1. رَأَيتُ الفَضلَ مِن فَرضٍ وَقَرضٍ

    تَعَذَّرَ عِندَ آباءِ الفُضولِ

    I found bounty, in grants and loans,

    unattainable among the fathers of excess.

  2. وَما أَسَدٌ وَلِيُّ يَدٍ فَتُرجى

    نَوافِلُهُ وَلا مَولى جَميلِ

    And Asad is no benefactor, that one should hope for

    his largesse, nor a patron of kindness.

  3. وَضيعُ القَدرِ مِن عَدَمِ المَساعي

    وَمَيتُ الذِكرِ مِن سَرَفِ الخُمولِ

    Lowly in standing for lack of noble deeds,

    and dead in remembrance through excessive obscurity.

  4. وَمَلعونُ السِتارَةِ لَم يُخَلِّص

    خَفيفُ المُخطِياتِ مِنَ الثَقيلِ

    And his curtain is accursed; he did not separate

    the lighter missteps from the weightier ones.

  5. ذَمَمنا عَهدَهُ لَمّا بَلَونا

    لَئيمَ سَجِيَّةٍ لِحزٍ بَخيلِ

    We condemned his dealings once we had tried

    a man of base nature, ill-tempered and miserly.

  6. وَلَم يُسَلِ الكَثيرَ وَغَيرُ سَهلٍ

    تَطَلُّبُكَ القَليلَ مِنَ القَليلِ

    And he was not asked for much, and it is not easy

    for you to seek a little from one so paltry.

  7. أَبو العَبّاسِ أَخلَقُ لِلمَساعي

    بِحَقِّ الطولِ وَالباعِ الطَويلِ

    Abu al-Abbas is more deserving of noble endeavors,

    by right of his bounty and his long reach.

  8. تَفَرَّدَ بِالمَكارِمِ دونَ قَومٍ

    يَرونَ الجودَ مِن ضَعفِ العُقولِ

    He stood alone in noble virtues, apart from people

    who believe generosity stems from weakness of mind.

  9. وَمَن كَأَبي عُمارَةَ في نَداهُ

    وَبارِعُ فَضلِهِ أَزكى دَليلِ

    And who is like Abu Umara in his generosity?

    And his outstanding merit is the finest proof.

  10. وَتَستَولي الشُكوكُ عَلَيكَ ما لَم

    تُخَبِّركَ الفُروعُ عَنِ الأُصولِ

    And doubts hold sway over you until

    the branches tell you about the roots.