يَمشي الزَمانُ بِمَن تَرقَّبَ حاجَةً

يَمشي الزَمانُ بِمَن تَرقَّبَ حاجَةً

مُتَثاقِلاً كَالخائِفِ المُتَرَدِّدِ

مُتَثاقِلاً كَالخائِفِ المُتَرَدِّدِ

Time walks with whoever awaits a need's fulfillment,

Time walks slowly for one who awaits a need

Time walks slowly for the one who awaits a need,

Sluggishly, like someone fearful and hesitant,

Moving heavily like a hesitant, frightened man

Moving heavily, like the fearful and hesitant.

حَتّى لِيَحسَبَهُ أَسيراً موثَقاً

حَتّى لِيَحسَبَهُ أَسيراً موثَقاً

وَيَراهُ أَبطَأَ مِن كَسيحٍ مُقعَدِ

وَيَراهُ أَبطَأَ مِن كَسيحٍ مُقعَدِ

So much so that he thinks it a captive, tightly bound,

Until one would think it shackled and chained

Until he deems it a prisoner bound fast,

And sees it slower than a cripple who cannot walk.

And see it slower than a crippled lizard

And sees it slower than a cripple fixed in place.

وَيَخالُ حاجَتَهُ الَّتي يَصبو لَها

وَيَخالُ حاجَتَهُ الَّتي يَصبو لَها

في دارَةِ الجَوزاءِ أَو في الفَرقَدِ

في دارَةِ الجَوزاءِ أَو في الفَرقَدِ

And imagines the thing he yearns for

And imagines that his awaited desire

He imagines the desire he yearns for

In al-Jawza's circle, or in al-Farqad.

Is in the constellation Lyra or Cygnus

To be as distant as the halo of Gemini or the star Pherkad.

وَيَكونُ ما يَرجوهُ زَورَةَ صاحِبٍ

وَيَكونُ ما يَرجوهُ زَورَةَ صاحِبٍ

وَيَكونُ أَبعَدَ ما يُرَجّي في غَدِ

وَيَكونُ أَبعَدَ ما يُرَجّي في غَدِ

Yet what he hopes for may be a friend's visit,

And that what he hopes for is a mirage

Though what he hopes for may be but a friend's visit,

And his farthest-off hope may be for tomorrow.

And is farther than what he wishes tomorrow

It becomes the furthest thing to hope for tomorrow.

فَإِذا تَوَلّى النَفسَ خَوفٌ في الضُحى

فَإِذا تَوَلّى النَفسَ خَوفٌ في الضُحى

مِن واقِبٍ تَحتَ الدُجى أَو مُعتَدِ

مِن واقِبٍ تَحتَ الدُجى أَو مُعتَدِ

But when fear takes hold of the soul in the forenoon,

So when the soul turns fearful in the morning

But when fear seizes the soul in the morning light,

Of an intruder under night's darkness, or an assailant,

Of an outcome in the gloom or an assailant

Of a calamity approaching in the dark or an aggressor,

طارَت بِها خَيلُ الزَمان وَنوقُهُ

طارَت بِها خَيلُ الزَمان وَنوقُهُ

نَحوَ الزَمانِ المُدلَهِمِّ الأَسوَدِ

نَحوَ الزَمانِ المُدلَهِمِّ الأَسوَدِ

Time's horses and she-camels fly off with it

The steeds of time and its camels bolt

Then the horses and camels of Time fly with the soul,

Toward that time of deep, black darkness.

Toward the violent, pitch-black time

Rushing toward the gloomy, blackened future.

فَكَأَنَّها مَحمولَةٌ في بارِقٍ

فَكَأَنَّها مَحمولَةٌ في بارِقٍ

أَو عارِضٍ أَو عاصِفٍ في فَدفَدِ

أَو عارِضٍ أَو عاصِفٍ في فَدفَدِ

As though it were carried in a flash of lightning,

As if it is carried on a lightning bolt

As if it is borne upon a bolt of lightning,

Or a cloudbank, or a gale across a barren plain.

Or a storm or gale in tumult

Or on a rain-cloud, or a gale in a barren waste.

وَيَكونُ أَقصَرَ ما يَكونُ إِذا الفَتى

وَيَكونُ أَقصَرَ ما يَكونُ إِذا الفَتى

مَدَّت لَهُ الدُنيا يَدَ المُتَوَدِّدِ

مَدَّت لَهُ الدُنيا يَدَ المُتَوَدِّدِ

And time is shortest of all when, to a young man,

And it becomes as short as can be when the youth

And Time is at its shortest when a youth

The world holds out a friendly hand,

Is indulged by the world with friendliness

Finds the world extending the hand of friendship,

فَتَوَسَّطَ اللَذاتِ غَيرَ مُنَفِّرٍ

فَتَوَسَّطَ اللَذاتِ غَيرَ مُنَفِّرٍ

وَتَوَسَّدَ الأَحلامَ غَيرَ مُنَكَّدِ

وَتَوَسَّدَ الأَحلامَ غَيرَ مُنَكَّدِ

So he settles amid pleasures, with none to drive him away,

So he enjoys pleasures without disdain

When he sits amidst pleasures, repelling none,

And makes dreams his pillow, untroubled.

