يعزّ علينا أن يقصر بالعلا

يعزّ علينا أن يقصر بالعلا

زمان وما زال الزمان يقصر

زمان وما زال الزمان يقصر

It pains us that greatness should be shortchanged

It grieves us that time has grown short at the height

By an age—though time has always shortchanged it.

While time continues to shorten

عجبت لدهر غضّ منك شفاهةً

عجبت لدهر غضّ منك شفاهةً

لقد غضّ من طرف به كان ينظر

لقد غضّ من طرف به كان ينظر

I marveled at an age that made light of you to your face;

I wonder at a fate whose lips have grown stern

It has indeed lowered an eye with which it used to see.

That has made stern the gaze with which it would look