عتبت ابن الوكيل وشكّ ظني

فأعتبني وعادَ إلى اليقين

I reproached Ibn al-Wakil and doubted my belief

So he reproached me and returned to certainty

وقالَ نواله هيهات يشكو

ذوو الإقتار من عهدِي المتين

And said, his grace – never would he complain

Of my strong covenant, those of little means

وماذا يبتغي الشعراء مني

وقد جاوزت حدّ الأربعين

And what do the poets want from me

When I've passed the age of forty years