أَعاذِلَ قد آلمْتِ ويْكِ فَلُومي

أَعاذِلَ قد آلمْتِ ويْكِ فَلُومي

وما بَلَغ الإِشراكَ ذَنْبُ عَديمِ

وما بَلَغ الإِشراكَ ذَنْبُ عَديمِ

O reproachful woman, you have pained me—woe to you! Then blame me.

O reproacher, you have hurt me; woe to you—so blame me.

A destitute man’s offense does not amount to idolatry.

And a penniless man's sin does not amount to polytheism.

لقد أَسْقطَتْ حقِّي عليكِ صَبابتي

لقد أَسْقطَتْ حقِّي عليكِ صَبابتي

كما أَسْقطَ الإفلاسُ حقَّ غريمِ

كما أَسْقطَ الإفلاسُ حقَّ غريمِ

My passion has indeed annulled the claim I had upon you,

My ardent love has indeed annulled my claim upon you,

just as insolvency annuls a creditor’s claim.

Just as bankruptcy annuls a creditor's claim.

وأَعذرُ ما أَدْمى الجُفونَ منَ البُكا

وأَعذرُ ما أَدْمى الجُفونَ منَ البُكا

كريمٌ رأى الدُّنيا بكفِّ لئيمِ

كريمٌ رأى الدُّنيا بكفِّ لئيمِ

Most excusable for weeping until his eyelids bleed

And most excusable among those who have wept their eyelids bloody

is a noble man who sees the world held in a base man’s palm.

Is a noble man who saw the world in a vile man's hand.

أرى كلِّ فَدمٍ قَد تَبحبَحَ في الغِنى

أرى كلِّ فَدمٍ قَد تَبحبَحَ في الغِنى

وذُو الظَّرف لا تلْقاهُ غيرَ عَديمِ

وذُو الظَّرف لا تلْقاهُ غيرَ عَديمِ

I see every dullard ensconced at ease in wealth,

I see every dullard luxuriating in wealth,

while a man of wit is never found except destitute.

Yet a man of wit you find only penniless.