سَأَلت أَبا جَهضَمٍ حاجَةً

سَأَلت أَبا جَهضَمٍ حاجَةً

وَكُنتُ أَراهُ قَريباً يَسيرا

وَكُنتُ أَراهُ قَريباً يَسيرا

I asked Abu Jahdam for a favor,

I asked Abu Jahm for a need

and I had thought him approachable and easygoing.

And I thought he was near and easy to reach

فَلَو أَنني خِفتُ مِنهُ الخِلا

فَلَو أَنني خِفتُ مِنهُ الخِلا

فَ وَالمَنعَ لَم أَسَلهُ نَقيرا

فَ وَالمَنعَ لَم أَسَلهُ نَقيرا

For had I feared opposition from him

If I had feared stinginess from him

and refusal, I would not have asked him for even a date-stone speck.

I would not have asked him for anything

وَكَيفَ الرَّجاءُ لما عِنده

وَكَيفَ الرَّجاءُ لما عِنده

وَقَد خالَطَ البُخلَ مِنهُ الضَّميرا

وَقَد خالَطَ البُخلَ مِنهُ الضَّميرا

And how can one hope for what he has,

How could I hope for what he has

when miserliness has permeated his conscience?

When miserliness has mingled with his conscience

أَقلني أَبا جَهضمٍ حاجَتي

أَقلني أَبا جَهضمٍ حاجَتي

فَإِني اِمرؤٌ كانَ ظَني غرورا

فَإِني اِمرؤٌ كانَ ظَني غرورا

Let me withdraw my request, Abu Jahdam;

Grant me my need, Abu Jahm

for I am a man whose expectation was a delusion.

For I am a man whose assumption was delusion