أَسطُرٌ لابَ حَولَهُنَّ جَهولٌ

أَسطُرٌ لابَ حَولَهُنَّ جَهولٌ

فَهوَ يَرجو هَدياً بِأَسطَرلابِ

فَهوَ يَرجو هَدياً بِأَسطَرلابِ

Lines of writing—an ignoramus has circled around them;

Lines with no illumination around them

so he hopes for guidance with an astrolabe.

So he hopes for guidance in the lines' illumination

لا تَقِسني عَلى الَّذي شاعَ عَنّي

لا تَقِسني عَلى الَّذي شاعَ عَنّي

إِنَّ دُنياكَ مَعدِنٌ لِلخِلابِ

إِنَّ دُنياكَ مَعدِنٌ لِلخِلابِ

Do not judge me by what is widely said about me;

Do not judge me for what has spread about me

indeed, your world is a mine of deceit.

Indeed, your world is a mine of decay

قَد يُسَمِّيَ الفَتى الجَبانَ أَبوهُ

قَد يُسَمِّيَ الفَتى الجَبانَ أَبوهُ

أَسَداً وَهوَ مِن خِساسِ الكِلابِ

أَسَداً وَهوَ مِن خِساسِ الكِلابِ

His father may call the cowardly youth

The coward may name his father a lion

a lion, though he is among the vilest dogs.

While he is among the lowest of dogs

وَالبَرايا لَفظُ الزَمانِ وَلابُدَّ

وَالبَرايا لَفظُ الزَمانِ وَلابُدَّ

لَهُ مِن تَغَيُّرٍ وَاِنقِلابِ

لَهُ مِن تَغَيُّرٍ وَاِنقِلابِ

And creatures are time's utterance, and it must

And life is but the word of time, inevitably

undergo change and reversal.

It must change and turn

عَجِبَ اللَيلُ مِن سُرورِكَ فيهِ

عَجِبَ اللَيلُ مِن سُرورِكَ فيهِ

وَأَتى العَينَ ثاكِلاً في سِلابِ

وَأَتى العَينَ ثاكِلاً في سِلابِ

Night marveled at your joy within it,

The night was amazed by your joy in it

and came before the eye, bereaved, in mourning robes.

And sleep came to the eyes unsuccessful in desire