ألا أَشكو إليكَ نَعم سأَشكو

ألا أَشكو إليكَ نَعم سأَشكو

فأوسِع حينَ توسعُني استِماعا

فأوسِع حينَ توسعُني استِماعا

Shall I not complain to you? Yes, I shall complain.

Shall I not complain to you, shall I complain

So, when you listen to me, grant me an ample hearing.

So listen when you expand me to listen

تأمَّل صَفحتي إني إذا ما

تأمَّل صَفحتي إني إذا ما

شكوتُ كشفتُ عَن وَجهي القِناعا

شكوتُ كشفتُ عَن وَجهي القِناعا

Study my countenance, for whenever

Contemplate my page, for if I

I complain, I lift the veil from my face.

Complain, I reveal my face without a mask

وقد آليتُ أن ألقَى الليالي

وقد آليتُ أن ألقَى الليالي

بِأطولَ من نَوائِبهنَّ باعا

بِأطولَ من نَوائِبهنَّ باعا

And I have sworn to face the nights

And I have decided to spend the nights

with a reach longer than that of their calamities.

With troubles longer than them trading

وتلكَ أليَّةٌ برَّت فصرَّت

وتلكَ أليَّةٌ برَّت فصرَّت

تُضاربُنا دعوتُ لها سِباعا

تُضاربُنا دعوتُ لها سِباعا

And that oath was kept; then they cried out,

And that is a skill that excelled and so

fighting us; I summoned beasts of prey against them.

It hits us, I called it beasts

فتىً أمرَتهُ همَّتُه فأَمسى

فتىً أمرَتهُ همَّتُه فأَمسى

مُطيعاً ثمَّ صارَ بها مُطاعا

مُطيعاً ثمَّ صارَ بها مُطاعا

A youth—his ambition commanded him, and he became

A young man whose ambition commanded him and so he became

obedient; then, through it, he came to be obeyed.

Obedient, then with it he became obeyed

وقَد تُدني الفتَى بَعد ارتفاعٍ

وقَد تُدني الفتَى بَعد ارتفاعٍ

خلائِقُه فيزدادُ ارتِفاعا

خلائِقُه فيزدادُ ارتِفاعا

And a youth, after rising high, may be humbled

And the young man comes near after elevation

by his character, and thereby rise still higher.

His manners so he increases in elevation

وكم مُتَهجمٍ من رَيبِ دهرٍ

وكم مُتَهجمٍ من رَيبِ دهرٍ

نصحتُ له فظنَّ بيَ الخِداعا

نصحتُ له فظنَّ بيَ الخِداعا

And many a rash assailant from time's reversals

And how many attackers from the doubt of fate

I counseled, only for him to suspect me of deceit.

I advised so he thought me deceitful

وقلتُ له تعرَّض للعَوالي

وقلتُ له تعرَّض للعَوالي

غداةَ الروعِ واجتَنب اليَراعا

غداةَ الروعِ واجتَنب اليَراعا

And I told him: 'Face the lofty spears

And I said to him, expose yourself to high places

on the morning of terror, and avoid the reed pen.'

The day after fear, and avoid the pit

عصَى فهَوى فقلتُ له أقِلني

عصَى فهَوى فقلتُ له أقِلني

تَعدَّى النُّصح موضعَه فَضاعا

تَعدَّى النُّصح موضعَه فَضاعا

He disobeyed and fell; I told him, 'Pardon me:

He disobeyed so he fell, and I said to him, believe me

the counsel overstepped its place, and was wasted.'

Advice has exceeded its place so is lost

أبا الفرجِ اتَّخِذني بعضَ من قَد

أبا الفرجِ اتَّخِذني بعضَ من قَد

صَرفتَ إلَيه هَمّاً واصطِناعا

صَرفتَ إلَيه هَمّاً واصطِناعا

Abu al-Faraj, count me among those to whom you have already

Abu Al-Faraj, make me some of those whom you

devoted care and patronage.

Have directed care and craft to

أكادُ أظلُّ في جَنباتِ بَيتي

أكادُ أظلُّ في جَنباتِ بَيتي

ويَملأُ ذكري الدُّنيا سَماعا

ويَملأُ ذكري الدُّنيا سَماعا

I scarcely leave the confines of my house,

I almost remain in the corners of my house

yet the sound of my name fills the world.

And my mention fills the world heard