سألْتُ فأعطيتُمْ قليلاً فلم يكن

غناي ولا استبقى مُرِوتي على فَقْرِي

I asked and you gave me little, it was not enough

Nor did it quench my poverty and need

بذلتُم من المعروفِ ما فلّ عِفتي

وقيّدَ تَبْكيري وضعْضعَ من قدري

You gave some good but it was too petite

And stifled my early hopes and all my dreams

فلمْ تصنعُوا الحُسنى ولمْ تفعلوا التي

أداوي بشكواها الحرارة في صدري

You did not do the right, the good, the best

That I complain of to soothe my aching chest

فلا لذة الشكوى ولا فرحةُ الغنى

وألْمظتمُوني لمظةً ثَبَّطت صَبري

No joy in complaints, no bliss in wealth

You gave me pain that crushed my patience health

جُزيتُمْ جزاءَ المانِع الخيرَ كله

فإنكُمُ أقسى وآلم من دهري

May you be rewarded as misers of all good

For you are crueller than my harsh fate could