كنتُ أسعَى إلى النَّدى أينمَا كا

كنتُ أسعَى إلى النَّدى أينمَا كا

نَ وأغشَى في كلِّ وقتٍ مكانَه

نَ وأغشَى في كلِّ وقتٍ مكانَه

I used to seek generosity wherever it

I used to seek the dew wherever it was

was, and visit its dwelling at every hour.

And visit its place at every time

صَار يَدنُو منِّي ولا أتَلقَّا

صَار يَدنُو منِّي ولا أتَلقَّا

هُ فظَنُّوا بِيَ الغِنَى والصِّيانَه

هُ فظَنُّوا بِيَ الغِنَى والصِّيانَه

Now it draws near me, yet I do not receive

It started coming closer to me without my seeking

it; so they thought me wealthy and self-restrained.

So they thought I had become rich and self-sufficient

ليسَ ما قد رأوا ولكن زَمانٌ

ليسَ ما قد رأوا ولكن زَمانٌ

طرقَتني صُروفُهُ بِزَمانه

طرقَتني صُروفُهُ بِزَمانه

It is not as they thought, but an age

It is not what they saw, but time

whose vicissitudes have struck me with infirmity.

Whose turns have afflicted me in its time