وَاللهِ مَا الْبَغْلَةُ عِنْدِي إِذَا

وَاللهِ مَا الْبَغْلَةُ عِنْدِي إِذَا

حَقَّقْتَ أَمْرِي غَيْرَ مَقْلُوبِهَا

حَقَّقْتَ أَمْرِي غَيْرَ مَقْلُوبِهَا

By God, the she-mule, to me—when

By God, the mule matters not to me

you examine my case—is nothing but its name reversed.

If my desire is truly fulfilled

كِلْتَاهُمَا يَأْتِي عَلَيْهِ الْمَدَى

كِلْتَاهُمَا يَأْتِي عَلَيْهِ الْمَدَى

وَإِنَّمَا النَّفْسُ بِمَطْلُوبِهَا

وَإِنَّمَا النَّفْسُ بِمَطْلُوبِهَا

Time overtakes them both,

Both will succumb to time’s decay

and the soul is intent only on what it seeks.

For the spirit yearns solely for its goal