أَسُومُ الْجِبابَ فَلا خَزَّها

أَسُومُ الْجِبابَ فَلا خَزَّها

أُطِيقُ ابْتِياعاً وَلا صُوفَها

أُطِيقُ ابْتِياعاً وَلا صُوفَها

I bid on robes, yet as for their silk,

I bargain for robes, but neither their silk

I can afford to purchase neither it nor their wool.

can I afford to buy, nor their wool.

وَكَيْفَ السَّبِيلُ إِلى جُبَّةٍ

وَكَيْفَ السَّبِيلُ إِلى جُبَّةٍ

لِمَنْ لَيْسَ يَمْلِكُ تَصْحِيفَها

لِمَنْ لَيْسَ يَمْلِكُ تَصْحِيفَها

And how could there be a way to a robe

And how can a robe be within reach

for one who owns not even its misspelled form—a single grain?

for one who owns not even its dot-altered form—a grain?

فإن أَمْكَنَتْ بِأَيادِي الْمَكِينِ

فإن أَمْكَنَتْ بِأَيادِي الْمَكِينِ

فَما زِلْتُ أَعْرِفُ مَعْرُوفَها

فَما زِلْتُ أَعْرِفُ مَعْرُوفَها

Yet if it should come through the hands of one able to grant it,

So if it can be had through al-Makīn’s favors,

I have never failed to acknowledge such kindness.

I have never ceased to recognize their kindness.

وَكَمْ بَرَزَ الرَّوْضُ فِي حُلَّةٍ

وَكَمْ بَرَزَ الرَّوْضُ فِي حُلَّةٍ

تَوَلَّتْ يَدُ الْغَيْثِ تَفْوِيفَها

تَوَلَّتْ يَدُ الْغَيْثِ تَفْوِيفَها

And how often the meadow has stepped forth in a robe

And how often has the meadow appeared in a splendid robe

whose patterning the hand of rain undertook.

whose striped adornment the hand of rain has fashioned.