أَتَيتُ يَحيى وَقَد كا

أَتَيتُ يَحيى وَقَد كا

نَ لي صَديقاً وَوُدّا

نَ لي صَديقاً وَوُدّا

I came to Yahya, who had

I came to Yahya, for he had been

been my friend and dear companion.

A friend and comrade kind to me,

فَقُلتُ ما بالُ هَذا ال

فَقُلتُ ما بالُ هَذا ال

فَتى اِشمَأَزَّ وَصَدّا

فَتى اِشمَأَزَّ وَصَدّا

So I said, “What is wrong with this

And said “What ails this youth that he

young man, recoiling in disgust and turning away?”

Turns from me horrified and chill?”

فَاِرتَدَّ مِنّي اِرتِدادَ ال

فَاِرتَدَّ مِنّي اِرتِدادَ ال

أَسيرِ عايَنَ قَدّا

أَسيرِ عايَنَ قَدّا

Then he recoiled from me like a

He shrank from me as captives shrink

captive who saw a leather strap.

Who sudden death before them see.

فَقالَ لي ذو مِزاحٍ

فَقالَ لي ذو مِزاحٍ

يُصَيِّرُ الهَزلَ جِدّا

يُصَيِّرُ الهَزلَ جِدّا

Then a man fond of joking said to me,

Then one who loved a jesting wit

who turns jest into earnest:

That turned even earnest matters light:

كَذا الكَريمُ إِذا ما

كَذا الكَريمُ إِذا ما

أَرادَ أَن يَتَغَدّى

أَرادَ أَن يَتَغَدّى

“Such is the generous man when

“So fares it with the nobly bred

he wishes to eat his midday meal.”

If they would cloak their poverty.”