53 – Abū Jaʿfar al-Qurashī recited to me; he said: ʿĪsā al-Aḥmar recited to me: ⦗36⦘
[Basit metre]
O for the blows of death, the wrench of parting, the destined hour—
every gathering in this world is only on its way to separation.

How long will we go on counting the days,
when we in fact hover between just two of them:

a day that has gone and a day we still hope to see—
perhaps that very day will be what brings the appointed term fastest.

How many a pair of close companions has Time torn apart,
as though they had never, ever been friends at all.

I have seen the hand of the world a relentless separator;
put no trust in the world’s hand to spare even two.