سَلْ نكبةَ الدهرِ متى تُقْلِعُ

سَلْ نكبةَ الدهرِ متى تُقْلِعُ

وَدُولَةَ الوصلِ متى تَرْجِعُ

وَدُولَةَ الوصلِ متى تَرْجِعُ

Ask Time's calamity when it will cease,

When will the vicissitudes of fate relent,

And the reign of union when it will return.

And the days of union return?

يا أيَها الدهرُ الخؤونُ الذي

يا أيَها الدهرُ الخؤونُ الذي

مِنْ شأنِهِ تفريقُ ما نجمع

مِنْ شأنِهِ تفريقُ ما نجمع

O ever-treacherous Time, whose

O Time, bringer of sorrows, that severs

Nature is to scatter what we gather,

What we join together!

أسْرعْ إلى ما سَرَّنا مرّةً

أسْرعْ إلى ما سَرَّنا مرّةً

كما إِلى ما ساءَنا تُسْرع

كما إِلى ما ساءَنا تُسْرع

Hasten, for once, toward what gladdens us,

Hasten to what once gladdened us,

As you hasten toward what saddens us.

As you hasten to what saddens us.

مذا بنا تصنعُ يا دهرنَا

مذا بنا تصنعُ يا دهرنَا

أما تَرى الشوقَ وما يَصْنَع

أما تَرى الشوقَ وما يَصْنَع

What are you doing to us, O Time of ours?

What are you doing with us, o our Time?

Do you not see longing and what it does?

Can you not see our yearning and what it does?