ما يَنبَغي لكَ أن تُجري أخاكَ عَلى

مَجرى التجارِ بِما قالوا وما وَصَفوا

It does not behove you to treat your brother

As the merchants treat one another in what they say and describe

ما كانَ يَبقَى عَلى الإِملاقِ وهوَ يَرى

أموالَهم بينَهم تَسعَى وتَختلِفُ

What would remain of gentleness while he sees

Their wealth moving between them, coming and going

لَو لَم يَكُن يَقتَضيها من مَؤونَتِه

إلا لتَحملَ بَينَ الناس والشّغفُ

Were it not that procuring it from his assets

Would spare him having to carry and passion between people

بكلِّ أغيَدَ إن خُطَّت بِوَجنَتِه

لامٌ تعقَّبها من قدِّه ألِفُ

With every wrap that tears his cheeks

Blame pursues the length of his stature

حتَّى إِذا حَصلَ الحَرفان لا يَئِسَت

منه النُّفوسُ إِلى أَن يَحصُلَ اللطَفُ

Until the two conditions come about, souls do not despair

Of him until favor occurs

فأحسبُ القَوم لم يَأتوا زكاتَهم

فَما أخَذتُهُم إِلا بِما اقتَرفوا

So I reckon the people did not pay their alms tax

Thus I took them for what they had committed

فهَل تَراني عَيِيّاً عَن جَوابهمُ

دَعني أردُّ عَليهم كلَّما هَتَفوا

Do you see me too weary to answer them?

Let me return upon them each time they cry out

وأنتَ تَعرفُ إِنفاقي ومُكتَسَبي

وإنَّما مثلُ ذا من مثل ذا سرفُ

And you know my expenditure and what I earn

The likes of this is but from the likes of excess

ولستُ أملكُ إِلا ما وَقَعتَ به

أرددهُ أنتَ إذا أفلستَ تَعتَكِفُ

I have no control except over what befalls you

Return it when destitute, secluding yourself