ما وُلِدَت نفسٌ ولا أُرضِعَتْ

ما نزِّهَت نفسٌ ولا مُتِّعتْ

No soul was ever born or nursed

No soul was ever adorned or enjoyed

ما قُدِّرت أرزاقُ أيامنا

فضُيِّقت في القَدر أو وُسِّعت

The provisions of our days were never predetermined

To be straitened or expanded

إلا لتُدعى عند ميقاتها

حتى إذا ما دُعيَت أَسرَعت

Except to be summoned at its appointed time

Until, when summoned, it hastily responds

بِنتُكَ يا أحمدُ فاقلُ الأسى

وديعةٌ في يَدِكَ ستودِعَت

Alas, O Ahmad, your daughter's death should cause little grief

Since she was a trust briefly left in your care

فكيف لا يُظهرُ سيما الرِّضى

عليك إذ كانت قد استُرجِعت

Why, then, not show the marks of acceptance

Now that she has been taken back