ما لِلطّعامِ وللثِّيابِ أَتَيْتُهُ

كَلاَّ ولا للْبِرَِ والإحْسانِ

It was neither for food nor clothes that I came to him,

No, nor for status or benevolence.

بلْ جئتْهُ أَرْجُو بُلُوغَ مَقَاصِدٍ

في الدِّينِ واجِبَةٍ منَ الدَّيّانِ

Rather, I came seeking to attain lofty aims

Obligatory in religion from the Judge on high.

قَدْ كُنْتُ ذَا طِمْرَيْنِ أَمْرَحُ في الْعُلَى

مَرَحَ الأَغَرِّ بِجانبِ الْمَيْدانِ

I was one with wings that freely roamed the heights,

Frolicking like a foal in an open field.

ما كُنْتُ مُضَطَّهَداً فَأَطْلُبَ رِفْعَةً

أَوْ خاملاً فَأُرِيدَ شُهْرَةَ شانِي

I was not downtrodden so as to seek elevation,

Nor indolent so as to covet notoriety.

سَلْ نَجْدَها وسَلِ التَّهائِمَ كُلَّها

وسَلِ الأقَاصِي في الدُّنا والدّاني

Ask the caravans throughout the lands,

Ask the beasts and those afar and near.

وسَلِ الْمَجالِسَ في الْمَدارِسِ مَنْ غَدا

فِيها المقَدَّمَ يَوْمَ كُلِّ رِهانِ

Ask the scholastic gatherings in every school

Who excelled among them on each occasion.

وسَلِ الأكابِرَ والدّفَاتِرَ عَنْ فَتىً

يَرْوي فيُرْوي غُلَّةَ الظَّمآنِ

Ask the elders and scribes about a youth

Who gives drink to the thirsty time and again.

لا قَدَّسَ الرَّحْمنُ عَبْدَ مَطامِعٍ

يُمْسي ويُصْبِحُ في طِلابِ الْفَانِي

The Merciful has blessed no greedy slave

Who wakes and sleeps seeking what will perish.

مَنْ ضاقَتِ الدُّنْيا عَلَيْهِ بأسْرِها

هانَتْ عَلَيْهِ مَصائِبُ الأدْيانِ

When the world confined him with all its woes,

He found the adversities of faith a comfort.