1. هاكمُ من أخِى ودادٍ سلاماً

    ما هَمَي وابلٌ وهبت نُعامى

    Receive a greeting from a brother in affection,

    as long as downpours fall and the south wind blows.

  2. وثنائي كأنه العنبرُ الوردُ

    أريجاً يُزْرى بنشر الخُزَامَى

    And my praise, like rose-hued ambergris,

    in fragrance puts lavender's scent to shame.

  3. وتحياتِ مخلصٍ زانها ودْ

    دٌ قديمٌ ما حنَّ صبٌّ وهَامَا

    And a sincere friend's greetings, adorned with love

    of old, as long as a lover yearns and wanders lovestruck;

  4. بمعانٍ كأنها اللؤلؤُ الر

    رَطب تفوقُ السمطَ الثمينَ نِظامَا

    with meanings like pearls,

    fresh, surpassing a precious necklace in their arrangement;

  5. بسطورٍ كأنهن ثغورُ

    الخرّدِ البيضِ إن بَدَيْن ابتسامَا

    in lines resembling the mouths

    of fair, shy maidens when they appear smiling;

  6. ومودات مُشفْق صاغَها قلبٌ

    شفيق يَهْوَى اللقا ويَهْوَى السَّلاما

    and a caring friend's affections, fashioned by a heart

    tender, loving reunion and loving greetings.

  7. قد خصَصْنَا بها الذين جَداهُم

    زادَ عن ظنّنا وفاقَ الغَمَامَا

    We have reserved these for those whose bounty

    exceeded our expectations and surpassed the rain clouds.

  8. همْ ملاذ العافِى وكهفُ المصافِى

    وسمامُ العِدى وغوثُ اليتامَى

    They are the supplicant's refuge and the loyal friend's shelter,

    poison to enemies and succor to orphans.

  9. والذي هُمْ دونَ الأنامِ يبيتون

    لذِى العرشِ سجداً وقيامَا

    And they, unlike other mortals, spend the night

    before the Lord of the Throne, prostrate and standing.

  10. وإذا خُوطبوا بجهلٍ يصونُوا

    عنه أعراضَهم وقالوا سلامَا

    And when addressed with insolence, they safeguard

    their honor from it and say, “Peace.”

  11. وإذا ما مرُّوا بلغوِ لئامٍ

    كذَّبوا قولَهم ومرّوا كِرامَا

    And whenever they pass the idle talk of base people,

    they call their words false and pass with dignity.

  12. وكذاكَ الأجدادُ من قبل كانوا

    في علاهم أوفى الأنام ذِمَامَا

    And likewise, their forefathers were, in earlier times,

    in their eminence, the most faithful of mortals to their pledges.

  13. طالَ ما قد طلبتموه ببيعٍ

    أو خيارٍ فقد عقدنا الكَلاَمَا

    Long have you sought it by purchase

    or with an option; so we have pledged our word.

  14. وقفنا عَنْ بيعه كلّنا والي

    وم عُدْنا لبيعهِ يا نَدَامَى

    We all held back from selling it, and

    today we return to selling it, O boon companions.

  15. أن تكونوا في همةٍ لشراه

    فهلموا وأظهروا لي المَرَامَا

    If you are intent on buying it,

    then come forward and make your aim clear to me.

  16. أو تكونَ النفوسُ طيبةً منه

    علامَ الكونُ هذا علامَا

    Or if your hearts are content to do without it,

    why this state of affairs—why?

  17. قد لَعمرى إن يكتبت لكم هذا

    بياناً لكم أخافُ المَلاَمَا

    By my life, I have indeed written this to you

    as an explanation for you; I fear reproach

  18. وجفاءً مِني لبيعِي سِواكُم

    خيفةً أن يثيرَ وردى زُكاما

    and unkindness on my part in selling to others than you,

    for fear that my roses might bring on a cold.

  19. قيلَ لي بعْ على أناسٍ سواهم

    قُلْتُ ماذا أقولُ قالوا تَعامَى

    I was told, “Sell to people other than them.”

    I said, “What shall I say?” They said, “Feign blindness.”

  20. قلت كّلا إن التعامى خداعٌ

    وخداعى لهمْ يصير حراماً

    I said, “No! Feigned blindness is deceit,

    and my deceiving them would be forbidden.”

  21. لست أَنسى جميلكم لو بعدتمْ

    عن قرارى مسيرَ ألفينِ عامَا

    I would not forget your kindness, even if you went far

    from my dwelling—a journey of two thousand years.

  22. إن مائي من بَعد بُعْدكم صا

    ر أجاجاً وصار تبرى رَغَامَا

    Indeed, after your departure, my water became

    bitter and briny, and my gold became dust.

  23. ها أنا ذَا والمالُ طوعُ يدبكم

    فانظرُوا حالتي كفهتم أثَامَا

    Here I am, and the property is at your hands' command;

    so consider my plight—may you be spared sin.