لو كنتُ أجهلُ ما علمتُ لسَرَّني

لو كنتُ أجهلُ ما علمتُ لسَرَّني

جَهْلي كما قد ساءني ما أعلَمُ

جَهْلي كما قد ساءني ما أعلَمُ

If I were ignorant of what I have learned, I would be delighted

Had I not known what I have learnt, my ignorance would have delighted me,

by my ignorance, just as what I know has distressed me.

Just as what I know has saddened me.

كالصَّعْوِ يَرتَعُ في الرِّياضِ وإنّما

كالصَّعْوِ يَرتَعُ في الرِّياضِ وإنّما

حُبسَ الهَزارُ لأنّه يتَرنَّم

حُبسَ الهَزارُ لأنّه يتَرنَّم

Like the wren that feeds freely in the gardens, while

Like a nightingale grazing in gardens -

the nightingale was caged only because it sings melodiously.

Yet it is imprisoned because it sings.

مَنْ لي بعَيْشِ الأغبياء فإنّه

مَنْ لي بعَيْشِ الأغبياء فإنّه

لا عيشَ إلاّ عيشُ مَن لا يَفْهَم

لا عيشَ إلاّ عيشُ مَن لا يَفْهَم

Who can give me the life of fools? For indeed,

Who will grant me the life of fools? For the only life

there is no life but the life of one who does not understand.

Is the life of one who does not understand.