يُعاتِبُني في الدينِ قَومي وَإِنَّما

دُيونيَ في أَشياءَ تُكسِبُهُم حَمدا

My people blame me for my debts though

My debts are for things that bring them praise

أَلَم يَرَ قَومي كَيفَ أوسِرَ مَرَّة

وَأُعسِرُ حَتّى تَبلُغَ العُسرَةُ الجَهدا

Didn't my people see how once I was rich

And how I'm now so poor I've reached the end of hardship

فَما زادَني الإِقتارُ مِنهُم تَقَرُّباً

وَلا زادَني فَضلُ الغِنى مِنهُم بُعدا

Neither when I was without did being close to them help me

Nor when I had wealth did it make me more distant from them

أَسُدُّ بِهِ ما قَد أَخَلّوا وَضَيَّعوا

ثُغورَ حُقوقٍ ما أَطاقوا لَها سَدّا

I block the gaps they neglected and abandoned

The rights they couldn't fortify

وَفي جَفنَةٍ ما يُغلَق البابُ دونها

مُكلَّلةٍ لَحماً مُدَفِّقةٍ ثَردا

With a mare crowned with meat overflowing with fat

That no door is closed to

وَفي فَرَسٍ نَهدٍ عَتيقٍ جَعَلتُهُ

حِجاباً لِبَيتي ثُمَّ أَخدَمتُه عَبدا

And an old, full-chested horse that I made

A screen for my house, then served as a slave

وَإِن الَّذي بَيني وَبَين بَني أَبي

وَبَينَ بَني عَمّي لَمُختَلِفُ جِدّا

What's between me, my paternal cousins

And my maternal cousins is very different

أَراهُم إِلى نَصري بِطاءً وَإِن هُمُ

دَعَوني إِلى نَصرٍ أَتيتُهُم شَدّا

I see them slow to help me, though they

Call me for help and I come to them quickly

فَإِن يَأكُلوا لَحمي وَفَرتُ لحومَهُم

وَإِن يَهدِموا مَجدي بنيتُ لَهُم مَجدا

If they eat my flesh, I hunt meat for them

If they destroy my glory, I build glory for them

وَإِن ضَيَّعوا غيبي حَفظتُ غيوبَهُم

وَإِن هُم هَوَوا غَييِّ هَوَيتُ لَهُم رُشدا

If they publicize my secrets, I protect their secrets

If they desire my ruin, I desire their guidance

وَلَيسوا إِلى نَصري سِراعاً وَإِن هُمُ

دَعوني إِلى نَصيرٍ أَتَيتُهُم شَدّا

They're not quick to help me, though they

Call me for help and I come to them quickly

وَإِن زَجَروا طَيراً بِنَحسٍ تَمرُّ بي

زَجَرتُ لَهُم طَيراً تَمُرُّ بِهِم سَعدا

If they dispel a bird of ill omen passing me

I dispel for them a bird of good fortune passing them

وَإِن هَبطوا غوراً لِأَمرٍ يَسؤني

طَلَعتُ لَهُم ما يَسُرُّهُمُ نَجدا

If they descend into a pit for something that harms me

I ascend for them what makes them happy, freshly found

فَإِن قَدحوا لي نارَ زندٍ يَشينُني

قَدَحتُ لَهُم في نار مكرُمةٍ زَندا

So if they light for me a firebrand that disgraces me

I light for them in a fire of honor a flame