حسدت على نظام الشعر بغيا

حسدت على نظام الشعر بغيا

كما حسد المكاء على الصفير

كما حسد المكاء على الصفير

I was envied out of malice for composing poetry,

I envied the rhyme and meter of poetry, just as

As the lark is envied for its whistling.

The owl envies the nightingale's song.

وأغنى الشعر عني في معاشي

وأغنى الشعر عني في معاشي

كما يغني البكاء على القبور

كما يغني البكاء على القبور

And poetry has availed me in my livelihood,

Yet poetry has made me self-sufficient in my life

Just as weeping over graves avails.

As weeping makes one self-sufficient at graves.