وَقَد كانَت الاِيّامُ اِذ نَحنُ بِاللَوى

وَقَد كانَت الاِيّامُ اِذ نَحنُ بِاللَوى

تَحَسَن لَو دامَ ذاكَ التَحَسُّن

تَحَسَن لَو دامَ ذاكَ التَحَسُّن

And indeed the days, when we were at al-Liwā,

The days when we were together in the meadows

were growing better—if only that improvement had lasted!

Would have been good had that happiness lasted.

وَلكِن دَهراً بَعد دَهر تَقَلَّبَت

وَلكِن دَهراً بَعد دَهر تَقَلَّبَت

بِنا مِن نَواحيهِ ظُهور وابطن

بِنا مِن نَواحيهِ ظُهور وابطن

But age after age, we were tossed about

But time after time changed for us,

by backs and bellies from time's quarters.

Bringing now joy and now sorrow.