أرى اليأس عزا والرجا ذلة الفتى

أرى اليأس عزا والرجا ذلة الفتى

وطول المنى عجزاً وحب الغنى فقرا

وطول المنى عجزاً وحب الغنى فقرا

I see despair as dignity, and hope as a young man's humiliation;

I see despair as dignity, and hope as humiliation

and prolonged wishing as helplessness, and love of wealth as poverty.

And the passage of time as weakness, and love of wealth as poverty

فلا تضجرن من حالة مستحيلة

فلا تضجرن من حالة مستحيلة

كما نلتها عسراً ستتركها يسرا

كما نلتها عسراً ستتركها يسرا

So do not fret over a changing condition;

So do not fret over an impossible state

just as you attained it with difficulty, you will leave it with ease.

As you attained it with difficulty, you will abandon it with ease

فإن الفتى كالغصن ما دام نابتا

فإن الفتى كالغصن ما دام نابتا

فآونة يكسى وآونة يعرى

فآونة يكسى وآونة يعرى

For a young man is like a branch as long as he is growing:

For the youth is like a branch - as long as it is still attached

at times he is clothed, and at times he is stripped bare.

It will be clothed for a while, and bare for a while