ضَحِكَ الزَّمَانُ إِلَيَّ عَنْ إعْتَابِ

ضَحِكَ الزَّمَانُ إِلَيَّ عَنْ إعْتَابِ

وَاَعَارَنِي سَمْعاً لبَثِّ عِتَابِ

وَاَعَارَنِي سَمْعاً لبَثِّ عِتَابِ

Time smiled upon me, making amends,

Time laughed at me, absolving my reproach,

And lent me an ear to pour out reproach.

And turned a deaf ear to my words of blame.

رَمَدٌ بِعَيْنِي صَرْفُهُ عَنْ لَحْظَتِي

رَمَدٌ بِعَيْنِي صَرْفُهُ عَنْ لَحْظَتِي

إِذْ كَانَ بِي فِي شِرَّتِي وشَبَابِي

إِذْ كَانَ بِي فِي شِرَّتِي وشَبَابِي

Its turning away from my gaze is a soreness in my eye,

My eyes grew dim observing his aversion

When it beset me in my ardor and youth.

When in my blossoming youth with me he played.

سَابِقْ بِلَذَّتِكَ الشَّبَابَ فَإِنَّنِي

سَابِقْ بِلَذَّتِكَ الشَّبَابَ فَإِنَّنِي

أصْبَحْتُ فِيهِ مُجَرِّراً أَثْوَابِي

أصْبَحْتُ فِيهِ مُجَرِّراً أَثْوَابِي

Outrace youth with your pleasure, for I

Hasten, delight, to outrun youth while you may,

Have come to drag my robes through it.

For I am dragged, my garments in hand.

وَعلِمْتُ أَنَّ الدَّهْرَ حَرْبُ شَبِيبَتِي

وَعلِمْتُ أَنَّ الدَّهْرَ حَرْبُ شَبِيبَتِي

فَخَلَسْتُ فِي غَفَلاتِهِ آرَابِي

فَخَلَسْتُ فِي غَفَلاتِهِ آرَابِي

And I learned that Time is my youth's enemy,

I've learned time wars against my youth,

So I stole what I desired in its heedless moments.

So I slipped away while heedless was he.