فحينَ خاضَ الناسُ في ذِكر ما

عندَ أبي الخَيرِ من الخَيرِ

When people spoke of the good deeds

Of my father, who was so kind,

سِرتُ وسارَت بي عَصاً أعلمَت

أن العصا عِندي بلا سَيرِ

I walked away silently, with my staff letting me know

That to me, my staff was useless.

حتى لحِقتُ القومَ مستَشعِراً

مثل الذي استَشعَرهُ غَيري

Until I caught up with the group, feeling

Like someone else had lit my fire.

وقد تفاءلتُ بذكر اسمِهِ

فامتاز بالنفع عن الضيرِ

And I took comfort in speaking his name,

As the benefits stood apart from the harm.

وصحَّ زجرُ الفأل لما جَرى

من عن يَميني سانحُ الطيرِ

And the omen proved true, when there flew

From my right, a bird in flight.