أَلَمْ تَعْلمي يا عَمْرَكِ اللهُ أَنَّني

كَريمٌ عَلى حِينِ الكِرامُ قَليلُ

Did you not know, oh life of mine, that God knows

I am generous when generosity is scarce

وَإِنِّيَ لا أَخْزى إِذا قيلَ مُقْتِرٌ

جَوادٌ وَأَخْزى أَنْ يُقالَ بَخيلُ

I feel no shame being called a spendthrift

Open-handed, but I am shamed being called stingy

وإِلاَّ يَكُنْ عَظْمي طويلاً فَإِنَّني

لَهُ بِالخِصالِ الصَّالِحاتِ وَصولُ

Were my frame not tall, then surely I am,

By virtuous traits, most definitely arriving

إِذَا كُنْتُ في القَوْمِ الطِّوالِ فَضَلْتُهُمْ

بِطَوْلي لَهُمْ حَتَّى يُقالَ طَويلُ

When among the tall folk, my height surpasses theirs

By my tallness I excel them, until being called tall

ولا خَيْرَ في حُسْنِ الجُسُومِ وَطولِها

إِذا لَمْ يَزِنْ طُولَ الجُسُومِ عُقولُ

No good in the beauty and height of bodies

If the height of bodies lacks minds and brains

وَكائن رأَيْنا من جُسُومٍ طَويلةٍ

تَموتُ إِذَا لَمْ تُحْيِهِنَّ أُصُولُ

We have seen from tall bodies that

Die when roots no longer give them life

ولم أَرَ كَالْمَعْروفِ أَمَّا مَذَاقُهُ

فَحُلْوٌ وَأَمَّا وَجْهُهُ فَجَمِيلُ

I have not seen the like of kindness, its taste

Is sweet and its essence is beautiful