1. فخلع عليه

    ما كان عليه

    So he bestowed upon him

    what he had been wearing.

  2. خلعت عليك أثوابي

    وكان التَرك أولى بي

    I bestowed my garments upon you,

    though refraining would have better suited me,

  3. لأنَّ القومَ ما قاموا

    من أجلِ الله بالبابِ

    for the people did not stand

    at the door for God's sake.

  4. ولكن قد أبتْ نفسي

    سوى كرمي وأحسابي

    Yet my soul refused

    anything but my generosity and ancestral honors.

  5. فما سيفي له نابي

    ولاطَرفي له كابي

    So my sword does not fail him,

    nor does my steed stumble for him.

  6. سأركضه وأنكصُه

    وأحمي البابَ بالبابِ

    I shall spur it onward and turn it back,

    and guard the door with the door.

  7. سوى هذا فلا أرجو

    شفاءً منه مما بي

    Beyond this, I hope for no

    cure from him for what ails me.

  8. على هذا مضى الأسلا

    ف مني ثم أحبابي

    In this way passed the forebears—

    —of mine, then my loved ones.

  9. فدأبُ القومِ إشراكٌ

    كما توحيدُه دابي

    For the people's practice is polytheism,

    just as affirming his oneness is mine.

  10. فربٌّ واحدٌ خيرٌ

    من أملاكٍ وأربابِ

    For one Lord is better

    than kings and lords.

  11. جعلتُ منزلي قبري

    وأكفاني من أثوابي

    I made my home my grave,

    and my shrouds from my garments,

  12. وأغلقتُ من أجل الله

    دونَ القومِ أبوابي

    and, for God's sake, I closed

    my doors against the people.

  13. فما أنا منهم خربٌ

    ولا القومُ من أحزابي

    For I am not ruined by them,

    nor are the people among my factions.

  14. ولولا صبيةٌ يتم

    لما فارقتُ محرابي

    And were it not for orphaned children,

    I would not have left my prayer chamber.