فَصِرت من سوء ما بُليتُ بِه

أكني أَبا الكلبِ لا أَبا الأَسَد

The ill-treatment I received made me

Call myself father of the dog, not father of the lion.

إِن كان رِزقي إِلَيك فارم به

في ناظِرَي حَيّة عَلى رَصَد

If my daily bread is in your hands, throw it

Into the eyes of a snake lying in wait.

لَو كنتُ حُرّاً كَما زعمتَ وَقَد

كَدَدتَني بِالمِطال لَم أَعُد

Had I been free as you claimed, after

You had bowed me with oppression, I would not have returned.

لكِنَّني عُدتُ ثُمَّ عدت فَإِن

عُدتُ إِلى مِثلِها إِذاً فَعُد

But I did return, and if I return again,

To the like of it, then I return.

أَعتَقَني سوءُ ما أتيتَ من الر

رقّ فَيا بَردَها عَلى كَبدي

The evil you did freed me

From the chains on my liver, O coolness to my heart!

فَصِرتُ عَبداً لِلسوءِ فيكَ وَما

أُحسِنَ سوءٌ قَبلي عَلى أَحَد

So I became a slave to evil through you, and never

Did evil treat anyone so well before me.