لمdid not يعرفknow الدهرtime قدريmy worth كنتI was بهin it
لم يعرف الدهر قدري كنت به
وكيفand how يعرفknow قدرworth اللؤلؤpearls الصدفshells
وكيف يعرف قدر اللؤلؤ الصدف
Time did not know my worth while I was in it;
Time knew not my worth when with it I dwelt
And how could shells know the worth of pearls?
How could it know the value of the pearl inside the shell?