وَلَئِيمٍ جِئْتُهُ في حَاجَةٍ

فَتْأَمَّى وَتَأَبَّى وَتَمَرْدَكْ

I went to a base fellow with a need;

he stalled, refused, and grew defiant.

وَدَعَالي أَنَا جَهْراً وَهُوَ لَوْ

كانَ سِرَّاً قُلْتُ سِرّاً أَنتَ وَحْدَكْ

He prayed for me aloud—though, had it

been private, I’d have whispered, “You—and you alone.”

قَالَ لا أَحْوَجَكَ اللَّهُ إلى

سِفْلَةٍ قُلْتُ لهُ آمِينَ بَعْدَكْ

He said, “May God never leave you in need of

a lowlife.” I told him, “Amen—after you.”