الذرك الشيب فهلا أرعويت

وذلك الضعف فهلا اهتديت

That old age, if only I had guarded against it

And that weakness, if only I had been guided

وقد أراك الدهر أفعاله

بأهله طرا فهلا رأيت

And I have seen time's deeds upon its people

Wandering, if only I had seen

وصبرت تلك السنون التي

ولت بإقبال الردى لو وعيت

And I endured those years which

Turned with the return of misfortune, if only I had realized

وخبرت عن فعلها بالورى

ولم تقل إلا الذي قد دريت

And learned of its deeds in the world

And did not say except what I already knew

ولا تغالط فيإذاها ولو

رويت من أفعالها ما رويت

And do not be fooled by it even if

You have seen of its deeds what you have seen

وما بقي إلا انتظار النوى

عن الحمى إن شئت أو أن أبيت

And nothing remains except waiting for determination

To depart from zeal, whether you wish or refuse

ما الحي والموت له في غد

محقق في يومه غير ميت

Neither life nor death is up to him tomorrow

Certain on his day other than dead

فأبك وهل يرجع عيش مضى

عليك من بعد الصبي أن بكيت

So cry, and will the life that passed

Return to you after youth if you cried?

واستدرك الباقي ولو ساعة

تكف عن بعض مساع سعيت

And make up for the rest, even for an hour

Ceasing from some of what you sought

وما عسى تأتي به ساعة

وأنت تدري قبلها ما أتيت

And what might an hour bring

While you know before it what you came with

وليت لو أخلصت فيها وهل

يغنيك عن قول التقى قول ليت

If only you were sincere in it, but does

"If only" help against the word of piety?

واستصحب الذكر عسى أنه

يغدو أنيساً لك أنى ثويت

And take remembrance, perhaps it

Will be a companion for you wherever you lay

فالقبر أقصى مؤنس إلا الذي

قدمت أن خربته أو بنيت

For the grave is the furthest companion unless what

You sent forth by ruining or building it

شربت بالعمر حقيراً فقد

غبنت فيما بعته واشتريت

You drank the life miserable, so you

Were cheated in what you sold and bought

سل ربك العفو تجد عفوه

أوفى على ظلمك مما جنيت

Ask your Lord for pardon, you will find His

Pardon more plentiful than what you reaped