أَرىI see الدَهرTime يَقصُدُseeks ماwhat ساءَنيgrieved me
أَرى الدَهر يَقصُدُ ما ساءَني
كَأَنِّيَas though I were مِنamong بَعضِsome of أَعدائِهِits enemies
كَأَنِّيَ مِن بَعضِ أَعدائِهِ
I see Time bent on whatever brings me pain,
I see Time seeking what grieves me,
as though I were among its enemies.
As though I were one of its enemies.
فَلَستُso I do not أُعاتِبُهُreproach it إِنif جَنىdoes wrong
فَلَستُ أُعاتِبُهُ إِن جَنى
لِعِلميbecause of my knowledge بِقِلَّةِof the scantness of إِصغائِهits listening
لِعِلمي بِقِلَّةِ إِصغائِه
So I do not reproach it when it does wrong,
So I do not reproach it if it does wrong,
for I know how little it listens.
For I know how little it listens.
فَلَوfor if كانَwere ثَمَّthere فَتىًa young man رَأَيُهhis judgment
فَلَو كانَ ثَمَّ فَتىً رَأَيُه
بَصيرٌdiscerning بِتَشييدِin building up عَليائِهhis eminence
بَصيرٌ بِتَشييدِ عَليائِه
Were there but a young man whose judgment
For if there were a young man whose judgment
was clear-sighted in building up his eminence,
Was discerning in building up his eminence,
لَمّاthen not كانwould يُحوِجُنيmake me need جودُهُhis generosity
لَمّا كان يُحوِجُني جودُهُ
إِلىto غَيرِanything other than نُصرَةِsupport آلائِهhis favors
إِلى غَيرِ نُصرَةِ آلائِه
his generosity would not leave me needing
His generosity would not leave me needing
anything but to champion his benefactions.
Anything but the support of his favors.
