أَمُرتَجَعٌ مِنّي حِباءُ خَلائِفٍ

أَمُرتَجَعٌ مِنّي حِباءُ خَلائِفٍ

تَوَلَّيتُ تَسيِيرَ المَديحِ لَهُم وَحدي

تَوَلَّيتُ تَسيِيرَ المَديحِ لَهُم وَحدي

Is the bounty of caliphs to be reclaimed from me,

A return of love from me for the successors I have turned away,

whose praise I alone undertook to spread?

No longer singing praises for them alone.

وَلَم يُشتَهَر إِلّا الَّذي قُلتُ فيهِمِ

وَلَم يُشتَهَر إِلّا الَّذي قُلتُ فيهِمِ

وَإِن رَفَدوا يَوماً وَزادوا عَلى الرِفدِ

وَإِن رَفَدوا يَوماً وَزادوا عَلى الرِفدِ

And nothing became renowned except what I said of them,

None became famed but those of whom I sang,

even if they once gave gifts and added to their bounty.

And though they provided, and gave beyond provision,

فَإِن أُخِذَ الإيغارُ أَخذَ صَريمَةٍ

فَإِن أُخِذَ الإيغارُ أَخذَ صَريمَةٍ

وَدارَت عَلى الإِقطاعِ دائِرَةُ الرَدِّ

وَدارَت عَلى الإِقطاعِ دائِرَةُ الرَدِّ

So if the tax concession is decisively withdrawn,

In receiving the heavy tribute was taken a share,

and the calamity of revocation befalls the land grant,

And around redistribution turned the wheel,

وَلَم يُغنِ تَوكيدُ السِجِلّاتِ وَالَّذي

وَلَم يُغنِ تَوكيدُ السِجِلّاتِ وَالَّذي

تَناصَرَ فيها مِن ضَمانٍ وَمِن عَقدِ

تَناصَرَ فيها مِن ضَمانٍ وَمِن عَقدِ

and the charters’ ratification is of no avail, nor are

Of no avail were title-deeds made firm, and what

the mutually supporting guarantees and covenants within them,

Was pledged therein of security and contract.

فَرُدّوا القَوافي السائِراتِ الَّتي خَلَت

فَرُدّوا القَوافي السائِراتِ الَّتي خَلَت

وَما كَسَبَتكُم مِن ثَناءٍ وَمِن مَجدِ

وَما كَسَبَتكُم مِن ثَناءٍ وَمِن مَجدِ

then give back the far-traveling rhymes that have gone before,

Give back the rhymes gone by, which gained you

and what they earned you in praise and glory,

No praise, no glory for their making.

وَشَرخَ شَبابٍ قَد نَضَوتُ جَديدَهُ

وَشَرخَ شَبابٍ قَد نَضَوتُ جَديدَهُ

لَدَيكُم كَما يَنضو الفَتى سَمَلَ البُردِ

لَدَيكُم كَما يَنضو الفَتى سَمَلَ البُردِ

and the prime of youth, whose freshness I have shed

A youth now ripened have I, whose freshness

among you, as a young man sheds a threadbare cloak.

Was tendered you, tender as the youth sheds his coat.

وَما أَنا وَالتَقسيطُ إِذ تَكتُبونَني

وَما أَنا وَالتَقسيطُ إِذ تَكتُبونَني

وَيُكتَبُ قَبلي جِلَّةُ القَومِ أَو بَعدي

وَيُكتَبُ قَبلي جِلَّةُ القَومِ أَو بَعدي

And what have I to do with apportioned levies, when you list me,

I am not for shares as you enrol me,

and the people’s grandees are listed before me or after me?

My peers before me ranked or after.

سَبيلِيَ أَن أُعطى الَّذي تَسأَلونَني

سَبيلِيَ أَن أُعطى الَّذي تَسأَلونَني

وَحَقِّيَ أَن يُجدي عَلَيَّ وَلا أُجدي

وَحَقِّيَ أَن يُجدي عَلَيَّ وَلا أُجدي

My lot is to be given what you ask of me,

My way is I be given what you ask of me,

and my right is to receive bounty, not to bestow it.

My right that I give naught, nor you give aught.

تَبِعتُ رِجالاً أَطلُبُ المالَ عِندَهُم

تَبِعتُ رِجالاً أَطلُبُ المالَ عِندَهُم

فَكَيفَ يَكونُ المالُ مُطَّلَباً عِندي

فَكَيفَ يَكونُ المالُ مُطَّلَباً عِندي

I followed men, seeking wealth from them;

I followed men, from whom I sought money,

so how can wealth be sought from me?

How then shall money be what I seek?