رَغِبنا في الحَياةِ لِفِرطِ جَهلٍ

رَغِبنا في الحَياةِ لِفِرطِ جَهلٍ

وَفَقدُ حَياتِنا حَظٌّ رَغيبُ

وَفَقدُ حَياتِنا حَظٌّ رَغيبُ

We longed for life out of sheer ignorance,

We longed for life due to extreme ignorance

And the loss of our life is a desirable lot.

And the loss of our lives is an unlucky fate

شَكا خُزَرٌ حَوادِثَها وَلَيثٌ

شَكا خُزَرٌ حَوادِثَها وَلَيثٌ

فَما رُحِمَ الزَئيرُ وَلا الضَغيبُ

فَما رُحِمَ الزَئيرُ وَلا الضَغيبُ

A hare and a lion complained of its calamities;

A gazelle complained of its tribulations and a lion did too

So neither the roar nor the squeal was pitied.

Yet neither the roar nor the growl were pitied

شَهِدتُ فَلَم أُشاهِد غَيرَ نُكرٍ

شَهِدتُ فَلَم أُشاهِد غَيرَ نُكرٍ

وَغَيَّبَني المُنى فَمَتى أَغِبُ

وَغَيَّبَني المُنى فَمَتى أَغِبُ

I was present, but witnessed nothing but horrors;

I witnessed, but did not see anything except estrangement

And hopes have made me absent—so when shall I be gone?

And desire took me away, so when will I be absent?