إِذا ساءَلْتَنِي فَخُذِ الجَوابا

فَكَم فَتَحَ الكَلامُ عَليَّ بابا

When you asked me, I gave you the answer

Yet how many doors did speech open for me

عَتبتَ وَما اِجتَرمتُ إِلَيكَ جُرماً

فَأَحمِلُ فيهِ منكَ لِيَ العتابا

You blamed me, and I had done no wrong against you

So I bear your reproach though I am not to blame

وَما كُنتُ اِستَرَبْتُ وَإِنْ أَرَتني

صُروفَ الدّهرِ عِندَكَ ما أَرابا

I never refused you, though fate at your side

Made me seem to you wayward and unstable

فُجِعت وَقَد تَخِذتكَ لي خليلاً

بِجرمي أَو حُرمت بِكَ الصّوابا

I was hurt that you, who were my friend

Condemned me for my crime, or denied me what is right

وَلَو أَنّي قَطَعتكَ لَم أُعنَّفْ

وَلم أقرع لِقربي منكَ نابا

If I had cut myself off from you, I'd not have been rebuked

Or lashed myself to you though you spurned me

وَلَمّا أَن ظَمِئت إِلَيك يوماً

وَردتُ ولَم أَرِدْ إِلّا سَرابا

And when one day I thirsted for you

I returned, but found only a mirage

فَإِنْ تَشحَط فَما أَهوى اِقتِراباً

وَإِن تَرحل فَما أَرجو إِيابا

If you are aloof, I desire no nearness

If you depart, I hope for no return

وَلَستَ بِمُبصرٍ منّي رسولاً

وَلَستَ بِقارِئٍ عَنّي كِتابا

You have from me no messenger to observe me

You have from me no letter to read

أَلا قَبحَ الإِلهُ وُجوهَ قومٍ

أَذلّوا في طِلابهمُ الرّقابا

Oh shame on the faces of people

Who in their requests bow down their necks

أَراقوا مِن وجوهِهم حياءً

وَما أَخذوا بهِ إِلّا تُرابا

They poured modesty from their faces

And took in exchange only dust

وَهُمْ مِن لُؤمِهم في قَعرِ وهدٍ

وَإِن رفعوا بدورِهم القِبابا

Though they raise lofty buildings, they are

Deep in the pit of infamy

وَمَن يَكُ عارِياً مِن كُلِّ خَيرٍ

فَما يُغنيهِ أَن لَبِسَ الثيابا

He who lacks all good

Gains nothing from wearing clothes