الحمد لله نال الناسُ حظهُمُ

وأخطأتني مع استحقاقها الرُّتَبُ

Praise be to God—the people have received their share,

while the ranks, though I deserve them, have passed me by.

وعاقَني عن طِلابِيها أُصَيْبَيةٌ

يأبى فراقهُمُ الإشفاق والحربُ

A tiny brood of children has kept me from pursuing them:

compassion and tender care forbid me to part from them.

ولي قوادمُ لو أني جدفت بها

لأنهضتْني ولكن أفرُض زُغُبُ

I have strong pinions—if only I could beat the air with them,

they would lift me; but my nestlings are still far too downy.

وللمراتب أسبابٌ مبلِّغةٌ

كمالَها عنَّ من إدراكِها سَبَبُ

There are means by which ranks may be attained,

just as there is a cause for their remaining beyond my grasp.

وما التعجُّبُ لو أني ظَفِرْتُ بها

بل في تنكُّبها اللاوي بها العجب

It would be no wonder if I won them;

the wonder is that they shun one who could bend them his way.

فإن يكن أدبٌ من رُتبةٍ عوَضاً

فقد قضى ما عليه العلمُ والأدبُ

If my adab—my learning and cultivation—can compensate for the rank denied me,

then learning and adab have discharged their debt.