كَدَرُ الزَمانِ فَلَيسَ فيهِ صَفا

كَدَرُ الزَمانِ فَلَيسَ فيهِ صَفا

وَرَأى الخِيانَةَ لِلكِرامِ وَفا

وَرَأى الخِيانَةَ لِلكِرامِ وَفا

Time is murky; there is no clarity in it.

The times are troubled, lacking clarity,

And it has deemed betrayal of the noble fidelity.

And loyalty is seen by the noble as treachery.

مُذ كُنتُ فيهِ أَراهُ يَظلِمُني

مُذ كُنتُ فيهِ أَراهُ يَظلِمُني

فَمَتى تَرى لي مِنهُ مُنتَصِفا

فَمَتى تَرى لي مِنهُ مُنتَصِفا

Since I have been in it, I have seen it wrong me.

Since I have been in it, I see it oppressing me,

When, then, do you see anyone winning me redress from it?

So when will I see it bringing me justice?

ما مِنهُ يَومٌ لا يُجَرِّعُني

ما مِنهُ يَومٌ لا يُجَرِّعُني

فيهِ قَبائِحُ فِعلِهِ أَسَفا

فيهِ قَبائِحُ فِعلِهِ أَسَفا

There is no day of it when I am not made to swallow

There is no day of it that does not make me drink

Sorrow at the ugliness of its conduct.

The ugliness of its actions bitterly.

فَكَأَنَّما أَنا فيهِ لُؤلُؤَةٌ

فَكَأَنَّما أَنا فيهِ لُؤلُؤَةٌ

بِالرُغمِ مِنها تَسكُنُ الصَدفا

بِالرُغمِ مِنها تَسكُنُ الصَدفا

So it is as though I were a pearl within it,

So it is as if I am in it a pearl

Dwelling in the shell against its will.

That despite it, settles in the oyster shell.