ينوب المرء نحس فيه نقصٌ

ينوب المرء نحس فيه نقصٌ

يتمّمه المنجم بالحساب

يتمّمه المنجم بالحساب

Ill fortune befalls a man, still incomplete;

Man suffers misfortune that leaves him lacking,

the astrologer completes it through calculation.

The astrologer completes it through calculations.

ويأخذ منه جذرا عن كلام

ويأخذ منه جذرا عن كلام

يزخرفه كمعترض السراب

يزخرفه كمعترض السراب

And he extracts a root from it on the strength of words

And takes from it a root, far from speech,

he embellishes, like one pursuing a mirage.

Which he embellishes like a mirage's deception.

يعلل نفسه طمعا وخوفا

يعلل نفسه طمعا وخوفا

كتعليل المسوّد بالخضاب

كتعليل المسوّد بالخضاب

He consoles himself out of hope and fear,

He justifies himself through greed and fear,

like one finding solace in blackening his hair with dye.

Like the justification of the blackened with kohl.

ولو ترك النحوس إلى مداها

ولو ترك النحوس إلى مداها

كفي همّ العذاب إلى العذاب

كفي همّ العذاب إلى العذاب

And had he left misfortunes to run their course,

If he left misfortunes to run their course,

he would have been spared anxiety over torment on top of torment itself.

The torment alone would suffice for torment.

وليس حسابه واقيه نحسا

وليس حسابه واقيه نحسا

وهل تثنى المناحس بالحساب

وهل تثنى المناحس بالحساب

And his calculation does not shield him from ill fortune;

His calculations cannot protect him from misfortune,

and can misfortunes be turned aside by calculation?

Can calculations ever divert misfortune?

فليس صبا يؤخّر عن مشيب

فليس صبا يؤخّر عن مشيب

ولا شيب يقدّم في شباب

ولا شيب يقدّم في شباب

For youth cannot be kept from graying,

Youth does not delay the advent of old age,

nor can gray hair be brought forward into youth.

Nor does old age hasten the days of youth.