وكم قابلتُ تزكيّا بمدحي

وكم قابلتُ تزكيّا بمدحي

فكادَ لما أُحاولُ منه يُخنَق

فكادَ لما أُحاولُ منه يُخنَق

And how often I have greeted a Turk with my praise,

How many a Tazkiyyah I met with my praise

only for him nearly to choke at what I seek from him.

Yet when I tried with him, he was about to choke

ويلطُمني إذا ما قُلتُ ألطَن

ويلطُمني إذا ما قُلتُ ألطَن

ويرمقني إذا ما قلتُ بِرَمق

ويرمقني إذا ما قلتُ بِرَمق

And he slaps me whenever I say “alṭan”—“gold,”

And hits me when I say nonsense

and glares at me whenever I say “birmaq”—“give.”

And stares at me when I say gracefully

وتسقُطُ حُرمتي أبدا لديهِ

وتسقُطُ حُرمتي أبدا لديهِ

فلو أني عَطشتُ لقال بشمَق

فلو أني عَطشتُ لقال بشمَق

And my dignity is forever diminished in his eyes;

And my dignity always drops with him

so if I were thirsty, he would say “bashmaq”—“shoe.”

If I got thirsty, he would say with contempt