أَتى يخبط الظلماء وَالليل دامس

يسائل عن غيري الَّذي هو آملُ

He came knocking in the dark night

Asking about others, while I am hopeful

فقلت لَها قومي إِليه فيسري

طَعاماً فان الضيف لا بد نازِلُ

So I said to her, go to him and serve

Food, for a guest must settle down

يَقول وقد القى مراسيه للقرى

ابن ليَ ما الحجاج بالناس فاعلُ

He says, having anchored his camel:

"Tell me, how are people with pilgrimage?"

فَقلت لعمري ما لِهَذا طرقتنا

فكل ودع الحجاج ما أَنت آكلُ

I said, by my life, why did you knock on our door?

Leave pilgrims be, you are not a feeder

أَتانا وَلَم يعدله سحبان وائل

بياناً وعلماً بِالَّذي هو قائلُ

He came to us, unmatched by Suhayban and Wael

In eloquence and knowledge of what he says

فَما زالَ عنه اللقم حتىّ كأَنه

من العي لما أَن تكلم باقلُ

He did not stop eating until he seemed

To have little wit for speaking so briefly