قضيت العمر مدَّاحاً

قضيت العمر مدَّاحاً

وهذا يا أخي الحالُ

وهذا يا أخي الحالُ

I spent my life as a panegyrist,

I lived my life as a flatterer,

and this, my brother, is my plight:

And this, my brother, is how it turned out:

فقير الوجه والكفّ

فقير الوجه والكفّ

فلا جاهٌ ولا مالُ

فلا جاهٌ ولا مالُ

poor in face and hand,

Poor in face and hand,

with neither standing nor wealth.

With neither status nor wealth.