«وَكُنْتُ أَسْتَعِينُ عَلَى تَقْوِيمِ أَوْدِي»[
I used to seek assistance in straightening the crookedness of my affairs.
Taqwīm[ means making straight or putting right; awd[ is crookedness. The physical image of a bent object is transferred to the difficulties of managing one's livelihood or circumstances.
The examiner's account shows why an accomplished writer might need patronage. The elaborate language is therefore linked to a practical concern, not just a display of clever sounds.
«بِسَعَةِ ذَاتِ يَدِي مَعَ قِلَّةِ عَدَدِي»
I had resources despite a small number of helpers.
Dhāt al-yad is an idiom for financial means, contrasting with later hardship.