قَنِعْتُ وَرَيْعانُ الشَّبابِ بِمائِهِ

قَنِعْتُ وَرَيْعانُ الشَّبابِ بِمائِهِ

وَلَمْ يَتَبَسَّمْ وافِدٌ الشَّيْبِ في الرَّاسِ

وَلَمْ يَتَبَسَّمْ وافِدٌ الشَّيْبِ في الرَّاسِ

I was content while youth’s bloom still held its sap,

I am content, though springtime of my youth has passed

And gray hair’s herald had not yet smiled upon my head.

And no more smiles the aged man with hair now white

وَأَعْرَضْتُ عَنْ دُنيا تَوَلَّى نَعيمُها

وَأَعْرَضْتُ عَنْ دُنيا تَوَلَّى نَعيمُها

فَما بِيَدِ السّاقي سِوَى فَضْلَةِ الكاسِ

فَما بِيَدِ السّاقي سِوَى فَضْلَةِ الكاسِ

And I turned away from a world whose bliss had departed,

I've turned away from a life whose joys cannot last

For the cupbearer holds only what remains in the cup.

What's left for me but dregs the cupbearer pours at night?

وَلا عِزَّ حَتَّى يَضْرِبَ المَرْءُ جَأْشَهُ

وَلا عِزَّ حَتَّى يَضْرِبَ المَرْءُ جَأْشَهُ

عَلى اليَأْسِ فَانْفُضْ رَاحَتَيْكَ مِن النَّاسِ

عَلى اليَأْسِ فَانْفُضْ رَاحَتَيْكَ مِن النَّاسِ

And there is no honor until a man steels his heart

True glory comes when one defiantly looks at loss-

To relinquish hope—so shake your hands free of people.

So cast off all who bring you comfort or delight