تداويتُ لا من علةٍ خوف علةٍ

تداويتُ لا من علةٍ خوف علةٍ

فأصبح داءً في حشاي دوائي

فأصبح داءً في حشاي دوائي

I treated myself, not for illness, but for fear of illness;

I took medicine, not for a malady, fearing one,

So my remedy became a disease within me.

So my medicine became a malady in my intestines.

فيا عجب الأقدار من متحذلق

فيا عجب الأقدار من متحذلق

يحاول بالتدبير ردَّ قضاء

يحاول بالتدبير ردَّ قضاء

Oh, how the fates marvel at a know-it-all

Oh, how strange are the decrees of one who pretends!

Who tries, through planning, to avert fate’s decree.

He tries through his own scheming to undo destiny's decree.