وقائلة والدهر بيني وبينها

وقائلة والدهر بيني وبينها

أغلب رأيي وهيَ تلحي وتعتب

أغلب رأيي وهيَ تلحي وتعتب

And a woman speaks, with time between her and me;

She rebukes me, while Time stands between us,

I give my judgment the upper hand while she scolds and reproaches.

I try to make her see reason, yet she persists and complains.

أقول لها قول اللبيب وقد لحت

أقول لها قول اللبيب وقد لحت

على خلق ما عنه للنفس مذهب

على خلق ما عنه للنفس مذهب

I tell her, as a wise man would, when she has reproached me

I say to her words of wisdom, though she importunes me,

for a disposition from which the soul has no escape.

About a nature I have no control over.

طبعت على ما فيّ غير مشاورٍ

طبعت على ما فيّ غير مشاورٍ

فمال إلى غير الطبيعةِ مهربُ

فمال إلى غير الطبيعةِ مهربُ

I was fashioned with what is in me, without being consulted;

She insisted on what was in me, without consultation,

so I have no escape to a nature other than my own.

So there is no escape from nature's bent.

ذريني وما أرضاه لي من خليقةٍ

ذريني وما أرضاه لي من خليقةٍ

فكلّ إلى ما فيه والطبع أغلبُ

فكلّ إلى ما فيه والطبع أغلبُ

Leave me with whatever disposition I accept for myself;

Leave me be, what pleases me is my nature,

for each inclines toward what is within him, and nature prevails.

For all are prone to their nature, and nature prevails.