وَمُتَّشِحٍ بِاللُّؤْمِ جَاذَبَني العُلا

فَقَدَّمَهُ يُسْرٌ وَأَخَّرَني عُسْرُ

Clad in the garb of grief, misfortune lured me;

Ease it proffered, then abandoned me to hardship.

وَطَوَّقْتُ أَعْناقَ المَقادِيرِ ما أَتَى

بِهِ الدَّهْرُ حَتَّى ذَلَّ لِلْعَجُزِ الصَّدْرُ

I have endured the blows of fate until my breast

Was humbled by powerlessness and want.

وَلَوْ نِيلَتِ الأَرْزاقُ بِالفَضلِ وَالحِجَى

لَمَا كانَ يَرْجُو أَنْ يَثُوبَ لَهُ وَفْرٌ

Had wealth and glory been allotted with merit,

None would have hoped for largesse from another.

فَيا نَفْسُ صَبْراً إِنَّ لِلْهَمِّ فُرْجَةً

وَما لَكِ إَلّا العِزُّ عِنْدِي أَو القَبْرُ

Take comfort, my soul, relief comes after stress;

For me, naught remains but honor or the grave.

وَلي حَسَبٌ يَسْتَوْعِبُ الأَرْضَ ذِكْرُهُ

على العُدْمُ وَالأَحْسابُ يَدْفِنُها الفَقْرُ

Renown is mine, encompassing the earth, that sets

Oblivion at naught, though penury inter it.