1. جَعَلتُ مَطِيَّةَ الآمالِ يَأساً

    فَآواني إِلى كَنَفٍ وَسيعِ

    I made despair the mount of my hopes,

    so it sheltered me in a spacious refuge.

  2. فَتِلكَ مَطِيَّةُ الآمالِ غُفلٌ

    بِلا رَحلٍ يُشَدُّ وَلا نُسوعِ

    For that mount of hopes is unbranded,

    without a saddle fastened on or any girths.

  3. لَعَمرُكَ لَلقَليلُ أَصونُ وَجهي

    بِهِ في الأَوحَدينَ وَفي الجَميعِ

    By your life, a little—I safeguard my honor

    with it, among individuals and among all—

  4. أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِن طَلَبي كَثيراً

    تُمَدُّ إِلَيهِ أَعناقُ الخُضوعِ

    is dearer to me than my seeking plenty,

    toward which the necks of submission are stretched.

  5. فَعِش بِالقوتِ يَوماً بَعدَ يَومٍ

    كَمَصِّ الطِفلِ فيقاتِ الضُروعِ

    So live on sustenance, day after day,

    as a child sucks the milk gathered in udders between milkings.

  6. وَلا تَرغَب إِلى أَحَدٍ بِحِرصٍ

    رَفيعٍ في الأَنامِ وَلا وَضيعِ

    And do not greedily appeal to anyone,

    whether high in rank among mankind or lowly.

  7. وَقَد رَحَلَ الشَبابُ وَحَلَّ شَيبٌ

    فَهَل لَكَ في شَبابِكَ مِن رُجوعِ

    And youth has already departed, and gray hair has settled in;

    so is there any return for you to your youth?