رَدَدتُ عَلى موسى بن هارون بِرَّهُ

وكنتُ عَلى الأَحرارِ مُذ كنتُ مُحتاطا

I responded to Musa ibn Harun with all goodness

And I was generous to the free people since I was very cautious

وقدَّمتُ حُسنَ الظَنِّ ثمَّ جَلدتُه

على ما افتَرى عِندي مِن القَولِ أَسواطا

I gave him the benefit of the doubt, then I whipped him

For the lies he told about me with many lashes

نعودُ إلى مُوسى فإنَّ حَديثَه

عَجيبٌ وإن طاشَ الحَليمُ وإن شاطا

Let's return to Musa, for his words

Are strange, even if the forbearing one raged and lashed out

يقصِّرُ عمَّا يأكلُ اليومَ حالُه

ويبذلُ بالقَولِ الرَّغائِبَ إفراطا

He falls short of what his situation today eats

And is excessive in offering tempting words

وقَد بلغَ العافينَ ذاكَ فَأَصبَحوا

عَلى بابِه من سائِر النَّاسِ أَخلاطا

That reached the healthy ones, so they came

To his door from all kinds of people, mixed crowds

وما بالُه لا يُتبعُ القولَ فعلَه

إِذا كانَ ديناراهُ عِشرينَ قِيراطا

Why doesn't he match his words with his actions

When his dinars are only twenty carats