بَيْنِي وبينَ الأَميرِ مَعْرِفَةٌ

أَشْبَهُ شيءٍ بحالها النَكِرَهْ

Between me and the prince there is an acquaintance

Which resembles in its state complete strangeness

عندي لها حاجَةٌ وليسَ لها

يَومٌ ولي حاجَةٌ لها عَشَرَه

I have need of him one day, and he has no need of me

And I have need of him for ten days

فليت شعري لأَيِّما سَبَبٍ

قَدَّمَهُ ثم جاءَ بي أَثَرَه

I wonder for what reason

He put me forward, then made me follow after

ما ذاك إِلاَّ لأَجْلِ واحِدةٍ

أَدَقَّ فيها لعلْمِهِ نَظَرَه

That is only because of one thing

In which his insight examined most keenly

فمن أَرادَ الوضوءَ عن حَدَثٍ

قَدَّمَ من قبلِ وَجْهِهِ دُبُرَهُ

So whoever wants ablution from impurity

Should begin with his back before his face