1. إِنّي وَإِن كانَ اِبنُ عَمّي كاشِحاً

    لَمُزاحِمٌ مِن خَلفِهِ وَوَرائِهِ

    I, though my cousin bears me malice,

    Surely stand in his defense, behind him and at his back.

  2. وَمُفيدُهُ نَصري وَإِن كانَ اِمرَأً

    مُتَزَحزِحاً في أَرضِهِ وَسَمائِهِ

    And grant him my support, even if he is a man

    Who keeps aloof in his earth and sky.

  3. وَأَكونُ والِيَ سِرِّهِ فَأَصونُهُ

    حَتّى يَحينَ عَلَيَّ وَقتُ أَدائِهِ

    And I am the keeper of his secret, safeguarding it,

    Until the time comes for me to deliver it.

  4. وَإِذا دَعا بِاِسمي لِيَركَبَ مَركَباً

    صَعباً قَعَدتُ لَهُ عَلى سيسائِهِ

    And when he calls my name to ride a mount—

    An unruly one—I take my seat upon its backbone for him.

  5. وَإِذا اِستَجاشَ رَفَدتُهُ وَنَصَرتُهُ

    وَإِذا تَصَعلَكَ كُنتُ مِن قُرَنائِهِ

    And when he calls for reinforcements, I aid and support him.

    And when he becomes destitute, I am among his companions.

  6. وَإِذا الحَوادِثُ أَجحَفَت بِسَوامِهِ

    قُرِنَت صَحيحَتُنا إِلى جَربائِهِ

    And when calamities ravage his grazing herd,

    Our healthy herd is joined to his mangy one.

  7. وَإِذا أَتى مِن وَجهِهِ لِطَريقِهِ

    لَم أَطَّلِع مِمّا وَراءَ خِبائِهِ

    And when he makes his way along his road,

    I do not peer from behind his tent.

  8. وَإِذا رَأَيتُ عَلَيهِ ثَوباً ناعِماً

    لَم يُلفِني مُتَمَنِّياً لِرِدائِهِ

    And when I see a soft robe upon him,

    He does not find me coveting his cloak.

  9. وَإِذا اِرتَدى ثَوباً جَميلاً لَم أَقُل

    يا لَيتَ أَنَّ عَلَيَّ حُسنَ رِدائِهِ

    And when he wears a beautiful robe, I do not say,

    "Oh, if only I wore the beauty of his cloak!"

  10. وَمَتى أَجِئهُ في الشَدائِدِ مُرمِلاً

    أُلقي الَّذي في مُزوَدي لِوِعائِهِ

    And whenever I come to him in hard times, with his provisions gone,

    I pour what is in my provision-bag into his vessel.

  11. وَإِذا جَنى غُرماً سَعَيتُ لِنَصرِهِ

    حَتّى أُهينَ كَرائِمي لِفِدائِهِ

    And when he incurs a penalty, I strive to aid him,

    Till I hold my choicest possessions cheap to ransom him.