حورِفتُ في كُلِّ مَطلوبٍ هَمَمتُ بِهِ

حورِفتُ في كُلِّ مَطلوبٍ هَمَمتُ بِهِ

حَتّى زَهِدتُ فَما خُلّيتُ وَالزُهُدا

حَتّى زَهِدتُ فَما خُلّيتُ وَالزُهُدا

I was thwarted in every aim I set my mind on,

I was turned from all I aspired to

Until I renounced desire, yet I was not left to my renunciation.

Until I lost interest, yet I was not set free from aspiration

فَالحَمدُ لِلَّهِ صابي ما يُزايِلُني

فَالحَمدُ لِلَّهِ صابي ما يُزايِلُني

وَلَستُ أَصدُقُ إِن سَمَّيتُهُ شُهُدا

وَلَستُ أَصدُقُ إِن سَمَّيتُهُ شُهُدا

So praise be to God: my bitter sap never leaves me,

So praise be to Allah if I am hit by an arrow

And I would not speak truth if I called it honey.

And I would not be truthful if I called it honey

وَما أَظُنُّ جِنانَ الخُلدِ يُدرِكُها

وَما أَظُنُّ جِنانَ الخُلدِ يُدرِكُها

إِلّا مَعاشِرُ كانوا في التُقى جُهدا

إِلّا مَعاشِرُ كانوا في التُقى جُهدا

And I do not think the gardens of eternity are attained

And I don't think the gardens of immortality can be attained

Except by people who were diligent in piety.

Except by those who strove hard in piety

يَمضي النَهارُ فَما أَنفَكُّ في شُغلٍ

يَمضي النَهارُ فَما أَنفَكُّ في شُغلٍ

وَلا أَطيقُ إِذا جَنَّ الدُجى سُهُدا

وَلا أَطيقُ إِذا جَنَّ الدُجى سُهُدا

The day passes, and I never cease to be occupied,

The day passes and I don't cease being busy

And when darkness falls, I cannot endure wakefulness.

And I can't bear it when dusk descends, drowsy

أَمّا المِهادُ فَجَنبي فيهِ مُضطَجِعٌ

أَمّا المِهادُ فَجَنبي فيهِ مُضطَجِعٌ

وَالدينُ عِقدُ جُنوبٍ تَهجُرُ المُهُدا

وَالدينُ عِقدُ جُنوبٍ تَهجُرُ المُهُدا

As for the bed, my side lies upon it,

As for the bed, an insomniac lies next to me on it

And religion is a necklace of sides that forsake their beds.

And religion is a knot on breasts that abandon rest