خاض قوم في حديثهم

علماء ضمّهم بلد

People broached in their talk, scholars

Whom a country brought together

أهل آداب ومعرفة

فهماء فيهم جلد

Learned in manners and knowledge

Sages, steadfast among them

وتجاروا في حديثهم

ما عليه الأهل والولد

They trafficked in their discourse

What's incumbent on family and child

وتعادى الناس عن نكد

وقديما فيهم النكد

And people shunned vexation

Though long among them, vexation

ثم قالوا قل فقلت لهم

أصل هذا كله الحسد

Then they said "Speak!" So I told them

The root of all this is envy