صَبَرتُ النَفسَ لا أَهلَ

عُ مِن حادِثَةِ الدَهرِ

I endured with patience, not for the sake of people

Any event fate may hold,

رَأَيتُ الرِزقَ لا يُسك

بُ بِالعُرفِ وَلا النُكرِ

I saw sustenance cannot be attained

Through conventional means or the obscure,

وَلا بِالعَقلِ وَالدينِ

وَلا بِالجاهِ وَالغَدرِ

Nor through intellect and faith,

Nor through status and betrayal,

وَلا بِالسَكفِ الأَمثَ

لِ أَهل الفَضلِ وَالذِكرِ

Nor through the radiance of the virtuous and the wise,

Nor through intimate friendship,

وَلا بِالسُمرِ اللُدنِ

وَلا بِالخُذُمِ البُترِ

Nor through maimed efforts,

It cannot be attained through foolishness,

وَلا يُدركُ بِالطَيشِ

وَلا بِالجَهلِ وَالهَذرِ

Nor through ignorance and nonsense,

Rather it is an ordainment that flows

وَلَكِن قَسَمٌ يَجري

بِما نَدري وَلا نَدري

Through what we know and what we know not.