عنت واعدتني الليالي فلا أرى

عنت واعدتني الليالي فلا أرى

لأهل نعيم غبطةً لم تضرم

لأهل نعيم غبطةً لم تضرم

The nights have beset and afflicted me, so I see no

You promised me nights, yet I see no joy

happiness for those living in ease that has not been set ablaze.

For the people of bliss, no fire was lit

قضى قبلنا قوم رجوا أن يقوموا

قضى قبلنا قوم رجوا أن يقوموا

بلا تعب عيشاً فلم يتقوم

بلا تعب عيشاً فلم يتقوم

People before us died, hoping to set

Before us, a people hoped to stand

a life aright without toil, but it would not come right.

Without toil, to live, but it was not built

فكلهم لما رأى الدهر خانه

فكلهم لما رأى الدهر خانه

أقر على ذل فلم يترمرم

أقر على ذل فلم يترمرم

So each of them, when he saw that Time had betrayed him,

When fate betrayed them all

submitted to humiliation and uttered not a word.

They settled into disgrace, and did not resist

وما نحن إلا كالذي تفارطوا

وما نحن إلا كالذي تفارطوا

وإن الذي يبقى لك المتقدم

وإن الذي يبقى لك المتقدم

And we are only like those who have gone before,

We are like those who went too far

and indeed, what remains for you is what has gone before.

What remains is the one who steps forth