And dreams without distress

And pillows his head on dreams, untroubled.

فَإِذا لَذيذُ العَيشِ نَغبَةَ طائِرٍ

فَإِذا لَذيذُ العَيشِ نَغبَةَ طائِرٍ

وَإِذا طَويلُ الدَهرِ خَطرَةَ مَرودِ

وَإِذا طَويلُ الدَهرِ خَطرَةَ مَرودِ

Then life's sweetness is a bird's sip,

Then the sweet life is the whim of a bird

Then the sweetness of life becomes brief as a bird's sip,

And time's long span is a flick of a kohl-stick.

And the long epoch but the bound of a lion

And the long age passes like the swipe of a kohl-stick.

وَإِذا الفَتى لَبِسَ الأَسى وَمَشى بِهِ

وَإِذا الفَتى لَبِسَ الأَسى وَمَشى بِهِ

فَكَأَنَّما قَد قالَ لِلزَمَنِ اِقعُدِ

فَكَأَنَّما قَد قالَ لِلزَمَنِ اِقعُدِ

And when a young man puts on sorrow and walks in it,

And when the youth wears sorrow and walks with it

But if the youth wears sorrow as a garment and walks in it,

It is as though he has said to time, 'Sit down!'

It is as if he told time itself: “Sit still!”

It is as though he has commanded Time: "Sit down."

فَإِذا الثَواني أَشهُر وَإِذا الدَقا

فَإِذا الثَواني أَشهُر وَإِذا الدَقا

إِقُ أَعصُر وَالحُزنُ شَيءٌ سَرمَدي

إِقُ أَعصُر وَالحُزنُ شَيءٌ سَرمَدي

Then seconds are months, and the min-

So hours become months and moments

Then seconds turn into months, and minutes

utes are ages, and sorrow is something eternal.

Centuries, and grief everlasting

Become eras, and grief is an eternal thing.

وَإِذا صَباحُ أَخي الأَسى أَو لَيلُهُ

وَإِذا صَباحُ أَخي الأَسى أَو لَيلُهُ

مُتَجَدِّدٌ مَعَ هَمِّهِ المُتَجَدِّدِ

مُتَجَدِّدٌ مَعَ هَمِّهِ المُتَجَدِّدِ

And the morning of sorrow's brother, or his night,

And the morn or night of my brother sorrow

And the morning of the sorrowful brother, or his night,

Is renewed along with his ever-renewing worry.

Renew themselves with unceasing worry

Is ever-renewed alongside his renewing worry.

قَهَرَ الوَرى وَأَذَلَّهُم أَنَّ الوَرى

قَهَرَ الوَرى وَأَذَلَّهُم أَنَّ الوَرى

مُتَعَلِّلٌ أَو طامِعٌ أَو مُجتَدِ

مُتَعَلِّلٌ أَو طامِعٌ أَو مُجتَدِ

What conquered mankind and humbled them is that mankind

It has conquered people and humiliated them that people

What conquers mankind and humbles them is that they

Clings to hopes, or covets, or begs.

Are ailing, ambitious, or avaricious

Are always making excuses, or greedy, or begging.

جَعَلوا رَغائِبَهُم قِياسَ زَمانِهِم

جَعَلوا رَغائِبَهُم قِياسَ زَمانِهِم

وَالدَهرُ أَكبَرُ أَن يُقاسَ بِمَقصَدِ

وَالدَهرُ أَكبَرُ أَن يُقاسَ بِمَقصَدِ

They made their desires the measure of their time,

They made their wishes the measure of their time

They made their desires the measure of their time,

Yet time is too vast to be measured by an aim.

Yet time is too great to be measured against a purpose

Yet Time is too vast to be measured by human intent.

وَقَتَلتُ في نَفسي الرَغائِب وَالمُنى

وَقَتَلتُ في نَفسي الرَغائِب وَالمُنى

فَقَهَرتُهُ بِتَجَرُّدي وَتَزَهُدي

فَقَهَرتُهُ بِتَجَرُّدي وَتَزَهُدي

And I killed desires and wishes within my soul,

And I have killed in myself wishes and desires

But I have killed desires and wishes within my soul,

So I conquered it through my detachment and renunciation.

So I overpowered it with my detachment and asceticism

And conquered Time through my detachment and asceticism.

يَشكو الَّذي يَشكو السُهادَ جُفونَهُ

يَشكو الَّذي يَشكو السُهادَ جُفونَهُ

لَو لَم يَكُن ذا ناظِرٍ لَم يَسهَدِ

لَو لَم يَكُن ذا ناظِرٍ لَم يَسهَدِ

He who complains of sleeplessness complains of his eyelids;

He who complains of his heavy eyelids would not

He who complains of sleeplessness is complaining of his eyelids;

Had he no eye, he would not lie awake.

If he had no eyes to begin with

Were he not possessed of sight, he would not lie awake.

