وَإِني لَذو بزٍ مِن الحَمد طرزه

وَإِني لَذو بزٍ مِن الحَمد طرزه

فَمالي أَراكَ اليَوم تَزهد في بَزّي

فَمالي أَراكَ اليَوم تَزهد في بَزّي

And indeed I possess cloth whose embroidery is praise.

I bear the burden of praise's adornment

So why do I see you today shunning my cloth?

Why do I see you today spurn my adornment?

كَأَنك لَم تَكتُب إِليّ مصرحاً

كَأَنك لَم تَكتُب إِليّ مصرحاً

بِلا لغز فيما خَطَطت وَلا رَمز

بِلا لغز فيما خَطَطت وَلا رَمز

As though you had not written plainly to me,

As if you wrote not to me openly

With no riddle in what you penned, nor any veiled hint.

Without riddles in what you drafted or symbols

سَألطف في فَروٍ مِن الحَمد تَكتَسي

سَألطف في فَروٍ مِن الحَمد تَكتَسي

بِهِ يُقتَضى بِالنَتف طَوراً وَبالجَز

بِهِ يُقتَضى بِالنَتف طَوراً وَبالجَز

I shall be artful with a fur cloak of praise you clothe yourself

I will be gentle in a coat of praise donning

In—payment is exacted sometimes by plucking, sometimes by shearing.

By which is taken a while by plucking and then by shearing

فَيُؤخَذ مِن قَومٍ بِعَطفٍ تَودد

فَيُؤخَذ مِن قَومٍ بِعَطفٍ تَودد

وَيُؤخذ مِن قَوم إِن اِعتاضَ بِالزز

وَيُؤخذ مِن قَوم إِن اِعتاضَ بِالزز

So from some it is taken through kindly coaxing,

So it's taken from some people by kindness wooing

And from some, if an exchange is made, it is taken by force.

And it's taken from some people if opposed by invading

وَلَم يَبقَ مَن يَعتاض غَيرك فاقض لي

وَلَم يَبقَ مَن يَعتاض غَيرك فاقض لي

عَلَيكَ فَقَد أَخلَقت وَجهيَ بِالجَمز

عَلَيكَ فَقَد أَخلَقت وَجهيَ بِالجَمز

And none remains to make the exchange but you, so pay me

None is left to oppose but you, so fulfill for me

What you owe; for I have worn out my face with running about.

For you, as you have reddened my face with resistance