لما أبي لي سؤال الناس نائلهم

أهل الكفاية والإكثار والحسد

When people refused my request though desirous of their gifts,

The self-sufficient and the avaricious and the envious,

وعنّفوني وقالوا قف على كرم

من الخلائق بين الضرّ والجلد

And they reproached me and said, "Stand upon your generosity

Among people, between harm and patience,"

تحدّر الدمع من عينيّ منهمِلا

غيظا عليهم وضربا من شجى الكمد

Tears flowed from my eyes, not from grief over them,

But from anger at them and from the pain of suppressed rage.

وقلت مهلا أقلّوا من ملامكم

لما ارتفعتم خفضنا خفضة الوتد

And I said, "Gently, lessen your blame,

When you rose high, we were lowered like pegs."

ولو وجدت إلى كسب الغنى سببا

سهلا وثبت إليه وثبة الأسد

Had I found an easy way to gain wealth,

I would have clung to it and pounced like a lion.

اضطهدت ولم أختر سؤالهم

ما صيّر الله مختارا كمضطهد

But I was oppressed and did not choose to beg from them -

God did not make the oppressed to be a chooser.