إِنَّ الأَميرَ بَلاكَ في أَحوالِهِ

فَرَآكَ أَهزَعَهُ غَداةَ نِضالِهِ

Prince Bilak in his affairs,

When he saw you it shook him after the morning of his struggle.

آسَيتَهُ في المَكرُماتِ وَلَم تَزَل

رُكناً لِمَن هُوَ مُمسِكٌ بِحِبالِهِ

You pitied him with favors and you continued to be

A pillar for whoever holds onto his ropes.

فَمَتى النُهوضُ بِحَقِّ شُكرِكَ إِن جَنَت

بِالغَيبِ كَفُّكَ لي ثِمارَ فِعالِهِ

So when is the rising to thank you rightly if you gained

With the unseen your palm brought me the fruits of his deeds.

فَلَقيتُ بَينَ يَدَيكَ حُلوَ عَطائِهِ

وَلَقيتَ بَينَ يَدَيَّ مُرَّ سُؤالِهِ

So I found before you the sweetness of his gift,

And you found before me the bitterness of his request.

وَإِذا اِمرُؤٌ أَسدى إِلَيكَ صَنيعَةً

مِن جاهِهِ فَكَأَنَّها مِن مالِهِ

And if a man bestows upon you a favor

From his status, it is as if it were from his money.