إِن كانَ شَيءٌ لِلنَفادِ أُعِدُّهُ

إِن كانَ شَيءٌ لِلنَفادِ أُعِدُّهُ

فيما اِنقَضى وَمَضى وَإِن لَم يَنفَدِ

فيما اِنقَضى وَمَضى وَإِن لَم يَنفَدِ

If something is destined to perish, I count it

If I expect anything to run out

If a thing is destined for extinction, I count it

Among what has ended and passed, even if it has not perished.

I count it in what has passed and gone, even if it hasn’t

Among what has passed and gone, even if it has not yet run out.

ما أَن رَأَيتُ الكُحلَ في حَدَقِ المَهى

ما أَن رَأَيتُ الكُحلَ في حَدَقِ المَهى

إِلّا لَمَحتُ الدودَ خَلفَ الأَثمَدِ

إِلّا لَمَحتُ الدودَ خَلفَ الأَثمَدِ

Never have I seen kohl in the oryxes' pupils

Whenever I saw kohl in the eyes of delight

I have never seen kohl in the eyes of beautiful gazelles,

Without glimpsing worms behind the antimony.

I glimpsed worms behind the lovely orbs

Without glimpsing the worms behind the antimony.

مَن لَيسَ يَضحَك وَالصَباحُ مُوَرِّدٌ

مَن لَيسَ يَضحَك وَالصَباحُ مُوَرِّدٌ

لِم يَكتَإِب وَالصُبحُ غَيرَ مُوَرِّدِ

لِم يَكتَإِب وَالصُبحُ غَيرَ مُوَرِّدِ

Whoever does not laugh when the morning is rosy—

Why should one who does not laugh when dawn is joking

He who does not laugh when the morning is rosy,

Why should he grieve when the dawn is not rosy?

Become gloomy when dawn is not joking?

Why should he mourn when the dawn loses its color?

سِيّانِ أَحلامٌ أَراها في الكَرى

سِيّانِ أَحلامٌ أَراها في الكَرى

عِندي وَأَشياءٌ بِها اِشتَمَلَت يَدي

عِندي وَأَشياءٌ بِها اِشتَمَلَت يَدي

Alike are the dreams I see in sleep

Two things are equal to me: dreams I see

They are equal to me: the dreams I see in slumber,

And, to me, the things my hand has grasped.

And things my hands have grasped

And the material things my hand actually grasps.

أَنا في الزَمانِ كَمَوجَةٍ في زاخِرٍ

أَنا في الزَمانِ كَمَوجَةٍ في زاخِرٍ

أَنا فيهِ إِن يُزيد وَإِن لَم يُزيدِ

أَنا فيهِ إِن يُزيد وَإِن لَم يُزيدِ

I am in time like a wave in a swelling sea;

I am in time like a wave in the roaring sea

I am in Time like a wave in a swelling ocean;

I am within it, whether it grows or not.

In it, whether it increases or not

I am within it, whether it rises or subsides.

مَهما تَلاطَمَ فَهوَ لَيسَ بِمَغرَقي

مَهما تَلاطَمَ فَهوَ لَيسَ بِمَغرَقي

أَو مَخرَجي مِنه وَلا بِمُبَدِّدي

أَو مَخرَجي مِنه وَلا بِمُبَدِّدي

However it surges, it cannot drown me,

However tumultuous, it will not drown me

However much it clashes, it cannot drown me,

Or cast me out of it; nor can it scatter me.

Or take me out of it or dissipate me

Nor cast me out from it, nor scatter my essence.

هَيهاتِ ما أَرجو وَلا أَخشى غَداً

هَيهاتِ ما أَرجو وَلا أَخشى غَداً

هَل أَرتَجي وَأَخافُ ما لَم يوجَدِ

هَل أَرتَجي وَأَخافُ ما لَم يوجَدِ

Far from it! I neither hope for nor fear tomorrow.

Alas! I neither hope for nor fear tomorrow

Far from it! I neither hope for nor fear tomorrow;

Shall I hope for and fear what has not come into being?

Shall I wish and fear what does not exist?

Do I hope for and fear what does not exist?

وَالأَمسُ فِيَّ فَكَيفَ أَحسَبُهُ اِنتَهى

وَالأَمسُ فِيَّ فَكَيفَ أَحسَبُهُ اِنتَهى

أَفَما رَأَيتُ الأَصلَ في الفَرعِ النَدي

أَفَما رَأَيتُ الأَصلَ في الفَرعِ النَدي

And yesterday is within me—so how can I think it has ended?

And yesterday - how could I think it ended

And yesterday is within me, so how can I deem it ended?

Have I not seen the root in the dewy branch?

When I saw the origin in the fresh branch?

Have I not seen the root existing in the dewy branch?

قَبلٌ كَبَعدٍ حالَةٌ وَهمِيَّةٌ

قَبلٌ كَبَعدٍ حالَةٌ وَهمِيَّةٌ

أُمسي أَنا يَومي أَنا وَأَنا غَدي

أُمسي أَنا يَومي أَنا وَأَنا غَدي

Before, like after, is an illusory state.

Past is like future, an imaginary state

"Before" is like "After"—an illusory state;

I am my yesterday; I am my today; and I am my tomorrow.

Yesterday I was my day, today I am my tomorrow

My yesterday is I, my today is I, and I am my tomorrow.