خُتِمتْ فَأرَةُ مِسكِ

فَأَبتْ إلا التَّذكِّي

The musk pouch was sealed, yet still diffused its scent,

Needing no one to vouch for its quality.

ليسَ يخفى فصْلُ ذِي الفَضْ

ل بزورٍ وبإفْكِ

The excellence of the noble soul is never hidden,

Neither by lies nor false imputations.

والَّذي برَّزَ في الفض

لِ غنيٌّ عن مُزَكِّي

The one whose virtue shone forth among the virtuous,

Has no need for anyone to attest to it.

ربَّما غُمَّ هِلالُ ال

فِطرِ في ليلةِ شَكِّ

Sometimes the crescent moon is obscured on a cloudy night,

Then it emerges, illuminating the entire horizon.

ثم جلَّى وجهَهُ النُّو

رُ فجلَّى كلَّ حَلْكِ

The back of the waves cannot be ridden without a boat,

Nor can a necklace be strung without a thread.

إنَّ ظَهرَ اليَمِّ لا تَرْ

كبُهُ من غَيرِ فُلْكِ

Pure gold cannot become jewelry until it is cast,

This sums up many parables - let whoever will, relate them.

ونِظامَ الدُّرِّ لا تَعْ

قِدُهُ من غَيرِ سِلكِ

It invalidated all wishes of Yemeni, Syrian and Meccan,

It is made neither by an Ayni artisan nor woven by an Aqqi.

ليسَ يَصْفو الذَّهبُ الإب

ريزُ إلا بعدَ سَبْكِ

هذه جُملةُ أمثا

لٍ فمنْ شاء فَيَحْكي

أبطلتْ كلَّ يمانيْ

يٍ وشاميٍّ ومكِّي

ليس ذا من صَوغِ عَيْ

نيٍّ ولا من نسجِ عَكِّي