أَلاPray! فاِعذِرونيso pardon me إِنif قَنِعتُI was content منfrom الوَرىmankind
أَلا فاِعذِروني إِن قَنِعتُ من الوَرى
بِماwith what حُزتُI gained منof فخرٍglory وماand what نِلتُI attained منof رُتَبranks
بِما حُزتُ من فخرٍ وما نِلتُ من رُتَب
Pray pardon me if I ask no more of mankind
Excuse me if I'm satisfied with the glory I've gained
than the glory I have won and the ranks I have attained.
And the ranks I've attained among men;
فَماfor it was not عَنout of قَلىًaversion فارَقتُI parted from سعداًSaad وَإِنَّماbut rather
فَما عَن قَلىً فارَقتُ سعداً وَإِنَّما
تَفَرَّغتُI devoted myself بينَamong الناسِpeople لِلعِلمِto learning وَالأَدَبand literature
تَفَرَّغتُ بينَ الناسِ لِلعِلمِ وَالأَدَب
For it was not out of aversion that I parted from Saad; rather,
It's not that I've abandoned all hope of more fortune,
I have devoted myself, among people, to learning and literature.
But I've devoted myself among people to knowledge and literature.