وأخٍ مسَّه نُزولي عليه

وأخٍ مسَّه نُزولي عليه

مثل ما مسني من الجوع قرحُ

مثل ما مسني من الجوع قرحُ

A friend whom my coming to stay afflicted

And a friend was afflicted by my lodging with him

as surely as hunger’s sore afflicted me.

with a wound like the one hunger inflicted on me.

قيلَ لي إنه جواد كريم

قيلَ لي إنه جواد كريم

والفتى يعتريه بخل وشحُّ

والفتى يعتريه بخل وشحُّ

I was told that he was open-handed and noble—

I was told he was openhanded and generous,

yet a young man may be beset by stinginess and greed.

yet the young man is beset by miserliness and avarice.

بتُّ ضيفاً له كما حكمَ الده

بتُّ ضيفاً له كما حكمَ الده

رُ وفي حُكمه على المرء قبحُ

رُ وفي حُكمه على المرء قبحُ

I spent the night as his guest, as Fate decreed;

I spent the night as his guest, as Time decreed,

and Fate’s judgment upon a man is cruel.

and in its judgment upon a man there is ugliness.

فابتَداني وقالَ وهو مِن الكُر

فابتَداني وقالَ وهو مِن الكُر

هِ والهمِّ طافحُ ليس يَصحو

هِ والهمِّ طافحُ ليس يَصحو

He spoke to me first, beset as he was

Then he addressed me first and said, while with loathing

by resentment and worry, brimming over, unable to compose himself:

and worry he was brimming, not sobering up:

لِم تغرَّبت قلت قال رسول ال

لِم تغرَّبت قلت قال رسول ال

لَهِ والقول منه نصحٌ ونجحُ

لَهِ والقول منه نصحٌ ونجحُ

“Why did you go abroad?” I said, “The Messenger

"Why did you go abroad?" I said, "God's Messenger said—

of God said—and his words bring counsel and success—

and his words are counsel and success—

سافِروا تَغنَموا فَقالَ وقَد قا

سافِروا تَغنَموا فَقالَ وقَد قا

لَ تمام الحديثِ صُوموا تَصحُّوا

لَ تمام الحديثِ صُوموا تَصحُّوا

‘Travel, and you shall profit.’ He replied, ‘And the rest

'Travel, and you will gain.'" He replied, "And he also said,

of the saying is: “Fast, and you shall be healthy.”’

completing the saying: 'Fast, and you will be healthy.'"