ألا أَشكو إليكَ نَعم سأَشكو

فأوسِع حينَ توسعُني استِماعا

Shall I not complain to you, shall I complain

So listen when you expand me to listen

تأمَّل صَفحتي إني إذا ما

شكوتُ كشفتُ عَن وَجهي القِناعا

Contemplate my page, for if I

Complain, I reveal my face without a mask

وقد آليتُ أن ألقَى الليالي

بِأطولَ من نَوائِبهنَّ باعا

And I have decided to spend the nights

With troubles longer than them trading

وتلكَ أليَّةٌ برَّت فصرَّت

تُضاربُنا دعوتُ لها سِباعا

And that is a skill that excelled and so

It hits us, I called it beasts

فتىً أمرَتهُ همَّتُه فأَمسى

مُطيعاً ثمَّ صارَ بها مُطاعا

A young man whose ambition commanded him and so he became

Obedient, then with it he became obeyed

وقَد تُدني الفتَى بَعد ارتفاعٍ

خلائِقُه فيزدادُ ارتِفاعا

And the young man comes near after elevation

His manners so he increases in elevation

وكم مُتَهجمٍ من رَيبِ دهرٍ

نصحتُ له فظنَّ بيَ الخِداعا

And how many attackers from the doubt of fate

I advised so he thought me deceitful

وقلتُ له تعرَّض للعَوالي

غداةَ الروعِ واجتَنب اليَراعا

And I said to him, expose yourself to high places

The day after fear, and avoid the pit

عصَى فهَوى فقلتُ له أقِلني

تَعدَّى النُّصح موضعَه فَضاعا

He disobeyed so he fell, and I said to him, believe me

Advice has exceeded its place so is lost

أبا الفرجِ اتَّخِذني بعضَ من قَد

صَرفتَ إلَيه هَمّاً واصطِناعا

Abu Al-Faraj, make me some of those whom you

Have directed care and craft to

أكادُ أظلُّ في جَنباتِ بَيتي

ويَملأُ ذكري الدُّنيا سَماعا

I almost remain in the corners of my house

And my mention fills the world heard