لَيسَ إِغلاقي لِبابي أَنَّ لي

لَيسَ إِغلاقي لِبابي أَنَّ لي

فيهِ ما أَخشى عَلَيهِ السَرَقا

فيهِ ما أَخشى عَلَيهِ السَرَقا

I close my door not because I have

I do not shut my door because inside

anything inside that I fear might be stolen.

I have what I fear may be stolen.

إِنَّما أُغلِقُهُ كَي لا يَرى

إِنَّما أُغلِقُهُ كَي لا يَرى

سوءَ حالي مَن يَجوبُ الطُرُقا

سوءَ حالي مَن يَجوبُ الطُرُقا

I close it only to conceal

Rather I shut it so none can see

my wretched state from those who roam the roads.

The poverty of my condition, O passersby.

لَيسَ لي فيهِ سِوى بارِيَةٍ

لَيسَ لي فيهِ سِوى بارِيَةٍ

وَبِهِ أَعلَقتُ لَبداً خَلَقا

وَبِهِ أَعلَقتُ لَبداً خَلَقا

I have nothing in it but a reed mat,

Within I have naught but a straw mat

and there I have hung a worn-out piece of felt.

On which I have hung a tattered cloak.

مَنزِلٌ أَوطَنَهُ الفَقرُ فَلَو

مَنزِلٌ أَوطَنَهُ الفَقرُ فَلَو

دَخَلَ السارِقُ فيهِ سُرِقا

دَخَلَ السارِقُ فيهِ سُرِقا

A dwelling that poverty has made its home—so if

A home poverty has made its own - if

a thief entered it, he would be robbed.

A thief entered it, there is naught to steal.

لا تَراني كاذِباً في وَصفِهِ

لا تَراني كاذِباً في وَصفِهِ

لَو تَراهُ قُلتَ لي قَد صَدَقا

لَو تَراهُ قُلتَ لي قَد صَدَقا

You will not find me lying in my description of it;

Do not think me lying in describing it -

if you saw it, you would tell me I had indeed spoken the truth.

If you were to see it, you would say I speak true.