رُبَّ شَخْصٍ سَمِجٍ مُسْتَقْذَرٍ

وَسِخ الأَثْوابِ فَوَّاج السَّهَكْ

Many a dull and slovenly man,

Filthy in clothes, of impudent look,

أَبْلَه العالَم إِلاَّ أَنَّه

في وصَال الإِلْفِ مِنْ أَهْل الحَنَك

The world deems a fool, but in the company of the wise,

He is shrewd and keen.

وهْوَ أَعْيا الخَلقِ أَو ترسلُه

فقويُّ الفَكِّ دقَّاقُ الحَنَكْ

Though he seems sleepy or absent-minded,

Yet strong in thought and sharp in wit.

يُخرِجُ الدُّرَّة لي من بَحْرها

ويَسوقُ النَّجمَ من وسْطِ الفَلَك

He brings forth pearls from the depths of the sea,

And leads the stars forth from the midst of the sky.

فلكم خلَّص من أَسْرِ أَسىً

ولكَمْ أَنْقَذَ من شَرِّ شَرَك

How many has he saved from the fetters of grief,

And rescued from the evil of those who share not his faith!

فهو مِثْلُ الكَلْبِ كَم صَادَ مَهاً

وهْوَ شَيْطانٌ فكمْ قَادَ مَلَكْ

He is like a dog, hunting prey whenever it moves,

Or like a devil, ever seducing men to evil.

ليس يمشي العِلْقُ إِلاَّ خَلْفَه

وتراهُ سَالِكاً حَيْثُ سَلَك

The new moon follows wherever he goes,

And you see him treading wherever it has trod.

فَإِذَا قَال له طِعْ ذَا طَاعَه

وإِذا قَال له اتْركْ ذَا تَرك

If he says "Obey", 'tis obeyed,

If he says "Leave", 'tis left.

قلتُ إِذْ أَخْنىَ عليه حسنُه

بِحَبيبِ الْقَلْبِ قَلْنَا قَدْ هَلَك

When he seemed to slight me because of my love,

I said "He is lost to me, the beloved of my heart".

وأَتى بالبَدْرِ منه نيِّرا

لا يُنيرُ البدْرُ إِلاَّ بالْحَلَك

But he made the full moon shine from him towards me

And the full moon borrows all its light from his cheek.