1. When I took charge of affairs and it darkened
In my eyes, my resources and sources,
١. لما تولَّيْتُ الأُمورَ وأظلَمَتْ
في ناظِرَيَّ موارِدي ومصادِري
2. And I despaired of those whose favor I sought
And counted them as headlines of my treasures,
٢. ويَئستُ مِمَّن كنتُ أرجو فضلَهُ
وأُعِدُّهُ عنوانَ صُحفِ ذخائري
3. And I knew that I had wasted my talents
And placed them in ungrateful hands,
٣. وعلمتُ أنَّي قد أضعْتُ صنائعي
ووضعْتُها في غَيرِ حُرٍّ شاكِرِ