عتبت ابن الوكيل وشكّ ظني

عتبت ابن الوكيل وشكّ ظني

فأعتبني وعادَ إلى اليقين

فأعتبني وعادَ إلى اليقين

I reproached Ibn al-Wakil, and my belief wavered;

I reproached Ibn al-Wakil and doubted my belief

He then appeased me, and my belief returned to certainty.

So he reproached me and returned to certainty

وقالَ نواله هيهات يشكو

وقالَ نواله هيهات يشكو

ذوو الإقتار من عهدِي المتين

ذوو الإقتار من عهدِي المتين

His bounty said, “Far be it that

And said, his grace – never would he complain

the impoverished should complain of my steadfast pledge.

Of my strong covenant, those of little means

وماذا يبتغي الشعراء مني

وماذا يبتغي الشعراء مني

وقد جاوزت حدّ الأربعين

وقد جاوزت حدّ الأربعين

And what do poets seek from me,

And what do the poets want from me

now that I have passed the bounds of forty?”

When I've passed the age of forty years