وصاحب أنس تعشق الفضل نفسه

وحسبك ذو النفس يتيمها الفضل

A companion of intimacy you love excellence itself

And excellence suffices you, orphaned of excellence as you are

أخو فطنة لم يمزج الغش وده

ولا هز من عطفي رصانته الجهل

A brother of wisdom has mixed no deceit with his character

Nor has ignorance made his firm kindness totter

وقد لقبوه الشمس جهلاً بقدره

ولم أر شمساً قبلة كلها ظل

And they have named him the Sun out of ignorance of his worth

Yet I have not seen a sun whose only aspect is shade