شكرتُ بوّابَك إذ ردّني

وذمّهُ غيري على ردِّه

I thanked your doorkeeper when he turned me away

While others blamed him for turning me away

لأنّهُ قلّدني منّةً

تستوجب الإغراق في حمدِهِ

Because he made me a favor

That deserves boundless praise

أعاذني من قُبح ملْقاكَ لي

وكبرِك الزّائد في حدِّهِ

He protected me from the ugliness of meeting you

And your excessive haughtiness and arrogance

فعُذْتُ أن أُضبرِعَ خدّي لمن

ماءُ الحَيا قد غاض من خدِّهِ

So I avoided having to rub my cheek on the ground

For one from whose cheek the water of life has receded