تَجَوَّعَ لي الشَيخُ الزَكِيُّ وَجاءَني

مَعَ الشَمسِ قَبلَ الشَمسِ يَتلوهُما النَجمُ

The virtuous sheikh yearned for me and came to me

With the sun before the sun, followed by the star

وَقَد سَرَّحا ذَقنَيهِما وَتَسَربلا

مِنَ الوَشيِ ما اِزدانَت حَواشيه وَالرقمُ

Having let down their beards and dressed

In the finest garments with ornamented hems and embroidery

وَجاءَت بَنو عَبدانَ طُرّاً كَأَنَّما

لَهُم في الَّذي اِستَصحَبتُ مِن عَدَنٍ قِسمُ

And the tribe of Abdan came galloping as though

They had a share in the eternity I gained from Aden

وَجاءَ أَبو الفَضلِ الأَمينُ وَعَبدُهُ

كَذِئبي غَضاً قَد مَسَّهُم مِن طَوىً سقمُ

And Abu Al-Fadl the Trustworthy and his servant came

Like two wolves, emaciated and ill

وَأَقبَلَ شَمسُ الدينِ يَسعى مُبادِراً

وَفي كُمهِ لِلنَّهبِ مِن أَدَمٍ كَمُّ

And the sun of the faith hastened, eager

With bundles on his shoulder of Adam’s loot

جُموعٌ لَو اَنَّ السَدَّ أَعرَضَ دونَهُم

بَدا مِنهُمُ في جانِبي رتقِهِ ثَلمُ

Hordes, if the dam stood against them

A tear in its wall would show from their throng

يَرومونَ خُبزي وَالكَواكِبُ دونَهُ

لَقَد ضَلَّ عَنهُم رَأيُهُم وَنَأى الفَهمُ

They seek my bread though the stars are beyond them

Their minds have strayed far from reason and sense

أَما عَلِموا أَنَّ الذبابَةَ لا تَرى

طَعامي وَأَنَّ الفارَ عِندي لَها لُجمُ

Do they not know that the gnat cannot see

My food, and for the mouse with me there is plenty