خُلقتُ بساعةٍ فيها تجلَّت

نجومُ النحس في كَبد السماءِ

I was born in an hour when

The stars of misfortune shone in the liver of the sky.

فقدّرَان اكونَ عديمَ حظٍّ

لذلك خُصَّ بي فرطُ الذكاءِ

So it was destined that I be unfortunate,

That's why I was singled out with an excess of intelligence.

وان احي بأَرضٍ عُدَّ فيها

رجال الفضل من أهل الشقاءِ

And that I live in a land where

Men of merit are counted among the wretched.

أتعجبُ أن اكونَ إذن كئيباً

كذاك يكون جارُ الأغبياءِ

Is it any wonder that I am melancholy,

Just as the neighbor of fools would be.