صَبَرتُ النَفسَ لا أَهلَ

صَبَرتُ النَفسَ لا أَهلَ

عُ مِن حادِثَةِ الدَهرِ

عُ مِن حادِثَةِ الدَهرِ

I held my soul steadfast; I do not panic

I endured with patience, not for the sake of people

at a calamity of time.

Any event fate may hold,

رَأَيتُ الرِزقَ لا يُسك

رَأَيتُ الرِزقَ لا يُسك

بُ بِالعُرفِ وَلا النُكرِ

بُ بِالعُرفِ وَلا النُكرِ

I saw that sustenance is not poured out

I saw sustenance cannot be attained

through goodness, nor through evil,

Through conventional means or the obscure,

وَلا بِالعَقلِ وَالدينِ

وَلا بِالعَقلِ وَالدينِ

وَلا بِالجاهِ وَالغَدرِ

وَلا بِالجاهِ وَالغَدرِ

nor through reason and piety,

Nor through intellect and faith,

nor through status and treachery,

Nor through status and betrayal,

وَلا بِالسَكفِ الأَمثَ

وَلا بِالسَكفِ الأَمثَ

لِ أَهل الفَضلِ وَالذِكرِ

لِ أَهل الفَضلِ وَالذِكرِ

nor through the finest craftsmanship

Nor through the radiance of the virtuous and the wise,

of people of merit and renown,

Nor through intimate friendship,

وَلا بِالسُمرِ اللُدنِ

وَلا بِالسُمرِ اللُدنِ

وَلا بِالخُذُمِ البُترِ

وَلا بِالخُذُمِ البُترِ

nor through brown, supple spears,

Nor through maimed efforts,

nor through keen, cleaving swords,

It cannot be attained through foolishness,

وَلا يُدركُ بِالطَيشِ

وَلا يُدركُ بِالطَيشِ

وَلا بِالجَهلِ وَالهَذرِ

وَلا بِالجَهلِ وَالهَذرِ

nor is it attained through recklessness,

Nor through ignorance and nonsense,

nor through ignorance and idle chatter.

Rather it is an ordainment that flows

وَلَكِن قَسَمٌ يَجري

وَلَكِن قَسَمٌ يَجري

بِما نَدري وَلا نَدري

بِما نَدري وَلا نَدري

But it is an allotment that takes its course

Through what we know and what we know not.

through what we know and what we do not.