ضَحِكُ الدَهرِ في مُحَيّاكَ مَكرُ

ضَحِكُ الدَهرِ في مُحَيّاكَ مَكرُ

ما لَهُ غَيرَ أن يَسوءَكَ فِكرُ

ما لَهُ غَيرَ أن يَسوءَكَ فِكرُ

Time's smile at you is deceit;

The laughter of fate in your cheeks is cunning

it has no thought but to distress you.

It has no purpose but to spoil your thoughts

وَاِعتِقادُ الإِنسانِ فيكَ جَميلاً

وَاِعتِقادُ الإِنسانِ فيكَ جَميلاً

مِنَّةٌ لا يَنالُها مِنكَ شُكرُ

مِنَّةٌ لا يَنالُها مِنكَ شُكرُ

And a person's thinking well of you

And man's belief that you are beautiful

is a favor no thanks from you can repay.

Is a favor you do not thank him for

وَالحَديثُ المَسموعُ يوزَنُ بِالعَق

وَالحَديثُ المَسموعُ يوزَنُ بِالعَق

لِ فَيُضوى إِلَيهِ عُرفٌ وَنُكرُ

لِ فَيُضوى إِلَيهِ عُرفٌ وَنُكرُ

And speech that is heard is weighed by reason,

A heard saying is weighed by the intellect

to which right and wrong are referred.

To be drawn to its conventions and rejected

لَيسَ بِالسِنِّ تَستَحِقُّ المَنايا

لَيسَ بِالسِنِّ تَستَحِقُّ المَنايا

كَم نَجا بازِلٌ وَعوجِلَ بَكرُ

كَم نَجا بازِلٌ وَعوجِلَ بَكرُ

Age is not what makes you subject to death:

Old age does not deserve death

many a mature camel escaped, while a young one was taken early.

How many feeble survived and vigorous perished early

وَعَوانٍ حازَت حُليَّ كَعابٍ

وَعَوانٍ حازَت حُليَّ كَعابٍ

فاجَأَتها مِنَ الحَوادِثِ بِكرُ

فاجَأَتها مِنَ الحَوادِثِ بِكرُ

And many a matron who acquired a maiden's jewels

And helpers who acquired ornaments like Ka'b

was surprised by a virgin among calamities.

Were suddenly raided by calamities early

قَد رَكِبتُ الوَجناءَ في جَوشَنِ الحِن

قَد رَكِبتُ الوَجناءَ في جَوشَنِ الحِن

دِسِ أَكرى في رَحلِها وَهِيَ تَكرو

دِسِ أَكرى في رَحلِها وَهِيَ تَكرو

I have ridden the stout-cheeked she-camel in the breastplate of darkness,

I rode the she-camel in the army of sorrow

keeping vigil in her saddle while she strides swiftly.

Urging her ahead though she was slowing

راجِياً حُسنَ حالَةٍ إِن تَخَطَّت

راجِياً حُسنَ حالَةٍ إِن تَخَطَّت

ني فَإِعمالُها لِيَحسُنَ ذِكرُ

ني فَإِعمالُها لِيَحسُنَ ذِكرُ

Hoping for a better lot; if it passes

Hoping for the beauty of circumstances if they pass me

me by, I urge her onward to earn good repute.

For their operation to praise my mention

ساهِراً عُمرَ لَيلَتي وَكَأَنّي

ساهِراً عُمرَ لَيلَتي وَكَأَنّي

طائِرٌ تَحتَهُ مِنَ الكورِ وَكرُ

طائِرٌ تَحتَهُ مِنَ الكورِ وَكرُ

Wakeful through my whole night, as though I were

Staying up the night as if I were

a bird with the camel-saddle for a nest beneath it.

A bird beneath nets and traps

أَتَقَضّى مَعَ الصَباحِ فَلا أَط

أَتَقَضّى مَعَ الصَباحِ فَلا أَط

لُبُ رِزقاً وَبي مِنَ السُهدِ سُكرُ

لُبُ رِزقاً وَبي مِنَ السُهدِ سُكرُ

With dawn I swoop down, and do not seek

I stay till dawn neither asking

a livelihood, drunk as I am with sleeplessness.

For livelihood nor in me is drunkenness of sleep

عَكَرُ العَيشِ في إِنائي وَهَل يُؤ

عَكَرُ العَيشِ في إِنائي وَهَل يُؤ

مَلُ مِن صَفوِهِ وَقَد فاتَ عَكرُ

مَلُ مِن صَفوِهِ وَقَد فاتَ عَكرُ

Life's dregs are in my cup; can one hope

Life's bitterness is in my vessel, and does he hope

for its clear portion, when even the dregs have been lost?

For its purity when bitterness has passed?