سَأَلتُ السَديدَ الفاضِلِيَّ وَقَد بَدا

عَلَيهِ هُزالٌ بَعدَ شِدَّةِ أَسرِهِ

I asked the righteous and virtuous one when

Wasting away appeared on him after the severity of his imprisonment

أَكُنتَ مَريضاً قالَ كَلّا وَإِنَّما

تَخَيَّرَني عَبدُ الرَحيمِ لِسِرِّهِ

Were you ill? He said, no, but

Abdul Rahim chose me for his secret

فَقُلتُ لَهُ إِنَّ القِطَمَّ اِختِيارُهُ

لِأَوضَعِ فَحلٍ مِن تَفاقُمِ أَمرِهِ

So I said to him, verily choosing the weakest

Of the weak is due to the worsening of his condition

وَلَكِنَّهُ حَقٌّ عَلى اللَهِ وَضعُ مَن

تَرافَعَ جَهلاً أَو عَلا فَوقَ قَدرِهِ

But it is a right upon Allah to place one who

Foolishly contended or went beyond his limit

وَهَب أَنَّ ما يُعزى إِلَيهِ مُصَدَّقٌ

وَأَنَّكَ قَد أَقرَرتَ فينا بِإِمرِهِ

Grant that what is attributed to him is verified

And that you have affirmed among us his command

فَما هذِهِ ما بَينَ ثَديَيكَ قالَ لي

تَقَعُّرُ صَدري مِن مُحَدَّبِ ظَهرِهِ

Then what is this between your breasts? He said to me

My chest caves in from his hunched back