أَفَدتُ بِهِجرانِ المَطاعِمِ صِحَّةً

فَما بِيَ مِن داءٍ يُخافُ وَلا حِبنِ

I have benefited in health from abandoning restaurants,

So I have no illness to fear or love to pine for.

وَإِن أَلقَ شَكوي أَلقَهُ تَحتَ خِفيَةٍ

كَجُزءٍ بَسيطٍ أَوَّلٍ مُسَّ بِالخَبنِ

And if I voice a complaint, I voice it stealthily,

Like a slight, early slice touched with vinegar.

وَأَصبَحتُ في الدُنيا غَبيناً مُرَزَّأً

فَأَعقَيتُ نَسلي مِن أَذاةٍ وَمِن غَبنِ

And I have become in the world a foolish outcast,

So I have blinded my progeny from harm and injustice.

فَلَستَ تَراني حافِراً مِثلَ ضَبِّها

وَلا لِفِراخي مِثلَ طائِرِها أَبني

Yet you will not see me digging like a hyena,

Nor for my chicks will I build like the bird builds.

فَإِن تَحكُمي بِالجَورِ فِيَّ وَفي أَبي

فَلَن تَحكُميهِ في بَناتي وَلا في اِبني

If you judge me unjustly, me and my father,

Then you will not judge likewise my daughters or my son.

وَأَوقَدتِ لي نارَ الظَلامِ فَلَم أَجِد

سَناكِ بِطَرفي بَل سِنانَكِ في ضِبني

And you have kindled for me the fire of darkness, but I did not

Find your morning pleasant, but rather your fangs in my trunk.

وَما قامَ لَبَنُ الضَيفِ إِذ جاءَ طارِقاً

بِما هُوَ راجٍ في الصَباحِ مِنَ اللَبنِ

And the guest's milk did not curdle when he came knocking

With what is still fermenting in the morning from the milk.