وأشكُو بَعْدَ ذلِكَ ما أَلاقي

وأشكُو بَعْدَ ذلِكَ ما أَلاقي

مِن الأيَّام مِنْ هَمّ وضيقِ

مِن الأيَّام مِنْ هَمّ وضيقِ

And after all that, I lament what I endure—

And after that, I lament what I endure

at the hands of time: sorrow and distress.

From the days: worry and distress.

إذا ما رُمْتُ سَيراً لِلْمعالي

إذا ما رُمْتُ سَيراً لِلْمعالي

وَجَدْتُ الافْتقار على طريقي

وَجَدْتُ الافْتقار على طريقي

Whenever I seek to journey toward lofty attainments,

Whenever I sought to journey toward lofty heights,

I find poverty standing in my path.

I found poverty upon my path.

وملَّني الصَّديقُ لِسوءِ حالي

وملَّني الصَّديقُ لِسوءِ حالي

فلم أَعرِفُ عدوّي من صديقي

فلم أَعرِفُ عدوّي من صديقي

My friend has wearied of me because my lot is wretched,

And my friend grew weary of me because of my wretched state,

so I can no longer tell my enemy from my friend.

So I could not tell my enemy from my friend.

وكم أَشْكُو إلى مَنْ لَيْسَ يرثى

وكم أَشْكُو إلى مَنْ لَيْسَ يرثى

كما يشكو الأَسيرُ إلى الطُّليقِ

كما يشكو الأَسيرُ إلى الطُّليقِ

How often I complain to one who shows no pity,

And how often I complain to one who shows no pity,

as a captive complains to one set free.

As a captive complains to one who is free.

ولا واللهِ ما بي خوفُ فَقْرٍ

ولا واللهِ ما بي خوفُ فَقْرٍ

ولكِن كَيفَ أَصْنَعُ بالحقوقِ

ولكِن كَيفَ أَصْنَعُ بالحقوقِ

No, by God, it is not poverty I fear;

No, by God, I have no fear of poverty,

but how am I to meet the claims upon me?

But what am I to do about my obligations?

فإنْ أنهضْ لَهَا فَبِلاَ جَنَاحٍ

فإنْ أنهضْ لَهَا فَبِلاَ جَنَاحٍ

وإنْ أَهْمِلْ نُسبْتُ إلى العقوقِ

وإنْ أَهْمِلْ نُسبْتُ إلى العقوقِ

If I rise to meet them, I rise without a wing;

For if I rise to fulfill them, it is without a wing;

and if I neglect them, I am branded undutiful.

And if I neglect them, I am accused of being undutiful.