وكم من أميرٍ قد تجبر بعدما

وكم من أميرٍ قد تجبر بعدما

مريت له الدنيا بسيفي فدرّت

مريت له الدنيا بسيفي فدرّت

And many an emir has grown overbearing after

And how many a prince who grew haughty after

I milked the world for him with my sword, and it yielded milk.

I made the world pass by him with my sword and it bowed down

إذا ما هي احلولت نفي حق مقسمي

إذا ما هي احلولت نفي حق مقسمي

ويقسم لي منها إذا ما أمرّت

ويقسم لي منها إذا ما أمرّت

When it turns sweet, he denies my right to a share,

When the vicissitudes of time denied my sworn right

and he allots me some of it when it turns bitter.

And I swore by them when they commanded

إذا زبَنَته عن فواقٍ يريده

إذا زبَنَته عن فواقٍ يريده

دعيت ولا أدعى إذا ما أقرّت

دعيت ولا أدعى إذا ما أقرّت

When it kicks him away from a fresh yield of milk he seeks,

When its ups cast him down from heights he aspired to

I am summoned—but I am not summoned when it stands still.

I was called but did not call when they settled down