1. ذَهَبتُ وَما أَدري إِلى أَينَ أَذهَبُ

    وَأَيُّ الأُمورِ في العَزيمَةِ أَركَبُ

    I set out, not knowing where I am going,

    And which course of action I should undertake with resolve.

  2. فَلَو لَمَسَت كَفّايَ عِقداً مُنَظَّماً

    مِنَ الدُرِّ أَضحى وَهوَ وَدعٌ مُثَقَّبُ

    For if my two palms touched a strung necklace

    Of pearls, it would become pierced cowrie shells.

  3. وَلَو قَبَضَت كَفّي عَلى كَفِّ دِرهَمٍ

    لَأُبتُ إِلى رَحلي وَفي الكَفِّ عَقرَبُ

    And if my palm grasped a handful of dirhams,

    I would return to my dwelling with a scorpion in my palm.