1. Does fate push me away from my goal
And increase the misfortunes that hinder my quest?

2. It heads for preventing me when I head
To reach the watering place of my hopes.

3. If I attempt the easiest thing against it
You see it praying against my paths.

4. I ask it to improve its morals,
But it quotes Abu al-Tayyib's verse at me

5. And does not know that I am very dignified
And that the praiseworthy Caliph is my father.

6. I boasted to people about him
Due to the combination of ancestry and office.

7. If I wished, through his good fortune,
I would shoe my feet with stars,

8. If I wished, the new moon for me
Would be a boat on the Milky Way's river.

9. But I have a Lord who, if He willed,
Could make the difficult thing easy.

10. I hoped through Him to attain the heights
And model glory after office.

11. And to wear might enjoying myself
And throw off humiliation from my shoulders.

12. Whoever does not aspire for the heights
Appears not to have been given office among the people.

13. Whoever does not head toward them will not succeed
In fulfilling any purpose or goal.

14. Whoever does not block in youth will not block
When he is in the garb of old age.

15. My master, I blame you,
Although, if you wished, I would not blame.

16. The wines of indolence have intoxicated me
While you make drinking lawful for me.

17. Does the dawn of my good fortune appear
That I may flee to it from the glooms?

18. By your right, either you have disobeyed affection
And deemed abandoning it permissible,

19. Or you made separation from you easy for yourself,
But, when one makes it easy, it does not become difficult.

20. If you say no, then see me—
I blame you, so do not blame me!