أتجهل يا نظام الملك إني — Ibn Al Habariya

أتجهلُ يا نظام الملك إنّي

أعاودُ من حِماك كما قدمتُ

Are you unaware, O Nizam al-Mulk, that I

return from your domain just as I arrived,

وأصدرُ عن حياضكَ وهي نهبٌ

بأفواهِ السُّقاةِ وما وردتُ

and leave your pools, though they are plundered

by the water-bearers' mouths, without having come to drink?

يدلّ على فعالكَ سوءُ حالي

وتنطقُ عن مثالي إن كتَمَتُ

My wretched state bears witness to your deeds,

and speaks of my likeness, even if I conceal it.

إذا استُخبِرت ماذا نلتَ منه

وقد عمّ الوفودَ ندى سكتُّ

When I am asked, "What did you receive from him?"

though bounty has reached all the delegations, I keep silent.

وما في الوافدين عليكَ شخصٌ

يَمُتُّ من الولاءِ كما أَمتُّ

And among those who come to you there is no one

bound by loyalty as I am.

وهم دوني إذا اختُبِروا جميعاً

فِلم بالدُّون دونَهُم خُصُصتُ

And they are all beneath me when put to the test;

so why was I, rather than they, singled out for the lesser lot?

ولي أصلٌ وفصلٌ غيرُ خافٍ

ولكن ما لِفَضلٍ منكَ بَختُ

And I have lineage and distinction, neither hidden,

but merit has no luck with you.

إذا ما ضعتُ عند بني جَهيرٍ

وعندَ مَع سماحِتكَ انتهيتُ

If I was neglected among the Banu Jahir,

and have ended up here, despite your generosity,

فأين الفرقُ بينكم وماذا

ببُعدي عن دياركم استندتُ

where, then, is the difference between you, and what

have I relied upon, far from your dwellings?

وها أنا ساكتٌ فإن اصطلحنا

وإلاّ خانني صبري وقلتُ

And here I am, silent—if we come to terms;

otherwise, my patience will betray me, and I shall speak.