ماnot أَنصَفَتنيtreated me fairly يَدُthe hand of الزَمانِTime وَلاnor
ما أَنصَفَتني يَدُ الزَمانِ وَلا
أَدرَكَنيbefell me غَيرُother than حِرفَةِthe penury of الأَدَبِliterature
أَدرَكَني غَيرُ حِرفَةِ الأَدَبِ
The hand of Time has not treated me fairly, nor
has anything befallen me but the penury of letters.
لاmay … not حَفِظَprotect اللَهُGod حَيثُماwherever سَلَكَتshe goes
لا حَفِظَ اللَهُ حَيثُما سَلَكَت
أُمّيmy mother وَأَيرُand the cock of الحِمارِthe donkey فيin أُستِthe anus of أَبيmy father
أُمّي وَأَيرُ الحِمارِ في أُستِ أَبي
May God not protect, wherever she goes,
my mother; and may a donkey's cock be in my father's ass.
ماnot تَرَكاthey both left دِرهَماًa dirham أَصونُI safeguard بِهِwith it
ما تَرَكا دِرهَماً أَصونُ بِهِ
وَجهِيَmy face يَوماًfor a day عَنfrom ذِلَّةِthe humiliation of الطَلَبِbegging
وَجهِيَ يَوماً عَن ذِلَّةِ الطَلَبِ
They left not a dirham with which I could shield
my face, even for a day, from the humiliation of begging.
Sol 6.1