أقولُ لدهر قد توالت خُطوبُهُ

أقولُ لدهر قد توالت خُطوبُهُ

أليس لهذا يا زمانُ زوالُ

أليس لهذا يا زمانُ زوالُ

I say to an age whose calamities have come one after another:

I say to time that brought misfortunes successive

“Is there no end to this, O Time?”

Is there no end, O time, to your caprices?

فقال اصطبر كم دولة قد تغيّرت

فقال اصطبر كم دولة قد تغيّرت

لكلّ زمان دولةُ ورجالُ

لكلّ زمان دولةُ ورجالُ

Then it said, “Be patient—how many a ruling power has changed!

It said: "Have patience - how many a realm was altered!

Every age has its ruling power and its men.”

For every time there is a state imposed by men."