لا أَخطُبُ الدُنيا إِلى مالِكِ الدُن

يا وَلَكِن خُطبَتي أُختَها

I do not seek the world from its Master

But my plea is for its sister -

النَفسُ فيها وَهيَ مَحسودَةٌ

ذاتُ شَقاءٍ عَدِمَت بَختَها

The soul within it, though envied

Of miserable fortune, devoid of luck

وَهيَ تُقَفِّي بِالرَدى دَرَّها

كَما تَقَفَّت بِالرَدى بُختَها

Wandering in sadness, its jewels cast away

As its fortune was long ago cast away

ما أُمُّ دَفرٍ أُمُّ طيبٍ وَلَو

أَنَّكَ بِالعَنبَرِ ضَمَّختَها

Be it musk or perfume, it matters not

For, with ambergris, you could anoint it