تكدَّرَ لي مَنْ كُنتُ أرجو صفاءَهْ

تكدَّرَ لي مَنْ كُنتُ أرجو صفاءَهْ

وما كْنتُ أخشى أنَّهُ يتَكدَّرُ

وما كْنتُ أخشى أنَّهُ يتَكدَّرُ

He whose sincere goodwill I hoped for has grown clouded toward me.

The one I hoped would stay clear, became turbid for me,

And I had not feared that he would become clouded.

And I never feared he would become turbid.

ولكِنَّ طَبعاً للزّمانِ عَرَفْتُهُ

ولكِنَّ طَبعاً للزّمانِ عَرَفْتُهُ

فماليَ لا أَسْلُو ولا أتصَبَّرُ

فماليَ لا أَسْلُو ولا أتصَبَّرُ

But I have come to know a trait of time;

But I knew the nature of time,

So why do I neither find solace nor summon patience?

So why shouldn't I be patient and steadfast?

إذا أحدثَتْ لنفسي تَغَيُّراً

إذا أحدثَتْ لنفسي تَغَيُّراً

فإنِّي يَعي غَيري ولا أتغَّيرُ

فإنِّي يَعي غَيري ولا أتغَّيرُ

When it brings about a change in my soul,

If I bring change upon myself,

Then I—another understands—and I do not change. [The Arabic syntax is unclear.]

I hurt others but do not change myself.