إني دفعت إلى حالين بينهما

إني دفعت إلى حالين بينهما

قلبي يذوب أسى والعمر ينقرض

قلبي يذوب أسى والعمر ينقرض

I have been thrust into two states, between which

I am torn between two states,

my heart melts with sorrow, and life ebbs away.

My heart melts with sorrow and life withers away.

لي همّة قد شأت كيوان في قرن

لي همّة قد شأت كيوان في قرن

ولي يد عند بذل الجود تنتفض

ولي يد عند بذل الجود تنتفض

My ambition has outstripped Kaywan in their contest,

I have an ambition that rose like a spear point,

and I have a hand that trembles when bestowing bounty.

And I have a hand that trembles when giving generously.

يرتاح قلبي إلى قطع السرى فإذا

يرتاح قلبي إلى قطع السرى فإذا

أمضيت عزمي أتاه العجز يعترض

أمضيت عزمي أتاه العجز يعترض

My heart delights in journeying through the night, but when

My heart finds peace in fulfilling my dreams, but when

I put my resolve into action, incapacity comes to obstruct it.

I determine my will, weakness comes to obstruct me.

ما العجز إلا لأني أحنف زمن

ما العجز إلا لأني أحنف زمن

ومفلس ولشؤم الجد أنتفض

ومفلس ولشؤم الجد أنتفض

My incapacity is only because I am clubfooted and infirm,

Weakness comes only because I live in an ill-omened age,

and penniless; and I tremble because of my ill fortune.

Become destitute, and recoil from misfortune.

تأبى لي الضيم نفس كلما افتقرت

تأبى لي الضيم نفس كلما افتقرت

عزّت وتاهت وإن أودى بها الحرض

عزّت وتاهت وإن أودى بها الحرض

My soul will not let me suffer humiliation; whenever it grows poor,

Whenever I become poor, my soul refuses disgrace,

it grows proud and haughty, even if wasting sickness destroys it.

Becomes proud, goes astray, even if ruined by affliction.

حرفي إذا الحرف قل الحرف في يده

حرفي إذا الحرف قل الحرف في يده

أتاه عن ثقة بالحرف يقترض

أتاه عن ثقة بالحرف يقترض

My ill fortune—when a luckless man has little ill fortune in his hand,

When the letter diminishes, the letter in his hand,

he comes to it, trusting in ill fortune, to borrow.

It comes to him confidently, though borrowed.

صاحبت دهري على البأساء يعسف بي

صاحبت دهري على البأساء يعسف بي

ما هالني منه إلا العشق والمرض

ما هالني منه إلا العشق والمرض

I have kept company with my fate through hardship, while it treats me harshly;

I have accompanied my age with adversity that mistreats me,

nothing it brought has frightened me but passionate love and illness.

Nothing has weakened me but love and disease.