الدَّهرُ خَدَّاعَةٌ خَلُولبُ

الدَّهرُ خَدَّاعَةٌ خَلُولبُ

وَصفْوُهُ بالقَذى مَشُوبُ

وَصفْوُهُ بالقَذى مَشُوبُ

Time is a cunning deceiver;

Time is a deceitful betrayer

And its purity is tainted with dregs.

Described with speckled dust

وأكثرُ النَّاسِ فاجْتَنِبْهُمْ

وأكثرُ النَّاسِ فاجْتَنِبْهُمْ

قوالِبٌ مالَها قلُوبُ

قوالِبٌ مالَها قلُوبُ

And most people—so shun them—

And most people, so avoid them

Are outward forms without hearts.

Molds without hearts

فلا تَغُرَّنَّكَ الَّليالي

فلا تَغُرَّنَّكَ الَّليالي

فَبَرقُها الخلب الكذوب

فَبَرقُها الخلب الكذوب

So never let the nights deceive you:

So do not let the nights deceive you

For their lightning is rainless and false.

With their deceitful lightning

ففي قَفا أُنسِها كُروب

ففي قَفا أُنسِها كُروب

وفي حَشَ سِلْمِها حُروبُ

وفي حَشَ سِلْمِها حُروبُ

For behind their comfort lie woes,

For in the rear of its intimacy lies worries

And in the heart of their peace lie wars.

And in the forefront of its peace lie wars