

فقلت همِّي لأنّي ظَلْتُ مَجهودا

فقلت همِّي لأنّي ظَلْتُ مَجهودا

She said, 'I see you with a sorrow you never leave.'

She said, I see you worried, never leaving you

So I said, 'My sorrow comes from having remained worn down.'

So I said, my worry is because I remained exhausted

إنْ شئتَ عزّاً بلا ذُلٍّ يُطيف بهِ

إنْ شئتَ عزّاً بلا ذُلٍّ يُطيف بهِ

فَاِقطَعْ منَ الحرصِ حبلاً كان ممدودا

فَاِقطَعْ منَ الحرصِ حبلاً كان ممدودا

If you want dignity with no abasement circling it,

If you want honor without disgrace accompanying it

then sever the cord of greed that has been stretched out.

Then sever any rope that has been extended by greed

خذْ كيفَ شئتَ عن الأقطار قاطبةً

خذْ كيفَ شئتَ عن الأقطار قاطبةً

وَاِطلُبْ من الرّزق مطلوباً وموجودا

وَاِطلُبْ من الرّزق مطلوباً وموجودا

Take as you wish from all the lands,

Take in any way you wish from all regions

and seek sustenance, sought-after and available.

And seek sustenance, desired and found

فلستَ تأخذُ إلّا ما سبقتَ بهِ

فلستَ تأخذُ إلّا ما سبقتَ بهِ

ولا تبدّل بالمجدودِ مجدودا

ولا تبدّل بالمجدودِ مجدودا

For you take only what was destined for you beforehand,

For you will not take except what you were preceded with

nor exchange one fortunate person for another.

Nor exchange the predetermined for another predetermined

مضى الثّقاتُ فلا عينٌ ولا أثرٌ

مضى الثّقاتُ فلا عينٌ ولا أثرٌ

وأُورِدوا من حياضِ الموتِ مورودا

وأُورِدوا من حياضِ الموتِ مورودا

The trustworthy have passed away: no presence, no trace remains;

The trusted ones have passed away, no eye or trace

and they were led to a watering place among death's pools.

And they were led into death's meadows as sacrificial offerings

وأصبحوا كهشيمٍ بات في جَلَدٍ

وأصبحوا كهشيمٍ بات في جَلَدٍ

بِعاصِفاتٍ منَ النّكباءِ مكدودا

بِعاصِفاتٍ منَ النّكباءِ مكدودا

And they became like dry stubble that spent the night on hard ground,

And they became like chaff that spent the night in hides

battered by raging gusts of the crosswind.

Blown by storms of adversity into sand dunes

فما أبالِي وقد فارقتهمْ غَبَناً

فما أبالِي وقد فارقتهمْ غَبَناً

شُحّاً منَ الدَهرِ في نفعٍ ولا جودا

شُحّاً منَ الدَهرِ في نفعٍ ولا جودا

So, having parted from them, I care nothing for loss,

So why should I care, now that I have parted from them stingily

for Time's stinginess with benefits, or its bounty.

Out of fate's stinginess in benefit and generosity

وَلا أضمُّ يداً منِّي بغيرهمُ

وَلا أضمُّ يداً منِّي بغيرهمُ

ولا أودُّ من الأقوامِ مودودا

ولا أودُّ من الأقوامِ مودودا

Nor do I clasp my hand with anyone but them,

And I do not join my hands with others

nor cherish any beloved among the peoples.

Nor love anyone of the people as loved ones

ولا أخاف على مَن كان بعدهُم

ولا أخاف على مَن كان بعدهُم

نَحساً وسعداً ولا بيضاً ولا سودا

نَحساً وسعداً ولا بيضاً ولا سودا

Nor do I fear for whoever remains after them,

And I do not fear for those after them

ill fortune or good fortune, nor white nor black.

Misfortune or fortune, whiteness or blackness