أذمّ إليك كَلْماً لَيس يؤْسى

وداءً لَيسَ يَعرفهُ الطَبيبُ

I complain to you of a sorrow that knows no relief,

An illness that no doctor comprehends,

وَدَهراً لا يُصيخُ إِلى نَصيحٍ

وَعَيشاً لا يَلَذُّ ولا يطيبُ

Of a fate that listens to no good counsel,

A life neither sweet nor pleasant.

وَكَم لِي مِن أَخٍ أُوليهِ نُصحِي

وَما لي في نَصيحَتِهِ نصيبُ

How many a brother I trusted with my troubles,

Yet from his advice received no gain!

له منّي البشاشةُ في التَّلاقِي

ولِي منه البَسارةُ والقُطوبُ

I meet him with cheer, he greets me glumly

I offer solace, he returns rebuffs

يَعيب تَجَنِّياً والعيب فيه

وقد نادت فأَسمعتِ العيوبُ

He blames me unjustly, yet the fault is his;

I have heard the call and heeded all reproofs

أَلا هَرباً مِنَ الإِخوانِ جَمعاً

فَما لكَ مِنهُمُ إِلّا النُّدُوبُ

Enough! Flee from such friends gathered together

Naught from them remains but wounds.

وَلَولاهمْ لَما قَذِيتْ جفوني

وَلا سَقيتْ إِلى قلبي الكُروبُ

Were it not for them, no dust would dim my eyes

No sorrows seep into my heart

وَلا طُويتْ عَلى أَوَدٍ قناتي

وَغلّس في مفارِقيَ المشيبُ

No coverings shroud my bright demeanor

No gray hairs sprout in my parting hair.

وَلا خرقت مِنَ الأيّامِ جِلدي

أَظافرُ لا تقلَّمُ أو ينوبُ

Nor would the days tear my hide to tatters

With claws that cannot be filed or pared.

وَلا عرفتْ مساكِنيَ الرّزايا

وَلا اِجتازَتْ عَلى رَبْعي الخُطوبُ

Nor would misfortunes make their dwelling in me

Nor crosses come to haunt my quarters.

وَلمّا أَن أَبى حُكمي وَأَلْوى

وَشَبّتْ بَيننا منهُ الحروبُ

When my will was broken and bent awry,

And war broke out again between us,

وَأَخرَسَني عَنِ الشّكوى ومنه

لِسانٌ لا يُفارقه كذوبُ

Silencing my complaints, while from his tongue

Pours a stream where falsehood throbs—

غَفَرتُ ذنوبهُ حتّى كأنّي

عَلِقتُ به وليس له ذنوبُ

I forgave his sins until he seemed to me

A laden camel freed of loads.