1. Grey streaked or hastened its roses
And borrowed youth from one who'll not restore it

2. Ask me not of youth after its morn is past
The meadows of youth and its cool are over

3. Though old age pretends morn and dons youthful garb
It is our new life which we still discover

4. God damn the killers of the dreamy heart
Whose guidance from love turned youth astray

5. And the sickly eyes whose flames kindled
A passion in hearts that fevered and burned them

6. On the lovely cheeks the bloom of Spring
Scattered freely its roses and perfume

7. The careless turns from love to friends
And ardour for the friend fills his soul

8. 'Tis the wrong of the white hands I love
That the estranged desires one who'll not love him

9. I have a friend I prepared for the days
When time breeds disfavor for one who'd befriend him

10. A lord of the Huseins, son of Saad
Husein built his house and Saad founded it

11. Glory lies not in him who has not first
Father and grandsire to precede and own it

12. What's lost we'll not regret but what's left of
Chances we hold, though their loss we may suffer

13. Compare not Hatim's generosity
For Hatim's slave serves in Hatim's footsteps

14. Mirth is his manner, liberality, wisdom,
Sufficiency, earnest his aims ever

15. War and peace find him alike, the sword's edge
In melody and in firmness rival him

16. Still he redeems a people whose worth
Though diminished remains a plenteous river

17. The generous vie but their zeal furthers
One who excels them in lengthened endeavor

18. Better the hopeless from urgency turn
For peace of despair than his deafness trouble

19. Whose promises hope an equal favors
Or can hope overtake his favors' measure?

20. Yet men will persist though art perish
And slowness to pay be their only treasure

21. They turned from him while the envious crept
From his sea that will aye surge and spread