قيلَ فْلانٌ قد جفى إلفّهُ

قيلَ فْلانٌ قد جفى إلفّهُ

واسَتبْدلَ الوحشةَ مِن أُنسهِ

واسَتبْدلَ الوحشةَ مِن أُنسهِ

It was said: So-and-so has shunned his intimate friend,

It was said: so-and-so has shunned his companion,

trading his old familiarity for estrangement.

and exchanged his familiar company for loneliness.

فَقلتُ للاحيْ عليهِ الغنى

فَقلتُ للاحيْ عليهِ الغنى

يَعرِفُه الباحثُ عن جنْسهِ

يَعرِفُه الباحثُ عن جنْسهِ

I said to the one who blamed him: It is wealth—

So I said to the one reproaching him: wealth

anyone who investigates its kind will recognize it.

is known to the one who seeks its kind.

لا تَبرحوا إثري على فاقةٍ

لا تَبرحوا إثري على فاقةٍ

فالبخلُ مَوقوفٌ على نَفْسهِ

فالبخلُ مَوقوفٌ على نَفْسهِ

Do not stop following in my wake despite my poverty;

Do not leave my trail in poverty,

for miserliness is bound to wealth itself.

for miserliness is confined to his own self.

ولا تُرجي الودَّ ممّن ترى

ولا تُرجي الودَّ ممّن ترى

أَنك مُحتاجٌ إلى فَلسهِ

أَنك مُحتاجٌ إلى فَلسهِ

And never hope for affection from anyone when you find

And do not hope for affection from someone when you see

that you need so much as a single fals from him.

that you need his penny.