فِدَاؤُكَ مَنْ إذَا رُمْتَ امْتِنانَا

عَلَيَّ لَهُ أَبَى إلاَّ امْتِنَاعَا

Your ransom is he who, when you aim to do him a favor,

Refuses anything from me but rejection.

فَلاَ عِنْدِي لَهُ نِعَمٌ تُجَازَى

وَلا لِي عِنْدَهُ ذِمَمٌ تُرَاعَى

So I have no bounty for him that is repaid,

Nor does he have any duty to me that is fulfilled.

أبَاسِطُهُ وَأَحْذَرُهُ كَأَنِّي

أُمَارِسُ مِنْ خَلاَئِقِهِ السِّباعا

I extend my hand to him and am wary of him as if

I deal with predators among his creations.

فلا أنا آمِنٌ مِنْهُ ضِرَاراً

ولاَ هُوَ آمِلٌ مِنِّي انْتِفَاعَا

So neither am I safe from his harm,

Nor is he hopeful of gain from me.

فَلَسْتُ أَوُدُّهُ إلاَّ رِياءً

وَلَيْسَ يَوَدُّنِي إلاَّ خِدَاعَا

Thus I love him only hypocritically,

And he wishes me well only deceitfully.

أَضَعْت حُقُوقَهُ وأَضَاعَ حَقِّي

فيالَكِ صُحْبَةً ذَهَبَتْ ضَيَاعَا

I neglected his rights and he lost mine,

So what wretched company that has gone to waste!