1. خادم ذيل المجلس العادلي

    وغرس عصر الصالح الكافل

    A servant at the hem of al-Adil's court,

    and a sapling of the age of al-Salih, the guardian,

  2. يقبل الأرض وينهي إلى

    مالك رق الحق والباطل

    kisses the earth and submits to

    him who holds truth and falsehood in bondage,

  3. وواحد العصر الذي فعله

    حلية هذا الزمن العاطل

    and the peerless man of the age, whose deed

    is the ornament of this unadorned time,

  4. ومطلع الشمس على دسته

    من بعد ذاك القمر الآفل

    and the sun's rising upon his throne,

    after that moon had set,

  5. قضية قد كنت عن ذكرها

    بغيرها في شغل شاغل

    a matter from whose mention I had been diverted,

    wholly engrossed in other things.

  6. وذاك أني لم أزل قانع النف

    س بما أوليت من نائل

    And that was because I had always been content

    in spirit with the bounty you bestowed,

  7. مستغنياً بالفيض من وبلكم

    عن كل ذي طل وذي وابل

    made self-sufficient by the flood of your downpour,

    needing no other giver of dew or pouring rain;

  8. مشرف القصد بأبوابكم

    مكرماً عن ذلة السائل

    honored in my purpose at your gates,

    kept above the humiliation of a petitioner.

  9. إذا جاءني من قال قد زادك

    العادل فاشكر منه العادل

    Then someone came and said, 'You have been granted more

    by al-Adil—so thank the just man for it.'

  10. فقمت في الناس خطيباً له

    محتفلاً في المجمع الحافل

    So I rose among the people to speak for him,

    celebrating in the crowded assembly,

  11. أستوهب الله لأيامه

    سعادة العاجل والآجل

    asking God to grant his days

    happiness now and in the hereafter,

  12. فإنه خفف عن كاهلي

    أثقال هم أتعبت كاهلي

    for he had lightened the load on my shoulders:

    burdens of worry that had worn my shoulders down.

  13. وما درى الخادم حتى أتى

    من قال لم تحصل على طائل

    And the servant did not know until there came

    someone who said, 'You have gained nothing worthwhile.

  14. إن كان لاحظ لذي فاقة

    في حاصل ليس من الحاصل

    If he has taken thought for someone in need,

    in revenue that has not actually been collected,

  15. فانتظر التوفير في راتب

    بقية العام أو الداخل

    then await the increase in the stipend

    for the rest of the year, or the coming one.'

  16. قلت ومن يضمن لي مهجتي

    بأنها تبقى إلى قابل

    I said, 'And who can guarantee me my life—

    that it will last until next year?'

  17. فعندها أطرقت من خجلة

    تخجل خد الأمل الناصل

    At that I lowered my head in shame,

    a shame that makes hope's faded cheek blush.

  18. وعاد في الرأس عطاس الرجا

    يسحب ذيل الطالع النازل

    And hope's sneeze returned in my head,

    dragging the hem of the rising star now descending.

  19. وعشرات أخلاف در المنى

    بعد امتلاء الضرة الحافل

    And tens of teats of hopes' milk [wording unclear],

    after the milk-filled udder had swollen.

  20. وأدخل البازل في حلمه

    فارتفعت شقشقة البازل

    And the mature camel's forbearance was impaired,

    so the mature camel's throat-pouch rose.

  21. واهاً لها من فرحة أصبحت

    مثل خداج الناقة الحامل

    Alas for that joy, which became

    like a pregnant she-camel's miscarriage!

  22. وكان من أصعب ما مر بي

    شماتة الحاسد والجاهل

    And among the hardest things I endured was

    the gloating of the envious and the ignorant,

  23. وصاحب قصته قصتي

    وغنما ناصره خاذلي

    and a companion whose story was the same as mine,

    and indeed his supporter was the man who forsook me.

  24. لما انقضت حاجته لامني

    يا رحمة المعذول والعاذل

    When his need had been met, he reproached me—

    O mercy for the reproached and the reproacher!

  25. ما قصد النصح ولكنه

    تولع الفارس بالراجل

    He intended no counsel; rather, it was

    the horseman's tormenting of the man on foot.

  26. قلت وقد أعرضت عن عرضه

    إذ ليس للذم بمستاهل

    I said, leaving his honor untouched,

    since he did not deserve censure:

  27. لولا الدنانير التي لم تزل

    تشد أزر المائد المائل

    'Were it not for the dinars that have never ceased

    to brace the swaying, leaning man's back,

  28. كنت إذاً أطيش من ريشة

    يقذفها الموج إلى الساحل

    I would then be more unsteady than a feather

    that the waves fling toward the shore.'

  29. ستة آلاف كما قيل لي

    وعهدة الصدق على القائل

    Six thousand, as I was told,

    and the teller bears responsibility for the truth.

  30. دعابة كلفني ذكرها

    على جنون الأدب العاقل

    A jest he charged me to recount,

    in the madness of sober letters;

  31. أسقيه منها غير مستحقب

    إثماً من الله ولا واغل

    I offer him a draught of it, without taking on

    sin before God or being an uninvited drinker.