سَمَّيتَ نَجلَكَ مَسعوداً وَصادَفَهُ

سَمَّيتَ نَجلَكَ مَسعوداً وَصادَفَهُ

رَيبُ الزَمانِ فَأَمسى غَيرَ مَسعودِ

رَيبُ الزَمانِ فَأَمسى غَيرَ مَسعودِ

You named your son Masʿūd, and he was met

You named your son Mas'ood, but the vicissitudes of time made him other than fortunate.

by time’s misfortunes, and so became unfortunate.

The firewood fears being set ablaze by its owner.

عودي يَخافُ مِنَ الإِحراقِ صاحِبُهُ

عودي يَخافُ مِنَ الإِحراقِ صاحِبُهُ

إِن قالَ رَبّي لِأَجسامِ البِلى عودي

إِن قالَ رَبّي لِأَجسامِ البِلى عودي

My wooden frame—its owner fears being burned,

If I say: "My Lord, restore bodies to their prime," [know that] the firewood fears.

if my Lord says to decayed bodies, “Return!”

Far be it from your Lord to break His promise.

حاشا لِرَبِّكَ مِن إِخلافِ مَوعِدُه

حاشا لِرَبِّكَ مِن إِخلافِ مَوعِدُه

وَإِنَّما الخُلفُ في قَولي وَمَوعودي

وَإِنَّما الخُلفُ في قَولي وَمَوعودي

Far be it from your Lord to break His promise;

Rather, the failing is in my speech and what I promise.

and broken faith lies only in my word and my promise.