ذَهَبَ الكِرامُ فَلَيتَهُم ذَهَبٌ يُرى

ذَهَبَ الكِرامُ فَلَيتَهُم ذَهَبٌ يُرى

وَنُضارُ أَحسابِ الرِجالِ نُضارُ

وَنُضارُ أَحسابِ الرِجالِ نُضارُ

The noble have gone—if only they were gold one could see!

The noble ones are gone - if only their leaving could be seen

And the pure essence of men's ancestral honor is pure gold.

Yet the fresh countenances of men remain ever fresh

إِن يَبقَ لا يَهرَم وَإِن يُطرَح إِلى

إِن يَبقَ لا يَهرَم وَإِن يُطرَح إِلى

حَمراءَ موقَدَةٍ فَلَيسَ يُضارُ

حَمراءَ موقَدَةٍ فَلَيسَ يُضارُ

If it endures, it does not age; and if cast into

If it remains it does not wither, and if cast into

a red, blazing fire, it suffers no harm.

A burning furnace it is not harmed

لا يُدرِكُ اليَومَ الَّذي خَلَّفتَهُ

لا يُدرِكُ اليَومَ الَّذي خَلَّفتَهُ

تَقريبُ سابِقَةٍ وَلا إِحضارُ

تَقريبُ سابِقَةٍ وَلا إِحضارُ

The day you left behind cannot be overtaken

You cannot regain today which you have left behind

by a swift mare's canter, nor by a full gallop.

Neither by hurrying ahead nor by delaying