لَعَمْرِي لقدْ عُمّرتُ في الدّهْرِ بُرْهَةً

ودانتْ لي الدنيا بِوَقْعِ البواتِرِ

By my life, I have lived long in this world,

And the world has bowed to me with its burdens.

وأُعْطِيتُ حُمْرَ المالِ والحُكْمَ والنُّهَى

ولي سَلَّمَتْ كُلُّ الملوكِ الجبابرِ

I was given the redness of wealth, rule and authority,

And all kings have surrendered to me.

فَأَضْحَى الذي قد كانَ مِمّا يَسرّني

كَحُكْمٍ مَضَى في المُزْمَنَاتِ الغوابِرِ

That which once brought me joy,

Has become like a past decree in vanished times.

فيا ليتني لم أَعْنِ في الملكِ سَاعةً

ولم أَسْعَ في لَذّاتِ عَيْشٍ نواضرِ

Oh, would that I had never known an hour of kingship,

Or pursued the pleasures of a prosperous life.

وكنتُ كذي طِمْرَيْنِ عاشَ ببلغةٍ

فلم يَكُ حتى زارَ ضِيقَ المقابرِ

Would that I were like one with two handfuls,

Who lived in contentment and never saw a grave.