يا حاكياً فضلَ الخلي

لِ وناشراً عِلْمَ المُبَرِّدْ

O you who recount the virtues of the sincere friend

And spread the knowledge of Al-Mubarrad

وتجمعتْ فيه الفضا

ئلُ كلُّها وبها تفرَّدْ

In whom all the virtues gathered

And with them he was singular

أَهديتَ لي شعراً هُدي

تُ بنجمه لمّا توقّدْ

You gifted me with poetry whose star

Illuminated when it sparked

نظم كدُرِّ الثغرِ أو

زَرَدِ العِذار أتى مُزَرَّدْ

Its rhymes were like the confusion of lips

Or the glittering of bracelets interlaced

يُنبي عن الوجدِ الشدي

دِ لديكَ والصّبرِ المُشَرَّدْ

It warned of intense passion for you

And unbridled patience

أقبلْ ولا تَحْرَدْ ومُ

رُّ القولِ منه المرءُ يَحْرَدْ

Come without resistance, for

Words flow gently from the resistant

أترومُ بالشّعر المُنَى

هلاَ وكان الشَّعْرُ أسودُ

Do I hope for wishes with poetry

While poetry is but blackness

الشعرُ لا تُصغي له

خَودٌ ولا يَنقادُ أَمْرَدْ

Poetry does not heed a rosy cheek

Nor can it tame the recalcitrant

إسْمَعْ هُدِيتَ نَصيحتي

فالنُّصحُ لي بالصّدقِ يَشْهَدُ

Listen to my sincere advice

For I swear to you in truth

عُدْ وارضَ عن أَهلِ الربا

طِ وأرضهمْ فالعَوْدُ أَحمدْ

Return and be pleased with the people of the highland

And their land, for returning is best

لاطِفْهمُ فالمرءُ يب

لغُ بالتلطُّفِ كلَّ مَقْصدْ

Be gentle with them, for one

Attains all goals by being gentle

إن كلّفوكَ غرامةً

فابْتَعْ لشيخ القومِ مِقوَدْ

If they fine you

Buy the chief a staff

واطلبْ جوارَ بريكةٍ

فالدَّارُ بالجيرانِ تحمدْ

And seek the neighborhood of Barikah

For a house is praised for its neighbors

ولجِ الغُريفةَ وارْقَ في

ها حَسْبَ ما تختارُ واصعدْ

Enter Ghurayfah and climb it

As you wish, then ascend

قد أُكرِيَتْ فاقعُدْ إلى

وقتِ الفراغِ لها بمرصَدْ

You have been hired so sit

At leisure time on its watch