كنْتُ في نِعمَةٍ وظِلٍّ رخاءِ

كنْتُ في نِعمَةٍ وظِلٍّ رخاءِ

ونَسيمٍ منَ النَّعيمِ رُخاءِ

ونَسيمٍ منَ النَّعيمِ رُخاءِ

I once lived in blessing, beneath prosperity’s shade,

I was amid blessings and beneath the shade of ease,

amid a breeze of bliss, gentle and mild.

And in a gentle breeze of bliss.

فاتَّبَعْتُ الهَوى وخالفْتُ رَأْييِ

فاتَّبَعْتُ الهَوى وخالفْتُ رَأْييِ

واتِّباعُ الهَوى وبِيءُ الهَواءِ

واتِّباعُ الهَوى وبِيءُ الهَواءِ

Then I followed desire and defied my better judgment;

Then I followed desire and went against my own judgment;

I followed desire—and how wretched the air!

And following desire has a pestilential atmosphere.