بِأَبي وإِنْ قَلّتْ لَهُ بأبي

مَنْ ليسَ يَعْرِفُ غيرَهُ أَرَبِي

By my father, though I said to him 'my father',

He who knows no one but himself is but a stranger.

قَرْطَسْتُ عَشْراً في مَودَّتِهِ

لِبُلوغِ ما أَمّلْتُ مِنْ طَلَبي

For ten years I was persistent in my affection

To attain what I hoped for from my quest.

ولقدْ أُراني لَوْ مَددْتُ يَدِي

شَهرينِ أَرْمي الأرضَ لَمْ أُصِبِ

And truly, if I had extended my hand,

For two months, I would have possessed the earth were I to have reached.