قَومٌ إِذا اِستَنبَحَ الضَيفانِ كِلَيهِم

لَفيهِ سَدّوا بِخَلقانِ وَأَطمارِ

A people, if the two guests have ransacked them

In it they block with morals and supplies

وَإِن يَكُن عِندَهُم نارٌ لِتَدفِئَةٍ

قالوا لِأُمِّهِم بَولي عَلى النارِ

And if they have a fire for warmth

They say to their mother, “Piss on the fire”

فَتَمنَعُ البَولَ شَحا أَن تَجودَ بِهِ

وَتُطفِئُ النارَ مَن بَخِلَ بِأَحجارِ

So she refuses to piss stingily that she give it

And puts out the fire, he who was stingy with stones

أَو كانَ لا بُدَّ مِن بَولٍ عَلى عَجَلِ

فَلا تَبولَ لَهُم إِلّا بِمِقدارِ

Or if pissing hastily was inevitable

Then do not piss for them except with moderation

وَالخُبزُ كَالعَنبَرِ الهِندي عِندَهُم

خَوفُ الطَوارِئِ مَخبوءٌ وَرا الدارِ

And bread is like Indian amber with them

Fear of emergencies hidden behind the house

وَكُلُّ حَملِ شَعيرٍ عَدلٍ خَردَلَةً

وَالقَمحُ خَمسونَ أَردَباً بِدينارِ

And every load of barley, a carat of mustard

And wheat fifty bushels for a dinar