لك الخيرُ قد عوَّدتَنِي منكَ عادةً

نشأتُ عليها منذُ أوَّلِ حالي

You have always been good to me,

I grew accustomed to this from you since the start of my life.

سكوناً إِلى قُربي وأُنساً بخدمتي

وحُسنَ اعتقادٍ في تنعُّمِ بالي

With calmness in my proximity and intimacy in serving me,

And excellent belief in reveling in my comfort.

وكنتُ أرَجِّي أنّ حالكَ ترتقي

فينمو له حالي نموَّ هِلالِ

I hoped that your condition would improve,

So my state grows like the crescent moon's growth.

وأسمو إِلى نيلِ الأماني واقتضِي

مواعيدَ دَهْرٍ مولَعٍ بمطالِ

And I ascend to attain my wishes and procure

The promises of a time obsessed with hopes.

وقد رابني منكَ الصدود وليتَهُ

صدودُ اشتغالٍ لا صدودُ كلالِ

Your aloofness has disappointed me, if only

It was the aloofness of preoccupation, not of boredom.

فإن كان هذا منكَ دأباً تُديمُهُ

فإذنَكَ لي حتَّى أزمَّ جِمالي

If this has become your habit that you perpetuate,

Then your permission to me, until my beauty peaks.

وإلّا فعدْ لي بالجميل فقد عفَتْ

معالمُ آمالي وضاقَ مجالي

Else return my favor, for the features of

My hopes have chastened and my scope narrowed.

فمثليَ لا يرضَى مُقَاماً بذلةٍ

وصبراً على جاهٍ لديكَ مُدَالِ

One like me is not content with staying in humiliation,

And patience over status with you extended.

ومثلُكَ لا يرضَى بتضييعِ خدمتي

وتخييب آمالٍ لديهِ طِوالِ

And one like you is not content with wasting my service,

And failing hopes with him prolonged.