قَصَدتُ بِمَدحي جاهِداً نَحوَ خالِدٍ

قَصَدتُ بِمَدحي جاهِداً نَحوَ خالِدٍ

أُؤَمَّلُ مِن جَدواهُ فوقَ مُنائي

أُؤَمَّلُ مِن جَدواهُ فوقَ مُنائي

I earnestly sought out Khalid with my praise,

I aimed my praise at Khalid, striving towards him,

Hoping his bounty would exceed my wishes.

Hoping for generosity from his open hand.

فَلَم يُعطِني مِن مالِهِ غَيرَ دِرهَمٍ

فَلَم يُعطِني مِن مالِهِ غَيرَ دِرهَمٍ

تَكَلَّفَهُ بَعدَ اِنقِطاعِ رَجائي

تَكَلَّفَهُ بَعدَ اِنقِطاعِ رَجائي

But he gave me nothing of his wealth except a dirham,

But he gave me nothing of his wealth except one coin -

Which he forced himself to give after my hope had died,

A pittance, after my hopes in him had been cut off.

كَما اِقتَلَعَ الحَجّامُ ضِرساً صَحيحَةً

كَما اِقتَلَعَ الحَجّامُ ضِرساً صَحيحَةً

إِذا اِستُخرِجَت مِن شِدَّةٍ بِبُكاءِ

إِذا اِستُخرِجَت مِن شِدَّةٍ بِبُكاءِ

As the cupper pulled out a healthy molar,

It was like a barber extracting a healthy tooth

When it was extracted, with tears from the pain.

By force, amidst loud wailing and crying.