آليتُ أهجو كريماً عند نبوته

ولا لئيماً وإنْ أكدى وإنْ شتما

I was determined to satirize a generous man for his prophecy,

Not a mean man, even if he were aggressive and abusive.

أنِفْتُ من أنْ يقولَ الناسُ لي كَلِبٌ

وبصَّرْتني صروفُ الدَّهرِ بعد عَمَى

I disdained that people would call me a dog,

And the vicissitudes of fate gave me insight after blindness.

وقوَّمَتْني يد من سيِّدٍ حَدِبٍ

بل شيمةٌ منه أعْدَتْ شيمتي كرما

The hand of my noble lord of curved nose straightened me.

In fact, his reprimand made my manners honorable.

فلن أرى ما تولاني به تِرةً

بل نعمةً تستحق الشكرَ بل نِعَما

So I will not see what has come upon me as harm,

But a blessing deserving thanks, even bounties.

للَّهِ دَرُّ ثِقافٍ مِنْهُ قوَّمني

لئن لَؤُمْتُ لقد أبقى وما لؤُما

Praise be to God for wholesome chastening from Him correcting me.

If I were deviant, He made me upright and not crooked.

ما زال يرفُقُ في تقْوِيمِه أودي

حتى تقوَّم لي عُودي وما انحطما

He kept gently correcting me in His straightening

Until my bent wood was straightened and did not break.