وصاحب لي شكا ضرّا فقلت له

وصاحب لي شكا ضرّا فقلت له

بي مثل ما بك من ضرّ وإفلاس

بي مثل ما بك من ضرّ وإفلاس

And a friend of mine complained of hardship, so I told him:

A friend complained to me of his woes, so I said:

I suffer the same hardship and destitution as you.

I suffer the same pains and ruin as you.

حالي كحالك والمغبون عيشتهُ

حالي كحالك والمغبون عيشتهُ

من مدّ كفا إلى ما في يد الناس

من مدّ كفا إلى ما في يد الناس

My plight is like yours; cheated in his livelihood is he

My state is like yours, and the life of the dispossessed

who stretches out a palm toward what is in people's hands.

is to extend a palm to what is in people's hands.