أَشكو إلى اللهِ أنِّي في سواسيةٍ

أَشكو إلى اللهِ أنِّي في سواسيةٍ

تَردَّدوا بينَ غَمّازٍ وهَمّازِ

تَردَّدوا بينَ غَمّازٍ وهَمّازِ

To God I complain that I dwell among a lot all alike:

I complain to God that I am among a rabble,

they range between a malicious fault-finder and a taunting slanderer.

Who veer between fault-finding and slander.

إذا تَعاوَوْا حشوتُ الأذنَ دونَهمُ

إذا تَعاوَوْا حشوتُ الأذنَ دونَهمُ

بإصبَعي ولويتُ الشدقَ كالهازي

بإصبَعي ولويتُ الشدقَ كالهازي

When they join forces, I plug my ear against them

When they howl at one another, I plug my ear against them

with my finger, and twist the corner of my mouth like a delirious babbler.

With my finger, and twist my mouth like a mocker.

ولا أُبالي بإذلالٍ خُصصتُ بهِ

ولا أُبالي بإذلالٍ خُصصتُ بهِ

مِنهم وفيهم وإنْ خُصّوا بإعزاز

مِنهم وفيهم وإنْ خُصّوا بإعزاز

I care nothing for humiliation reserved especially for me

Nor do I care about humiliation singled out for me

at their hands and in their midst, even if they themselves are singled out for honor.

By them and among them, even if they are singled out for honor.

رِجلُ الدَّجاجةِ لا من عِزِّها غُلست

رِجلُ الدَّجاجةِ لا من عِزِّها غُلست

ولا مِن الذُّلِّ خِيطتْ مُقلةُ الباز

ولا مِن الذُّلِّ خِيطتْ مُقلةُ الباز

The hen’s foot did not set forth before dawn out of dignity,

A hen's foot was washed, but not on account of its honor,

nor was the hawk’s eye sewn shut out of abasement.

Nor was the hawk's eye sewn shut on account of humiliation.