لستُ بقاضٍ أملي

ولا بِعادٍ أجَلي

I am not one who hopes for tomorrow

Nor one who counts on the future

ولا بمغْلوبٍ على الرزْ

قِ الذي قُدِّرَ لي

Nor one who is vanquished by fate

That which is destined for me

ولا بمُعطىً رزقَ غَيْ

رِي بالشَّقا والعَمَلِ

Nor one who is given wealth without toil

With hardship and labor

فليتَ شِعْري ما الّذي

أَدْخَلَني في شُغُلِ

So I wonder, what is it

That preoccupies me so