كَم كُربَةٍ ضاقَ صَدري عَن تَحَمُّلِها

كَم كُربَةٍ ضاقَ صَدري عَن تَحَمُّلِها

فَمِلتُ عَن جَلَدي فيها إِلى الجَزعِ

فَمِلتُ عَن جَلَدي فيها إِلى الجَزعِ

Many a distress my breast was too straitened to bear;

How many sorrows my heart was too narrow to bear

So, amid it, I turned from my fortitude to anguish.

I grew tired of trying to endure them and gave in to despair

ثُمَّ اِستَكَنتُ فَأَدَّتني إِلى فَرَجٍ

ثُمَّ اِستَكَنتُ فَأَدَّتني إِلى فَرَجٍ

لَم يَجرِ بِالظَنِّ في يَأسٍ وَلا طَمَعِ

لَم يَجرِ بِالظَنِّ في يَأسٍ وَلا طَمَعِ

Then I submitted, and it led me to relief

Then I found patience, which led me to relief

That had never crossed my mind, in despair or hope.

That did not come with pessimism or wishful thinking