غَدوتُ بِخيرَةٍ وَرَخاءِ حالِ

غَدوتُ بِخيرَةٍ وَرَخاءِ حالِ

وَرُحتُ بِحَسرَةٍ وَكُسوفِ بالِ

وَرُحتُ بِحَسرَةٍ وَكُسوفِ بالِ

I began the day in good fortune and easy circumstances,

I awoke in comfort and prosperity,

And ended it in grief, my spirit eclipsed.

Yet departed in sorrow and gloom.

وَأَحرَ بِأَن تَنالَ السُوءُ مِمَّن

وَأَحرَ بِأَن تَنالَ السُوءُ مِمَّن

تُصاحِبُ حُسنَ ظَنٍّ بِاللَيالي

تُصاحِبُ حُسنَ ظَنٍّ بِاللَيالي

And how likely you are to suffer harm from those

I was pained that evil should come

You befriend, thinking well of the nights.

From one whose company I kept in good faith.

غَفِلتُ عَنِ الزَمانِ وَقَد تَراءَت

غَفِلتُ عَنِ الزَمانِ وَقَد تَراءَت

نَوائِبُهُ وَحادِثُ صَرفِها لِي

نَوائِبُهُ وَحادِثُ صَرفِها لِي

I was heedless of Time, though there had appeared

I was heedless of time

Its calamities and their fresh reversals before me.

As its vicissitudes and events turned against me.

فَما نَفَعَ التَحَسُّر إِذ دَهاني

فَما نَفَعَ التَحَسُّر إِذ دَهاني

وَقَد عَلِقَت حَبائِلُهُ حِبالي

وَقَد عَلِقَت حَبائِلُهُ حِبالي

So regret availed nothing when it struck me,

Regret availed me naught when it seized me,

Its snares already entangled with my cords.

For its ropes had bound my ropes.

تَلاعبُ بي حَوادِثُهُ وقِدماً

تَلاعبُ بي حَوادِثُهُ وقِدماً

تَلاعَبُ بِالكِرامِ وَبِالرِجالِ

تَلاعَبُ بِالكِرامِ وَبِالرِجالِ

Its mishaps toy with me, and long ago

Its events toyed with me, and with dignity

They toyed with the noble and with men.

And men it toyed step by step.

كَذاكَ الدَهرُ طَوراً سلمُ ناسٍ

كَذاكَ الدَهرُ طَوراً سلمُ ناسٍ

وَطَوراً حَربُهُم يَومَ السِجالِ

وَطَوراً حَربُهُم يَومَ السِجالِ

Such is Time: at times at peace with people,

Thus time is peace for some people at times,

And at times at war with them on the day of contest.

And at times their war on an arena of contention.

فَصَبراً في النَوائِبِ فَهوَ ذُخرٌ

فَصَبراً في النَوائِبِ فَهوَ ذُخرٌ

تَؤولُ بِهِ إِلى خَيرِ المآلِ

تَؤولُ بِهِ إِلى خَيرِ المآلِ

So have patience amid calamities, for it is a treasure;

So patience during tribulations is a treasure

Through it you reach the best outcome.

By which you attain the best outcome.

لَعَلَّ اللَهَ يَصنَعُ عَن قَريبٍ

لَعَلَّ اللَهَ يَصنَعُ عَن قَريبٍ

فَلَيسَ يُؤودُهُ حَلُّ العِقالِ

فَلَيسَ يُؤودُهُ حَلُّ العِقالِ

Perhaps God will act before long,

Perhaps God will soon set things right,

For untying the tether does not burden Him.

For the unraveling of knots is not hard for Him.

فَتخلصُ مِن صُروفِ زَمانِ سُوءٍ

فَتخلصُ مِن صُروفِ زَمانِ سُوءٍ

خَلاصَ السَيفِ حودث بِالصِقالِ

خَلاصَ السَيفِ حودث بِالصِقالِ

So you escape the reversals of an evil time,

You will then be saved from the turns of an evil time,

As a sword is freed when polished anew.

Like a sword cleansed with polishing.

وَتَنكَشِفُ المَكارِهُ عَن سُرورٍ

وَتَنكَشِفُ المَكارِهُ عَن سُرورٍ

كَما اِنكَشَفَ السرارُ عَنِ الهِلالِ

كَما اِنكَشَفَ السرارُ عَنِ الهِلالِ

And hardships lift to reveal joy,

Troubles will recede, giving way to joy,

As the moon's dark phase lifts to reveal the crescent.

As the new moon's emergence follows darkness.