يا لَهفَ نَفسي عَلى زَمانٍ

يا لَهفَ نَفسي عَلى زَمانٍ

ضَيَّعتُهُ حيرَةً وَجَهلا

ضَيَّعتُهُ حيرَةً وَجَهلا

How my soul grieves for a span of time

Oh, how my soul regrets a time

I squandered in bewilderment and ignorance!

I squandered in bewilderment and ignorance.

لَزِمتُ فيهِ اللَئيمَ حَتّى

لَزِمتُ فيهِ اللَئيمَ حَتّى

مَلَلتُ مِن قُربِهِ وَمَلّا

مَلَلتُ مِن قُربِهِ وَمَلّا

Through it I kept company with a base man until

During it I kept company with the ignoble man until

I wearied of his company—and he of mine.

I grew weary of his company, and he too grew weary.

خَدَمتُهُ فَاِستَفادَ عِزّاً

خَدَمتُهُ فَاِستَفادَ عِزّاً

بِخِدمَتي وَاِستَفَدتُ ذُلّا

بِخِدمَتي وَاِستَفَدتُ ذُلّا

I served him, and he gained honor

I served him, so he gained honor

through my service, while I gained disgrace.

Through my service, while I gained humiliation.

وَلَيسَ ما قَد لَقيتُ بِدعاً

وَلَيسَ ما قَد لَقيتُ بِدعاً

مَن صَحِبَ النَذلَ صارَ نَذلا

مَن صَحِبَ النَذلَ صارَ نَذلا

What I have suffered is nothing strange:

And what I have suffered is nothing new:

whoever keeps company with the vile becomes vile.

Whoever keeps company with a scoundrel becomes a scoundrel.