وَأَخٍ ذي ثِقَةٍ آخَيتُهُ

ماجِدِ الأَعراقِ مَأمونِ الأَدَب

A trusted brother to whom I gave allegiance,

of glorious lineage, of refined manners,

أَمحَضَ اللَهُ لَهُ أَخلاقَهُ

فَهيَ كَالإِبريزِ مِن سِرِّ الذَهَب

May Allah purify his morals,

for they are like refined gold.

عَزَّني المَعروفُ حَتّى عَلِقَت

كُلُّ كَفٍّ لِيَ مِنهُ بِسَبَب

Kindness has honored me, so that

every palm is indebted to me.

فَهوَ يُعطيني وَأُعطى فَضلَهُ

سَبَلَ الغَيثِ تَدَلّى فَسَكَب

He gives to me and I exceed in his generosity,

like rain clouds pouring down rain.

فَإِذا أَبصَرَ وَجهي مُقبِلاً

ضَحِكَت عَيناهُ مِن غَيرِ عَجَب

When he sees my face approaching,

his eyes laugh without pretense.

وَإِذا كَلَّمتُهُ واحِدَةً

هَيَّجَت مِنهُ عُلالاتِ الطَرَب

When I speak to him even a little,

he is thrilled with joy.

وَإِذا ما غِبتُ عَنهُ ساعَةً

أَنَّ لِلغَيبَةِ مِن غَيرِ وَصَب

If I am absent from him for an hour,

it is as if absence without yearning.

فَهوَ لي وَالحَمدُ لِلَّهِ غِنىً

وَعَفافٌ مِن دَنِيِّ المُكتَسَب

He is, thanks to God, enough for me,

and honor above base acquisition,

مِن تِجاراتٍ أَشابَت مَفرِقي

وَكَسَتني ثَوبَ ذُلٍّ وَنَصَب

Unlike trades that have dissipated my gatherings

and clothed me in the garb of humiliation and toil,

وَمُلوكٍ إِن تَعَرَّضتُ لَهُم

عَرَّضوا ديني وَشيكاً لِلعَطَب

And kings - if I had dealings with them,

they quickly exposed my faith to peril.