أَنا صائِمٌ طولَ الحَياةِ وَإِنَّما

أَنا صائِمٌ طولَ الحَياةِ وَإِنَّما

فِطري الحِمامُ وَيَومَ ذاكَ أُعَيِّدُ

فِطري الحِمامُ وَيَومَ ذاكَ أُعَيِّدُ

I fast throughout my life, and only

I fast throughout my life, yet

death breaks my fast, and on that day I celebrate a festival.

My Eid is the dove, and on that day I celebrate

لَونانِ مِن لَيلٍ وَصُبحٍ لَوَّنا

لَونانِ مِن لَيلٍ وَصُبحٍ لَوَّنا

شَعري وَأَضعَفَني الزَمانُ الأَيِّدُ

شَعري وَأَضعَفَني الزَمانُ الأَيِّدُ

Two colors, from night and dawn, have dyed

Two colors of night and dawn have dyed

my hair, and mighty Time has weakened me.

My hair, and time has weakened me, the prolonger

وَالناسِ كَالأَشعارِ يَنطِقُ دَهرُهُم

وَالناسِ كَالأَشعارِ يَنطِقُ دَهرُهُم

بِهُم فَمُطلِقُ مَعشَرٍ وَمِقَيِّدُ

بِهُم فَمُطلِقُ مَعشَرٍ وَمِقَيِّدُ

And people are like verses: their time speaks

People are like poems, time speaks of them

through them—thus freeing one group and binding another.

Releasing some and confining others

قالوا فُلانٌ جَيِّدٌ لِصَديقِهِ

قالوا فُلانٌ جَيِّدٌ لِصَديقِهِ

لا يَكذِبوا مافي البَريَّةِ جَيِّدُ

لا يَكذِبوا مافي البَريَّةِ جَيِّدُ

They said, 'So-and-so is good to his friend.'

They said so-and-so is good to his friend

Let them not lie: no one among humankind is good.

They do not lie, there is no good in the wilderness

فَأَميرُهُم نالَ الإِمارَةَ بِالخَنى

فَأَميرُهُم نالَ الإِمارَةَ بِالخَنى

وَتَقيُّهُم بِصَلاتِهِ مُتَصَيِّدُ

وَتَقيُّهُم بِصَلاتِهِ مُتَصَيِّدُ

For their ruler attained rulership through depravity,

Their prince attained leadership through betrayal

and their pious man hunts for prey with his prayer.

While their devout by his prayers is a hunter

كُن مَن تَشاءُ مُهَجَّناً أَو خالِصاً

كُن مَن تَشاءُ مُهَجَّناً أَو خالِصاً

وَإِذا رُزِقتَ غِناً فَأَنتَ السَيِّدُ

وَإِذا رُزِقتَ غِناً فَأَنتَ السَيِّدُ

Be whoever you wish, of mixed or pure lineage;

Be whoever you want, mixed or pure

and if you are granted wealth, then you are the master.

And if you gain wealth, then you are the master

وَاِصمُت فَما كُثِرَ الكَلامُ مِن اِمرِئٍ

وَاِصمُت فَما كُثِرَ الكَلامُ مِن اِمرِئٍ

إِلّا وَظُنَّ بِأَنَّهُ مُتَزَيِّدُ

إِلّا وَظُنَّ بِأَنَّهُ مُتَزَيِّدُ

And be silent, for no man speaks at length

And be silent, for the more a man speaks

without being thought an exaggerator.

The more he is thought to exaggerate