لستُ بقاضٍ أملي

لستُ بقاضٍ أملي

ولا بِعادٍ أجَلي

ولا بِعادٍ أجَلي

I am not one to fulfill my hopes,

I am not one who hopes for tomorrow

Nor to outlive my appointed span,

Nor one who counts on the future

ولا بمغْلوبٍ على الرزْ

ولا بمغْلوبٍ على الرزْ

قِ الذي قُدِّرَ لي

قِ الذي قُدِّرَ لي

Nor to be deprived of the sustenance

Nor one who is vanquished by fate

That was decreed for me,

That which is destined for me

ولا بمُعطىً رزقَ غَيْ

ولا بمُعطىً رزقَ غَيْ

رِي بالشَّقا والعَمَلِ

رِي بالشَّقا والعَمَلِ

Nor to be granted another’s sustenance

Nor one who is given wealth without toil

Through hardship and toil.

With hardship and labor

فليتَ شِعْري ما الّذي

فليتَ شِعْري ما الّذي

أَدْخَلَني في شُغُلِ

أَدْخَلَني في شُغُلِ

If only I knew what it was

So I wonder, what is it

That drew me into toil.

That preoccupies me so