جاءني يَحْلِفُ أي أنّ

ي مُحِبٌّ وشَفيقُ

He came swearing that he is

A loving and kind friend

يُظهِر البِرَّ وفي البا

طِن خُبْثٌ وعُقوقُ

He shows righteousness, yet in his

Heart there is wickedness and disloyalty

مِثلما يَخْدَعُكَ الضَّحْ

ضاحُ والبحرُ عميقُ

Just as the bright midday sun and the sea deceive you

With their depth

كلُّه مَحْلٌ وإنْ غرَّ

تْ رُعودٌ وبُروقُ

It is all a farce, even if

Lightning flashes and thunder rumbles

ثَمرٌ مرٌّ لجانِيه

ِ وأوراق تَروقُ

A bitter fruit for its picker

And leaves that delight

وعجيبٌ أنْ زكا الفر

عُ ولم تَزْكُ العُروقُ

Strange that the branch thrived

Yet the roots did not thrive

دِينُه دِينٌ رقيقُ

وله وجهٌ صَفيقُ

His religion is tender

And he has a gentle face

وله لا حاطه الل

هُ إلى كلٍّ طريقُ

Yet no one but God knows

Every path to him

هو بالفِعل عَدوٌّ

وهو بالقَولِ صَديقُ

In action he is an enemy

In words he is a friend

هو في القُربِ رحيقٌ

وهو في البُعدِ حريقُ

In closeness he is honey

In distance he is fire

هو قُدّامي مَنْجُو

ق وَخَلْفي مَنْجَنيقُ

Before me he is a decorated horse

Behind me he is a catapult

وإنِ اسْتُنطِقَ بَقٌّ

وإنِ اسْتُكتِمَ بُوقُ

If he speaks honey flows

If he is silent, bubbles emerge

خَلَقُ الأخلاقِ بالهِج

رانِ والتَّرْكِ خَليقُ

The most well-mannered in mixing

And abandoning manners

ففؤادي منه في تيّ

ار أفكاري غَريقُ

So my heart is lost

In a maelstrom of thoughts about him

إنْ أُجانِبْه يَقُلْ كا

نتْ وضاعَتْ لي حُقوقُ

If I shun him, he says our bond

And rights have been broken

أو أُصاحِبْه فما يُل

فى له عَقدٌ وثيقُ

Or if I accompany him, no pact or

Close tie satisfies him

وله منّي إنْ أَعْرَضْ

تُ عنه الخَنْفَقيقُ

And he has from me, if I turn

Away from him, relentless pursuit

عنديَ النارُ له في

ها زَفيرٌ وشهيقُ

For me he is blazing fire

With sighing and moaning

غير أنّ المَكر والغَدْ

ر بمثلي لا يَليقُ

But cunning and betrayal do not

Befit the likes of me

عَلَّهُ من لَمّة الجَهْ

ل بتَوفيقٍ يُفيقُ

Perhaps from an ignorant mind

He will awake with guidance