أَبى الدَهرُ أَن يَقنى الحَياءَ ويندما

أَبى الدَهرُ أَن يَقنى الحَياءَ ويندما

وَأن يَمحوَ الذَنبَ الَّذي كانَ قَدَّما

وَأن يَمحوَ الذَنبَ الَّذي كانَ قَدَّما

Time refused to feel shame and repent,

Time refused to make me feel ashamed and regretful,

Or erase the sin it had committed before,

And erase the sin which I had earlier committed,

وَأَن يَتَلَقّى وَجهُ عَتبيَ وَجهُهُ

وَأَن يَتَلَقّى وَجهُ عَتبيَ وَجهُهُ

بِعُذرٍ يُغشِّي صَفحَتَيهِ التَذَمُما

بِعُذرٍ يُغشِّي صَفحَتَيهِ التَذَمُما

Or meet my reproach face to face

And make his face meet my words of reproach

With an apology that cloaks both its cheeks in shame.

With an excuse covering both his cheeks.

سَتَعلَمُ بَعدي مَن تَكونُ سُيوفُهُ

سَتَعلَمُ بَعدي مَن تَكونُ سُيوفُهُ

إِلى كُلِّ صَعبٍ من مراقِيكَ سُلّما

إِلى كُلِّ صَعبٍ من مراقِيكَ سُلّما

After me, you will learn whose swords

After me you will know whose swords

Are a ladder to each of your arduous ascents.

To every rugged place of your heights are a ladder.

سَتَرجِعُ إِن حاوَلتَ دونيَ فَتكَةً

سَتَرجِعُ إِن حاوَلتَ دونيَ فَتكَةً

بِأخجَلَ مِنهُ المُبارز أَحجَما

بِأخجَلَ مِنهُ المُبارز أَحجَما

You will return, if you attempt a deadly strike without me,

You will return if you try aggression without me

More abashed than a duelist who shrank from combat.

More reluctant than the one challenged to fight.