لَزِمْتُ قَنَاعتِي وَقعَدْتُ عَنْهُمْ

لَزِمْتُ قَنَاعتِي وَقعَدْتُ عَنْهُمْ

فلستُ أَرَى الوزيرَ ولا الأميرَا

فلستُ أَرَى الوزيرَ ولا الأميرَا

I held fast to my contentment and stayed away from them;

I have embraced contentment and distanced myself from them,

so I see neither the minister nor the prince.

So I no longer see the minister or the prince.

وكنتُ سميرَ أَشْعارِي سَفَاهاً

وكنتُ سميرَ أَشْعارِي سَفَاهاً

فَعُدْتُ لِفَلْسَفِيَّاتِي سميرَا

فَعُدْتُ لِفَلْسَفِيَّاتِي سميرَا

And foolishly I was my poems’ companion by night;

My poetry was once the idle talk of revelers,

then I returned to my philosophical reflections as their companion by night.

Now to philosophy I have returned as a companion.