بَكى سائِبٌ لَمّا رَأى رَملَ عالِجٍ

أَتى دونَهُ وَالهَضبُ هَضبُ مُتالِعِ

A weeping Saib cried when he saw the sand dunes of Alej,

He came to them while the depression was a depression of elevated ground.

بَكى أَنَّهُ سَهوُ الدُموعِ كَما بَكى

عَشِيَّةَ جاوَزنا نِجادَ البَدائِعِ

He cried as much as the oblivion of tears cried

when we crossed the excellent, original compositions.

أَوَدُّ لَكُم خَيراً وَتَطَّرِحونَني

أَكَعبَ بنَ عَمرٍو لِاِختِلافِ الصَنائِعِ

I wish you good while you spurn me,

Like Kaab the son of Amr due to the difference in occupations.

وَكَيفَ لَكُم صَدري سَليمٌ وَأَنتُمُ

عَلى حَسَكِ الشَحناءِ حَنوُ الأَضالِعِ

And how can you have a sound, calm chest while you

are rough mannered, curved-ribbed.

أُحاذِرُ أَن تَلقوا رَدىً وَمَطِيَّكُم

خَواضِعُ تَبغيني حِمامَ المَصارِعِ

I am cautious that you meet rejection and your riding beast

is submissive, trying to trick me into the wrestling arena.

عَلى كُلِّ حالٍ قَد بَلَوتُم خَليقَتي

عَلى الفَقرِ مِنّي وَالغِنى المُتَتابِعِ

In any case, you have tested my nature

in poverty from me and successive wealth.

غَنيتُ فَلَم أَردُدكُمُ عِندَ بُغيَةٍ

وَجُعتُ فَلَم أَكدُدكُمُ بِالأَصابِعِ

I was wealthy and did not repel you when requesting,

and I became sick and did not pinch you with my fingers.

إِذا قَلَّ مالي زادَ عِرضي كَرامَةً

عَلَيَّ وَلَم أَتبَع دَقيقَ المَطامِعِ

When my money decreases my honor increases

and I do not chase after minute interests.

وَإِنّي لَمُستَأنٍ وَمُنتَظِرٌ بِكُم

عَلى هَفَواتٍ فيكُمُ وَتَتايُعِ

And I am forebearing and waiting for you

despite lapses from you and succession.

وَبَعضُ المَوالي تُتَّقى دَرَءاتُهُ

كَما تُتَّقى روسُ الأَفاعي الأَضالِعِ

And some loyalties should be avoided to ward off

them like the necks of crawling, winding snakes should be avoided.

وَمُحتَرِشٍ ضَبَّ العَداوَةِ مِنهُمُ

بِحُلوِ الخَلا حَرشَ الضِبابِ الخَوادِعِ

He who harbored enmity from them obstructed

smooth friendship like fog obstructs elevated places.