لَكَ الخَيرُ أَيُّ الخَيرِ في رَدِّ صاحِبٍ

مُغيرٍ عَلى عِرضِ الصَديقِ مُغامِرِ

Goodness belongs to you, O friend of mine

Who risks friendship to change my flawless honor

يَهُشُّ مَعَ اللُقيا إِلَيَّ كَأَنَّما

أُحِلَّ بِرَبعٍ لِلبَشاشَةِ عامِرِ

He comes to me cheerful as though welcomed

To a lively district for merriment

وَمَهما نَأى غامَت عَلَيَّ سَماؤُهُ

وَجادَت بِصَوبٍ لِلغَضاضَةِ هامِرِ

However far his dark cloud kept its distance

And poured from a region rain heavily

فَجَرَّ بِلَمحي ظالِماً كُلُّ ذاكِرٍ

وَلاكَ بِعِرضي مُضغَةً كُلُّ سامِرِ

My glance made every slanderer unjust

And my honor caused everyone envious to choke

وَإِنّي لَأَلقى الرَكبَ يَهبِطُ أَرضَهُ

بِأَذكى ثَناءٍ مِن أَريجِ المُهاجِرِ

I meet the traveling company descend on his land

With the most fragrant praise of immigrants

وَيَطرُقُني ضَيفاً مَعَ اللَيلِ طَيفُهُ

فَيَكرَعُ في ماءٍ مِنَ البِشرِ غامِرِ

His phantom knocks on me as a guest by night

To drink from a brimming stream of humanity

فَأَغضَيتُ إِغضاءَ الكَريمِ لِفِتيَةٍ

كِرامِ الحُلى وَالمُنتَمى وَالأَواصِرِ

So I forgave like the noble man forgives the youth

Of precious adornment, proud lineage, and family ties

وَأَحجَمتُ جُبناً عَن لَمامٍ بِعَتبَةٍ

وَإِنّي لَمَطوِيٌّ عَلى بَأسِ عامِرِ

And I refrained out of cowardice from blaming by the door

Though able to stir up a vigorous warrior

وَقُلتُ وَحُسنُ الصَبرِ خَيرُ مَغَبَّةٍ

هَنيئاً مَريئاً غَيرَ داءٍ مُخامِرِ

I said patience is best despite the pain

Praiseworthy, honorable without any bitterness

وَلَو شِئتُ رُعتُ القِرنَ وَالبيدُ بَينَنا

بِصَهلَةِ خَوّارِ الأَعِنَّةِ ضامِرِ

Had I wished I would rouse war and havoc between us

With the neighing of a steed eager for battle