أَغوصُ عَلى الدُرِّ الَّذي لَو طَلَبتُهُ

أَغوصُ عَلى الدُرِّ الَّذي لَو طَلَبتُهُ

اَبى بَحرُ فِكري أَن يَكونَ لَهُ حَبسا

اَبى بَحرُ فِكري أَن يَكونَ لَهُ حَبسا

I dive for the pearl that, were I to seek it,

I plunge for pearls that, should I seek them,

the sea of my thought would refuse to hold captive.

My mind's sea would refuse to confine;

فَلَو مُتُّ ضُرّاً ما بُعِثتُ بِدُرَّةٍ

فَلَو مُتُّ ضُرّاً ما بُعِثتُ بِدُرَّةٍ

إِلى جيدِ مَن لا يَستَحِقُّ لَهُ لُبسا

إِلى جيدِ مَن لا يَستَحِقُّ لَهُ لُبسا

Even if I died of hardship, I would not be sent with a pearl

And were I to die of grief, never would I send

to the neck of one unworthy of wearing it.

A pearl to rest on the neck of one unworthy.