1. مَلامَكِ في صُدودي وَاِجتِنابي

    وَنَأيِي بِالمَشارِقِ وَاِغتِرابي

    Spare me your reproach for my turning away and avoidance,

    and my remoteness in eastern lands and my exile.

  2. فَقَد جَعَلَت دَواعي الشَوقِ تَدعو

    إِلى حَلَلٍ بِواسِطَ أَو كِنابِ

    For the urgings of longing have begun to call

    toward settlements at Wasit or Kinab.

  3. لُباناتٌ تَقَضّى ثُمَّ يُمضى

    إِلَيكَ العَزمُ بَينَ هَلٍ وَهابِ

    Wishes are to be fulfilled; then my resolve is carried through

    toward you, between the calls 'Hal!' and 'Hab!'

  4. عَلى أَنّي أُخَلِّفُ شِقَّ نَفسي

    وَأُنسي في بِعادي وَاِقتِرابي

    Though I leave behind half my soul,

    and my solace whether far away or near:

  5. أَخاً أُعطيهِ مَكنونَ التَصافي

    وَأَستَسقي لَهُ دُرَرَ السَحابِ

    a brother to whom I give my innermost affection,

    and for whom I pray for the clouds’ pearls.

  6. إِنِ اِستَرفَدتُهُ فَخَليجُ بَحرٍ

    أَوِ اِستَنهَضتُهُ فَسَليلُ غابِ

    If I ask him for aid, he is an arm of the sea;

    or rouse him to action, he is a son of the thicket.

  7. مَتى أَحلُل بِساحَتِهِ أَجِدهُ

    أَنيسَ الرَبعِ مُخضَرَّ الجَنابِ

    Whenever I alight in his courtyard, I find him

    with a welcoming home and verdant surroundings,

  8. وَسيطَ البَيتِ في شَرَفِ المَعالي

    نَفيسَ الحَظِّ في كَرَمِ النِصابِ

    foremost in his house in the honor of lofty attainments,

    richly endowed with nobility of lineage,

  9. وَوَحشِيَّ المَسامِعِ لَم يُؤَنَّس

    بِتَكرارِ المَلامَةِ وَالعِتابِ

    and wild of ear, never tamed

    by repeated reproach and rebuke.

  10. يَرى عَذلَ الصَديقِ إِلَيهِ ذَنباً

    وَيَعتَدُّ العِتابَ مِنَ السِبابِ

    He deems a friend’s reproach directed at him an offense,

    and counts rebuke among insults.

  11. وَلَم يُنخَس عَلى الحاجاتِ بَطأً

    كَما نُخِسَ الثَفالُ مِنَ الرِكابِ

    Nor has he been prodded for slowness in meeting needs,

    as a sluggish camel among the mounts is prodded.

  12. أَبا بِشرٍ وَأَنتَ أَخي وَوُدّي

    وَمَن رَضِيَ اِختِباري وَاِنتِخابي

    Abu Bishr, you are my brother and my beloved,

    and the one my testing and choosing have approved.

  13. فِداؤُكَ مُقرِفٌ مِن آلِ زَيدٍ

    مُوَلّي الخَيرَ مُقتَبَلِ الشَبابِ

    Let a base-born man of the house of Zayd be your ransom,

    a giver of favors to one in the bloom of youth.

  14. يَهونُ عَلَيهِ أَن يُمسي قَبيحَ الـ

    ـثَناءِ إِذا غَدا حَسَنَ الثِيابِ

    He cares little if by evening he is ill-

    spoken of, if in the morning he is well dressed.

  15. ذَليلُ الأَيرِ وَالحاجاتُ تُقضى

    وَمَعفورُ التَرائِبِ بِالتُرابِ

    His penis is abased while needs are fulfilled,

    and his chest is smeared with dust.

  16. وَمَأذونٌ عَلى خُصيَيهِ إِذناً

    يَعُمُّ وَإِن تَعَمَّقَ في الحِجابِ

    And access to his testicles is granted—permission

    open to all, even if he retreats deep behind the veil.