يَسَعني عَنكَ تَأَخيري أَيا مَن

جُعِلتُ فِداءَهُ بابٌ وَعُذرُ

My delay excuses me to you, O one

Whom I would ransom with door and excuse

بُليتُ بِكاشِحٍ مِا مِنهُ بُدٌّ

وَرَبعٌ فيهِ سَجّانٌ وَأَسرُ

I am afflicted with overwhelming adversity

In which is a jailer and captivity

كَأَنّي يونُسٌ وَالرَبعُ حوتٌ

وَمَن حَولي وقيتَ الشَرَّ بَحرُ

As if I were Jonah and the confinement a whale

And those around me a sea that guards against harm