تَعِبتُ وَقَد حصَّلتُ أَشياءَ جَمَّةً

تَعِبتُ وَقَد حصَّلتُ أَشياءَ جَمَّةً

مِن العلمِ قَد أَعيَت عَلى الجَهبَذِ الحبرِ

مِن العلمِ قَد أَعيَت عَلى الجَهبَذِ الحبرِ

I grew weary, though I had acquired many branches

I have grown weary, though I have acquired many things

of learning that have baffled even the consummate scholar:

Of learning that have proved too difficult for the expert scholar:

حَديثٌ وَقُرآنٌ وَنحوٌ منقّحٌ

حَديثٌ وَقُرآنٌ وَنحوٌ منقّحٌ

وَفقهٌ وَآداب مِن النَظمِ وَالنَثرِ

وَفقهٌ وَآداب مِن النَظمِ وَالنَثرِ

Hadith, the Qur’an, and grammar finely refined,

Hadith, the Qur’an, and refined grammar,

jurisprudence and letters, in poetry and prose.

And jurisprudence, and literature in verse and prose.

وَقَد جُلتُ ما بَينَ الحِجاز وَمَغرِبٍ

وَقَد جُلتُ ما بَينَ الحِجاز وَمَغرِبٍ

وَأَندَلُسٍ مَع مِصرَ في البَرِّ وَالبَحرِ

وَأَندَلُسٍ مَع مِصرَ في البَرِّ وَالبَحرِ

I traversed all the lands between the Hijaz and the Maghrib,

And I have roamed between the Hijaz and the Maghreb,

and Andalusia together with Egypt, over land and sea.

And al-Andalus, as well as Egypt, by land and sea.

فَلَم أَرَ في الدُنيا اِمرءاً هُوَ يُرتَجى

فَلَم أَرَ في الدُنيا اِمرءاً هُوَ يُرتَجى

لِنَفعٍ وَلا يُدعى ليَكشِفَ من ضرِّ

لِنَفعٍ وَلا يُدعى ليَكشِفَ من ضرِّ

Yet in this world I saw no man who could be looked to

So I have seen no one in this world who can be looked to

for benefit, nor called upon to relieve any harm.

For benefit, or called upon to dispel any harm.