بُليتُ بخَطّافِ العمائمِ بُرهَةً

بُليتُ بخَطّافِ العمائمِ بُرهَةً

يُحَرِّقُ بالمهماز منهُ ضُلوعي

يُحَرِّقُ بالمهماز منهُ ضُلوعي

For a time I was afflicted with a turban-snatcher,

I was tormented for a while by the executioner's noose

who sears my ribs with his spur.

It scorches my ribs with its claw

وأمسَيْتُ في حَبْسِ الولايةِ مودَعاً

وأمسَيْتُ في حَبْسِ الولايةِ مودَعاً

تَسيلُ على قضمِ الشَعيرِ دُموعي

تَسيلُ على قضمِ الشَعيرِ دُموعي

And I ended up confined in the governor's jail,

And I found myself jailed in the governor's custody

my tears flowing as I nibble the barley.

My tears pouring over crushed barley bread

وَقُلتُ لَعَلِّي بالحكيمِ إذا رأى

وَقُلتُ لَعَلِّي بالحكيمِ إذا رأى

سَقامي يداوي علَتي وخضوعي

سَقامي يداوي علَتي وخضوعي

And I said: perhaps the physician, if he sees

And I said maybe if the wise one saw

my sickness, will cure my ailment and abasement.

My sickness, he would cure my ailment and submission

فأمسى عليقي نهبَ غلمانِ دارِه

فأمسى عليقي نهبَ غلمانِ دارِه

فَضوعفَ همِّي عندَهُ وقطوعي

فَضوعفَ همِّي عندَهُ وقطوعي

Then my fodder became plunder for his household servants,

But instead my provisions became prey for the boys of his house

so my distress and hardships doubled with him.

And my worries seemed insignificant to him, and my despair

وَورَّطَ شَعري قلَةُ المسح عنْدَهُ

وَورَّطَ شَعري قلَةُ المسح عنْدَهُ

إلى أنْ دَعا بالحلِّ منهُ جميعي

إلى أنْ دَعا بالحلِّ منهُ جميعي

And his scant grooming brought my hair to grief,

And the infrequency of my grooming before him

until all of me cried for release from him.

Led him to summon my complete shaving

وَقَدْ جئتُ قَصْداً للأميرِ فإنّهُ

وَقَدْ جئتُ قَصْداً للأميرِ فإنّهُ

سَيَرْسُمُ لي من فَضلهِ برَبيعي

سَيَرْسُمُ لي من فَضلهِ برَبيعي

And I have come expressly to the emir, for he

Yet still I came seeking the prince

will, from his bounty, order my spring fodder for me.

For he will outline for me from his bounty my deliverance