وَفَعَلتَ بي فِعلَ المُهَلَّبِ إِذ

غَمَرَ الفَرَزدَقَ بِالنَدى الدَثِرِ

You have dealt with me as al-Muhallab did

when he overwhelmed al-Farazdaq with lavish bounty.

فَبَعَثتَ بِالأَموالِ تُرغِبُني

كَلّا وَرَبِّ الشَفعِ وَالوَترِ

And so you sent riches, hoping to win me over—

Never! By the Lord of the Even and the Odd,

لا أَلبِسُ النَعماءَ مِن رَجُلٍ

أَلبَستُهُ عاراً عَلى الدَهرِ

I will not wear the bounty of a man

whom I have clothed in shame for all time.