1. يا اِبنَ الشَريدِ عَلى تَنائي بَينِنا

    حُيِّيتَ غَيرَ مُقَبَّحٍ مِكبابِ

    O son of al-Sharid, despite the distance between us,

    May you be greeted, neither reviled nor bowed low.

  2. فَكِهٌ عَلى خَيرِ الغِذاءِ إِذا غَدَت

    شَهباءُ تَقطَعُ بالِيَ الأَطنابِ

    Cheerful over the finest food whenever there came at dawn

    A gray, biting wind cutting through worn tent ropes.

  3. أَرِجُ العِطافِ مُهَفهَفٌ نِعمَ الفَتى

    مُتَسَهِّلٌ في الأَهلِ وَالأَجنابِ

    Fragrant-cloaked, slender-waisted—how fine a young man!

    Easygoing among family and strangers.

  4. حامي الحَقيقِ تَخالُهُ عِندَ الوَغى

    أَسَداً بِبيشَةَ كاشِرَ الأَنيابِ

    Defender of all that must be guarded, you would think him in battle

    A lion in Bishah, baring his fangs;

  5. أَسَداً تَناذَرَهُ الرِفاقُ ضُبارِماً

    شَثنَ البَراثِنِ لاحِقَ الأَقرابِ

    A mighty lion whom travelers warned one another against,

    With thick, coarse paws and drawn-in flanks.

  6. فَلَئِن هَلَكتَ لَقَد غَنيتَ سَمَيذَعاً

    مَحضَ الضَريبَةِ طَيِّبَ الأَثوابِ

    For though you have perished, you surely lived a noble lord,

    Of pure character and spotless robes,

  7. ضَخمَ الدَسيعَةِ بِالنَدى مُتَدَفِّقاً

    مَأوى اليَتيمِ وَغايَةَ المُنتابِ

    Great in bounty, overflowing with generosity,

    The orphan's refuge and the seeker's final resort.