أَبى الحُزنُ أَن أَنسى مَصائِبَ أَوجَعَت

صَميمَ فُؤادٍ كانَ غَيرَ مَهينِ

Grief refused that I forget the afflictions which pained

the core of a heart that was never disgraced.

وَما أَنا إِلّا مِثلُ قَومٍ تَتابَعوا

عَلى قَدَرٍ مِن حادِثاتِ مَنونِ

I am but like a people who came one after another

to a destined share of the misfortunes of fate.

وَلَو كانَتِ الأَحداثُ يَدفَعُها اِمرُؤٌ

بِعِزٍّ لَما نالَت يَدي وَعَريني

Had a man been able to ward off events with glory

my hands would not have been touched, nor would I have been stripped.