إِنّي كَتَبتُ إِلَيكَ أَلتَمِسُ الغِنى

بِيَدَيكَ أَو بِيَدَي أَبيكَ الهَيثَمِ

I wrote to you seeking wealth,

Either from your hands or your father Al-Haitham's hands,

أَيدٍ سَبَقنَ إِلى المُنادي بِالقِرى

وَالبَأسِ في سَبَلِ العَجاجِ الأَقتَمِ

Hands that were first to call people in towns,

And valor in the paths of unyielding Ajaj,

الشاعِباتِ إِذا الأُمورُ تَفاقَمَت

وَالمُطعِماتِ إِذا يَدٌ لَم تُطعَمِ

The givers of food when matters worsened,

The feeders when a hand did not feed,

وَالمُصلِحاتِ بِمالِهِنَّ ذَوي الغِنى

وَالخاضِباتِ قَنا الأَسِنَّةِ بِالدَمِ

The reformers with their wealth of the rich people,

And the warriors whose lances’ tips were tainted with blood.

إِنّي حَلَفتُ بِرافِعينَ أَكُفَّهُم

بَينَ الحَطيمِ وَبَينَ حَوضَي زَمزَمِ

I swore by those raising their palms,

Between the rubbles and the basin of Zamzam,

لِتَأتِيَنَّكَ مِدحَةٌ مَشهورَةٌ

غَرّاءُ يَعرِفُها رِفاقُ المَوسِمِ

That you will receive a famous eulogy,

Fresh, known to friends of the season.