لا أُحبُّ الجليسَ فَظّاً غليظاً

جافيَ الطبع سَيّءَ الخُلْق نَكْدَا

I do not love a companion who is rude and harsh,

Whose nature is dry, whose manners are bad and gloomy.

بَلْ أُحبُّ الجليسَ مستظرفَ القو

ل شَهيَّ الفعال سَهْلاً مُفدّى

Rather, I love a companion of refined speech,

Of easy, rewarding deeds and smooth disposition.

حبذّا رقةُ الخلائق من كلِّ جلي

سٍ مثل النسيم المُنَدّى

How excellent is the softness of manners in every companion,

Like a gentle breeze, perfumed and scented.

يَسْتَبيكَ المزاح منه فيرفضُّ

نثاراً طَوْراً ويُنْظَمُ عِقْدَا

Jesting flows from him in scattered pearls,

Arranged in a necklace of coherent words.

بكلامٍ مُنجّمٍ ليس بالهَذْ

ر ولا بالملول هَزْلاً وجدّا

With speech that is starry, not foolish babble,

Nor boring nonsense, but serious and playful.

سابريً يزينه وشيُ صنعا

ء بما تشتهي يُنارُ ويُسْدَى

Flowing smoothly, adorned with eloquent rhetoric,

That ignites and illuminates what you desire.

تَلِجُ الأذن قبل أن يَسْتَتِمَ القو

لَ منه النكات ذماً وحَمْدَا

The ear is saturated before his speech is finished,

With subtle jokes, both dispraise and praise.

ومعانٍ تكشَّفَتْ للندامى

عن صَناع اليدين يُعْقَدُ شَهْداً

And meanings are unveiled for the sincere,

About the works of hands, as clear as honey.

حبّذا حبّذا الجليسُ المواتي

من ترى العيش عنده مُسْتَجدّا

How excellent, how excellent, is the companion whose company,

Makes life seem ever new and renewed!