1. أَنعَتُ كَلباً لَقِنَ النُحاسِ

    مَحسورَ أَقطارِ شُؤونِ الراسِ

    I describe a dog, quick-witted by nature,

    Bare along the edges of his skull’s sutures,

  2. يُديرُ في وَقبَينِ ذا حِماسِ

    طَمّاحَتَينِ كَلَظى المِقباسِ

    Who rolls, full of ardor, within two sockets

    Two keenly gazing eyes, like a firebrand’s blaze,

  3. مِثلَ اِحوِرارِ الشادِنِ المَيّاسِ

    مُسَلَّكِ الخَلقِ كَغُصنِ الآسِ

    Like the dark-on-white eyes of a gracefully swaying young gazelle,

    Slender in build, like a myrtle branch.

  4. نِعمَ الخَليلُ وَالأَخُ المُواسي

    مِن غَيرِ ما بَيعٍ وَلا مِكاسِ

    What a fine friend and comforting brother,

    Without any sale or haggling!

  5. كَم تَيسِ رَملِ لاحَ في الكِناسِ

    عَفَّرَهُ بِجانِبَي أَوطاسِ

    Many a buck of the sands appeared in its covert—

    He rolled it in the dust on either side of Awtas.

  6. لَم يُعطَ إِلّا مِثلَهُ النُواسي

    لَم يُعطَ إِلّا مِثلَهُ النُواسي

    Al-Nuwasi was given none but his like.

    Al-Nuwasi was given none but his like.