هَل لِلفَتى مِن بَناتِ الدَّهرِ مِن واقِ

هَل لِلفَتى مِن بَناتِ الدَّهرِ مِن واقِ

أَم هَل لَهُ مِن حِمَامِ المَوتِ مِن رَاقِ

أَم هَل لَهُ مِن حِمَامِ المَوتِ مِن رَاقِ

Is there any protector for a young man against the daughters of Time?

Does the young man have a refuge from the days of fate?

Or has he anyone to charm away the doom of death?

Or does he have an escape from the dove of death?

قَد رَجَّلُونِيَ وَما رُجِّلتُ مِن شَعَثٍ

قَد رَجَّلُونِيَ وَما رُجِّلتُ مِن شَعَثٍ

وَأَلبَسُونِي ثِياباً غَيرَ أَخلاقِ

وَأَلبَسُونِي ثِياباً غَيرَ أَخلاقِ

They have combed my hair, though not because it was disheveled,

They made me a man though I was not weaned from dishevelment,

And they clothed me in garments that were not worn-out.

And clothed me in garments not my own.

ورَفَعوني وَقالوا أَيُّما رَجُلٍ

ورَفَعوني وَقالوا أَيُّما رَجُلٍ

وَأَدرَجوني كَأَنِّي طَيُّ مِخراقِ

وَأَدرَجوني كَأَنِّي طَيُّ مِخراقِ

And they lifted me up and said, "What a man!"

They carried me and asked which man is this?

And they wrapped me up as though I were a rolled-up cloth play-whip.

And walked me as though I were a worn rug.

وَأَرسَلوا فِتيَةً مِن خَيرِهِم حَسَباً

وَأَرسَلوا فِتيَةً مِن خَيرِهِم حَسَباً

لِيُسنِدوا في ضَريحِ التُّربِ أَطبَاقي

لِيُسنِدوا في ضَريحِ التُّربِ أَطبَاقي

And they sent young men of the noblest ancestry among them,

They sent their best young men

To rest my bony frame in the earthen grave.

To carry my coffin boards in the dust.

هَوِّن عَلَيكَ وَلا تَولَع بِإِشفاق

هَوِّن عَلَيكَ وَلا تَولَع بِإِشفاق

فَإِنَّما مالُنا لِلوارِثِ الباقي

فَإِنَّما مالُنا لِلوارِثِ الباقي

Make it easy on yourself, and do not be consumed by dread,

Be easy, do not grieve for me,

For our wealth belongs only to the surviving heir.

Since our wealth is for the heir who remains.

كَأَنَّني قَد رَماني الدَّهرُ عَن عُرُض

كَأَنَّني قَد رَماني الدَّهرُ عَن عُرُض

بِنافِذاتٍ بِلا ريشٍ وَأَفواقِ

بِنافِذاتٍ بِلا ريشٍ وَأَفواقِ

It is as though Time has shot at me from the side,

It is as though fate cast me down from glory

With piercing arrows, without feathers or nocks.

With penetrating arrows without feathers or notches.