1. لَيتَ شِعري بِأَيِّ وَجهَيكَ بِالمِص

    رِ غَداً حينَ نَلتَقي تَلقاني

    I wish I knew with which of your two faces, in the city,

    you will greet me tomorrow when we meet:

  2. أَبِوَجهٍ لَهُ طَلاقَةُ ذي الإِح

    سانِ أَم وَجهِ غَيرِ ذي إِحسانِ

    With a face bearing the cheerfulness of one who does

    good, or the face of one who does no good?

  3. فَلَئِن كُنتَ مُحسِناً لَيَسُرَّن

    نَكَ في كُلِّ مَحضَرٍ أَن تَراني

    For if you are benevolent, it will surely please

    you, in every gathering, to see me.

  4. وَلَئِن كُنتَ غَيرَ ذاكَ فَما أَن

    تَ عَلَينا غَداً بِذي سُلطانِ

    And if you are otherwise, then you

    will have no authority over us tomorrow.

  5. كُلَّ يَومٍ آتيكَ في حاجَةٍ أَب

    ذُلُ وَجهي فيها مَعاً وَلِساني

    Every day I come to you with a need, offering

    both my face and my tongue for it.

  6. ثُمَّ لَم أَحظَ مِنكَ في حاجَةٍ قَط

    طُ بِغَيرِ الإِباءِ وَالحِرمانِ

    Yet never have I received from you, for any need,

    anything but refusal and deprivation.

  7. خَلَفٌ أَعوَرٌ وَحَقِّ رَسولِ ال

    لَهِ يا سَلمُ أَنتَ مِن عُثمانِ

    A one-eyed successor—by the honor of the Messenger of

    God—you are to Uthman, O Salm.