وأجبت لائمتي على ترك العزا

وأجبت لائمتي على ترك العزا

للنّاس عند تفاوت الآجال

للنّاس عند تفاوت الآجال

And I answered my female reproacher about withholding condolences

I answered those who blamed me for abandoning consolation,

for people as their allotted lifetimes end at different times,

For people's lives vary in length,

وعن التعرّض للحقوق وليس لي

وعن التعرّض للحقوق وليس لي

حظّ الغنيّ وبطش ذي الإقلال

حظّ الغنيّ وبطش ذي الإقلال

and about undertaking obligations, though I have neither

And for not seeking rights when I have no

the rich man's fortune nor the poor man's might.

Fortune of the wealthy, nor tyranny of the impoverished.

كم قد مرضت فلم يعدني عائد

كم قد مرضت فلم يعدني عائد

لمكان معرفتي وقلة مالي

لمكان معرفتي وقلة مالي

How often I have fallen ill, yet no visitor came to see me,

How often have I fallen ill and no one came to visit me,

because of my reputation and my scant wealth.

To the place of my knowledge and little money.

كم أستضام وحجّتي مدحوضة

كم أستضام وحجّتي مدحوضة

والقول لي أقصى لرقة حالي

والقول لي أقصى لرقة حالي

How often I am oppressed, my plea dismissed,

How often have I sought help while my argument was refuted,

and a word on my behalf is farther off because of my straitened state.

And the say was mine, the utmost for my condition.

كم مرة يبغى عليّ فلا أرى

كم مرة يبغى عليّ فلا أرى

لي ناصرا بيد ولا بمقال

لي ناصرا بيد ولا بمقال

How often I am wronged, yet see no

How often it was wanted of me yet I saw

champion for me, by hand or word.

No helper with a hand or words for me.

كم غصّة جرعتها من جاهل

كم غصّة جرعتها من جاهل

عدم المعين لكثرة الجهّال

عدم المعين لكثرة الجهّال

How many a choking mouthful I have swallowed from an ignorant man,

How many sorrows I have sipped from an ignorant one,

with no helper, so numerous are the ignorant.

With no helper due to the abundance of fools.

كم شهوة سدّت عليّ وجوهها

كم شهوة سدّت عليّ وجوهها

بين الوني وتخلّف الإقبال

بين الوني وتخلّف الإقبال

How many a desire has had its avenues barred to me,

How many desires have had their faces veiled from me,

between weakness and good fortune's failure to come.

Between my weakness and lack of favor.

يا هذه كفي فليس لبائس

يا هذه كفي فليس لبائس

قدر يُصان ولا يعدّ بحال

قدر يُصان ولا يعدّ بحال

Woman, stop: for a wretched man has no

Oh my hands, a miserable one has no

standing to be safeguarded, nor is he counted for anything.

Fate to protect, nor is counted in any condition.

سقطت عن الزمنى الحقوق فكيف بي

سقطت عن الزمنى الحقوق فكيف بي

وزمانتي قرنت بنقص المال

وزمانتي قرنت بنقص المال

Obligations are waived for the disabled; what, then, of me,

I have fallen from the rights of time, so how could I,

with my disability coupled with a lack of wealth?

When my era was paired with lack of money.

فمتى مرضت فخادمي نفسي فإن

فمتى مرضت فخادمي نفسي فإن

عجزت تولاها بنو اشكالي

عجزت تولاها بنو اشكالي

So whenever I fall ill, my attendant is myself; and if

So when I fall ill, my servant is myself, and if

I am unable, the sons of my peers care for me.

I become incapacitated, the children of my concerns will take care of me.

ومتى أمت فجنازتي محفوفة

ومتى أمت فجنازتي محفوفة

بالمدلقين لأنّهم امثالي

بالمدلقين لأنّهم امثالي

And when I die, my bier will be surrounded

And when I die, my procession will be surrounded

by the rag-clad, for they are like me.

By hypocrites, for they are my equals.

من لي يعزّى إن هلكت ولم يدع

من لي يعزّى إن هلكت ولم يدع

صرف المنون عليّ من عمّالي

صرف المنون عليّ من عمّالي

Who have I to receive condolences if I perish, when none is left

Who will console me if I perish, and the

to me from among my workers by death's ravages?

Inevitability of death does not spare me from my workers?