صَحِبنا في بَطالَتِهِ سَعيداً

وَأَخلَصنا المَوَدَّةَ وَاِجتَهَدنا

Our companion was happy in his leisure

And we were sincere in affection and exerted ourselves

وَقُلنا نَرتَجيكَ إِذا اِرتَضاهُ ال

خَليفَةُ لِلعُلى سَكَناً وَخِدنا

And we said we hope for you, when approved by the Caliph

As an abode and refuge sublime

وَكَم أَمَلٍ بِخِدمَتِهِ عَدَقنا

وَعَقدٍ بِالوَلاءِ لَهُ عَقَدنا

And how much hope we had in serving him

And covenants of loyalty to him we made

وَكانَ لَنا دُنوٌّ وَاِقتِرابٌ

لَديهِ فَمُنذُ قَدَّمَهُ بَعُدنا

And we had closeness and approach to him

But since he was promoted, he distanced us

تَجَهَّمَ ما عَهِدنا مِنهُ طَلقاً

وَأَصبَحَ عابِساً ما كانَ لَدنا

The amiability we knew in him vanished

And he became frowning, not as he was with us before

وَصِرنا إِن أَرَدناهُ لِأَمرٍ

وَوافَيناهُ خالَفَ ما أَرَدنا

And we, if we wanted him for something

And came to him, he opposed what we wanted

فَيَمنَعُنا العَطاءَ إِذا سَأَلنا

وَيَنقُصُنا إِذا نَحنُ اِستَزَدنا

So he prevents us gifts when we ask

And diminishes us when we seek increase

رُمينا مِن سَعادَتِهِ بِنَحسٍ

فَلو قُضِيَ النَحوسُ لَهُ سَعِدنا

We were cast from his good fortune with ill luck

If only his ill luck were gone, we'd be fortunate

فَكَيفَ لَنا بِصَرفٍ وَاِنقِطاعٍ

فَنَصدُرَ مُدبِرينَ كَما وَرَدنا

How can we politely withdraw and break away

And leave declining as we came

وَلا عادَ الزَمانُ لَنا بِعَطفٍ

مَتى صَحَّ الخِلافُ لَنا فَعُدنا

And time will not turn to us in kindness

When disagreement with us becomes clear, we'll return