إِن خَسَّ حَظِّيَ مِن مالٍ تَخَوَّنَهُ

إِن خَسَّ حَظِّيَ مِن مالٍ تَخَوَّنَهُ

صَرفُ الزَمانِ فَما عِرضِي بِمَخسوسِ

صَرفُ الزَمانِ فَما عِرضِي بِمَخسوسِ

If my share of wealth has dwindled, eroded

My fortune's meager share of wealth betrayed me

By time’s vicissitudes, my honor is not diminished.

As time's vicissitudes made my means decrease

أَو تُغفِلوني فَأَيّامي تُذَكِّرُكُم

أَو تُغفِلوني فَأَيّامي تُذَكِّرُكُم

أَو تَحبِسوني فَما شِعري بِمَحبوسِ

أَو تَحبِسوني فَما شِعري بِمَحبوسِ

Or if you disregard me, my days will remind you;

You ignore me, yet my days remind you still

Or if you imprison me, my poetry is not imprisoned.

Or jail me, but my verse is never bound