ولو رُمت بي شيئاً وفي النجم مسكني

ولو رُمت بي شيئاً وفي النجم مسكني

وعيشك لم يدفع مرادَك دافع

وعيشك لم يدفع مرادَك دافع

Even if you aimed something at me while my dwelling was among the stars,

Even if you intended something against me, though my dwelling were among the stars,

by your life, no defender could thwart your aim.

By your life, no one could thwart your intent.

وأنّك كالليل الذي هو مدركي

وأنّك كالليل الذي هو مدركي

وإن خلت إن المنتأى عنك واسع

وإن خلت إن المنتأى عنك واسع

For you are like the night that is sure to overtake me,

And you are like the night that overtakes me,

though I imagined the farthest refuge from you was broad.

Even if I thought the place of escape from you was vast.

فوا عجبا كيف اتهمت مصدقاً

فوا عجبا كيف اتهمت مصدقاً

وصدقتَ من ضاعت لديه الودائع

وصدقتَ من ضاعت لديه الودائع

Oh, what a wonder! How could you suspect one who spoke truly,

So, what a wonder! How could you accuse a trusted man,

and believe one in whose keeping trusts were lost?

And believe one in whose keeping entrusted goods were lost?

وحملتني ذنبَ أمري وتركته

وحملتني ذنبَ أمري وتركته

كذي العُر يكوى غيره وهو راتع

كذي العُر يكوى غيره وهو راتع

You burdened me with the blame for my affair, yet left him be—

And you burdened me with the guilt of my affair, yet left him alone,

like one afflicted with mange: another is cauterized while he grazes.

Like a mangy beast: another is cauterized while it grazes at ease.

سمعت حسوداً بالنمائم قد وشى

سمعت حسوداً بالنمائم قد وشى

ارتفع ذا خفضٍ ويخفض رافع

ارتفع ذا خفضٍ ويخفض رافع

You listened to an envier who had spread slanderous tales;

You listened to an envious man who had spread slanderous gossip.

one of low station rose, while one high-standing is brought low.

One of low station rose, and one who exalts is brought low.

وقد قيل في البطحا أحمد ساَحرٌ

وقد قيل في البطحا أحمد ساَحرٌ

وشاعتْ بغير الحق عنه الشوائع

وشاعتْ بغير الحق عنه الشوائع

It was said in al-Baṭḥāʾ, “Aḥmad is a sorcerer,”

And in al-Batha it was said, 'Ahmad is a sorcerer.'

and calumnies about him spread without right.

And false rumors about him spread.

وتَسمع قول الزيلعي وزُوْرُه

وتَسمع قول الزيلعي وزُوْرُه

علينا وما قد كنتَ للزور سَامِعُ

علينا وما قد كنتَ للزور سَامِعُ

And you listen to al-Zaylaʿī’s words and his falsehood

And you listen to al-Zayla‘i's words and his falsehood

against us—though never before were you one to heed falsehood.

Against us, though you had not been one to heed falsehood.

وقد بيع قبل اليوم بالبخس يوسف

وقد بيع قبل اليوم بالبخس يوسف

وأي فتىً ادناه للرخص بائع

وأي فتىً ادناه للرخص بائع

Before today, Joseph was sold for a paltry price;

And Yusuf was sold before this day for a paltry price,

and what youth has a seller ever abased by pricing him cheaply?

And what a youth a seller brought down to so low a price!