عام وعام وعام زرت سَاحتَه

ثم أنثنيت ولا شر ولا جود

Year after year after year I visited his abode

Then I turned away, no harm and no generosity

وعد ووعد ووعد منه يتبعه

وعدٌ وليس بوعِد يورق العود

Promise and promise and promise follows it

A promise not a promise that makes the wood flourish

فكيف امدحه دأباً ويمنعني

وكيف يلزمني في الأمر مفقود

So how can I praise him constantly when he prevents me

And how can he obligate me when the matter is lost

ويل أمها خطةٌ ويل أم قائلها

لمثلها خلق المُهرية القود

Woe to the one who outlines it, woe to the one who says it

For the likes of it, the fuel was created for the pyre

إنْ لم أكافي مسيئاً عن إساءته

فلم تلدني قحطان ولا هود

If I do not repay the evildoer for his evil

Why then did Kahlan or Hud give birth to me

وما المنابر فخرٌ حين يركبها

من قد رَكِبْنَ عليه الأعبد السود

And the pulpits are no pride when mounted

By one who the black slaves mounted upon him

فلا يغرنك شيء من مقالته

فالعيب منه وفيه العيب مردود

So let nothing of his words deceive you

The fault is his and in him the fault returns

ومن مديحي في القاضي لقيت إذى

وكل مَنْ يمدحُ المعرود معرود

And from my praise of the judge I suffered harm

And all who praise the accursed are accursed