لزمت مكاني واسترحت وليتني

لزمت مكاني واسترحت وليتني

أبهت لنفس من سنى شبابي

أبهت لنفس من سنى شبابي

I kept to my place and rested—would that I

I remained in my place and rested, if only

had paid heed to a soul from the radiance of my youth [wording unclear].

I had attended to myself from the hardships of my youth

فما نلت من سعي لصالح أمتي

فما نلت من سعي لصالح أمتي

سوى نكبة أو خيبة وعتاب

سوى نكبة أو خيبة وعتاب

For I gained from striving for my nation’s good

For I achieved nothing worthwhile for my nation

nothing but calamity or disappointment and reproach.

Except for downfall, disappointment, and reproach

ولو كنت أدري قبل ذلك أنني

ولو كنت أدري قبل ذلك أنني

سأجمع من نصف الغريق إهابي

سأجمع من نصف الغريق إهابي

And had I known before then that I

If only I had known before that

would gather my skin from half of the drowned man [wording unclear],

I would gather the driftwood of my wrecked vessel

لما سرت في الأشواك والليل مظلم

لما سرت في الأشواك والليل مظلم

لأظفر من سعي بحسن مآب

لأظفر من سعي بحسن مآب

I would not have walked among thorns while the night was dark,

I would not have ventured into the thorns in the dark of night

to attain through striving a good outcome.

To reap from my efforts a good end

وما كنت أدري أنني بمهامه

وما كنت أدري أنني بمهامه

أطوف وحدي بينها وشعاب

أطوف وحدي بينها وشعاب

Nor did I know that, in trackless deserts,

And I did not know that I, with my concerns

I would wander alone among them and ravines.

Would wander alone amongst them and the gorges