أَشهَدُ أَنّي رَجُلٌ ناقِصٌ

لا أَدَّعي الفَضلَ وَلا أَنتَحِل

I bear witness that I'm an imperfect man

I claim no virtue, no borrowed fame

جِئتُ كَما شاءَ الَّذي صاغَني

وَمَن يَصِفني بِجَميلٍ يُحَل

I came as He who shaped me planned

And he who praises me does falsely claim

تَزَوَّجَ الشَيخُ فَأَلفَيتُهُ

كَأَنَّهُ مُثقَلُ إِبلٍ وَحِل

The old man married, and I met him

As if bowed down by a laden camel train

وَعِرسُهُ في تَعَبٍ دائِمٍ

لا تَخضُبُ الكَفَّ وَلا تَكتَحِل

His wedding but unending weariness

No henna does his hand adorn, no kohl his eyes stain

مَلَّت وَإِن أَحسَنَ أَيّامَهُ

تَقولُ في النَفسِ مَتى يَرتَحِل

She's tired of him, though good his days appear

Her heart whispers "When will he leave again?"

لَو ماتَ لَاِستَبدَلتُ مِنهُ فَتىً

إِنّي أَراهُ مُحرِماً لا يَحِلّ

If he passed, for him I'd replace a virile youth

To me he seems forbidden, pure and chaste

وَيَثبُتُ اللَهُ وَسُلطانُهُ

وَكُلُّ أَمرٍ غَيرَهُ يَضمَحِل

God and His reign eternal remain

While all else fades and loses strength and fame