لَحَا اللهُ التَّجَارَةَ كَلَّفَتنَا

بإِدمَانِ المَسِيرِ إِلى نَجِيرِ

Trade has burdened us

With constant travel to Najir

وإظهَارِ الودَادِ لَهُ عَلَى مَا

أجَىَّ مِنَ الخَبَائِثِ في الضَّمِيرِ

And showing affection to him though

He harbors evil in his conscience

نُوَافِيهِ فَليَقَانَا بِوَجهٍ

عَبُوسٍ مُشمَئِزٍّ قَمطَرِيرِ

When we meet him, he greets us with a

Frowning, disgusted, bitter face

عَلَيهِ مِنَ المَذَلَّةِ سَابِغَاتٌ

تُجَرَّرُ في المُقَامِ وفي المَسِيرِ

He is steeped in humiliation

Dragging in stance and gait

فَيُؤذِينا بِمَنظَرِهِ ابتِداءً

وَيُؤذِينا بِمَنطِقِهِ المَريرِ

His appearance hurts us at first

And his bitter speech wounds us too

ومَهمَا فَاهَ فَاحَ النَّتنُ حتى

كَأنَّا عِندَ حَاشِيَةِ السَّعِيرِ

And whenever he opens his mouth

It's as if we're at the edge of hell

وإن قُلنَا حَوَائِجَنَا تَصَدَّى

إِلَى سَعلاَءَ دَائِمَةِ الهَرِيرِ

If we state our needs, he turns

To endless, screeching obstinacy

تَجَلَّلَتِ المَخَازِىَ والمَسَاوي

وَجَنَّبَتِ التَّرَدِّىَ بالحَرِيرِ

Honor and dignity are shunned

And impropriety embraced in silk

فَقُبِّحَ وَوجَهُهَا مِن مُستَشَارِ

وقًُبَّحَ وَجهُهُ مِن مُستَشِيرِ

Cursed is the face of the advisor

And cursed is the face of the seeker

يُحَاوِلُ أَن تُشِيرَ لَهُ بِرَأيٍِ

يُجَنِّبُ كُلَّ مَكرُمَةٍ وخِيرِ

Who tries to suggest to him

A way to avoid all good and honor

فَتَحمِلَهُ عَلَآ رَأىٍ حَقِيرٍ

وكَم حُمِلَ النَّظِيرُ عَلَى النَّظِيرِ

And so he is led to a contemptible view

And how often has the like been led to the like