لِسانُكَ أَحلى مِن جَنى النَحلُ مَوعِداً

وَكَفُّكَ بِالمَعروفِ أَضيَقُ مِن قُفلِ

Your tongue, when promising, is sweeter than the honeybee’s yield,

Yet your hand, in acts of kindness, is tighter than a lock.

تُمَنّي الَّذي يَأتيكَ حَتّى إِذا اِنتَهى

إِلى أَجَلٍ ناوَلتَهُ طَرَفَ الحَبلِ

You fill whoever comes to you with hope, until, when he has come

To the appointed time, you hand him the end of the rope.