رَأَتْنِي فَتاةُ الحَيِّ أَغْبَرَ شاحِباً

رَأَتْنِي فَتاةُ الحَيِّ أَغْبَرَ شاحِباً

فَأَذْرَتْ دُموعاً كَالجُمانِ تُريقُها

فَأَذْرَتْ دُموعاً كَالجُمانِ تُريقُها

The maiden of the tribe saw me dust-covered and pale,

The girl of the neighborhood saw me wan and pale,

So she shed tears like pearls, pouring them out.

So she shed copious tears like pouring rain,

وَلَمْ تَدْرِ أَنِّي مُسْتَهامٌ بِرُتْبَةٍ

وَلَمْ تَدْرِ أَنِّي مُسْتَهامٌ بِرُتْبَةٍ

مِنَ المَجْدِ لَمْ يَنْهَجِ لِغَيْري طَريقُها

مِنَ المَجْدِ لَمْ يَنْهَجِ لِغَيْري طَريقُها

And she did not know I was madly enamored of a rank

Not knowing I aspire to a rank

Of glory whose path has become clear to no one else.

Of glory whose path is trodden by none but me.

أَرومُ العُلا وَالعُدْمُ عَنْهُنَّ حاجِزٌ

أَرومُ العُلا وَالعُدْمُ عَنْهُنَّ حاجِزٌ

فَتِلْكَ لَعَمْري خُطَّةٌ لا أُطيقُها

فَتِلْكَ لَعَمْري خُطَّةٌ لا أُطيقُها

I seek the heights, but poverty bars me from them;

I seek the heights though oblivion bars the climb—

So that, by my life, is a plight I cannot bear.

Such is my quest which I alone can attain.