يقول لي امرؤ كتَّاب مصر

بأخبارٍ لها وقت منيف

A scribe from Egypt said to me,

With news that took its time refined,

فهل عجز احْتيالك أن تهيئ

لهم خبزاً فقلت ولا رغيف

“Can you not manage to provide

For them some bread?” I said, “Not even a loaf.”