كَريمٌ يَغُضُّ الطَرفَ فَضلَ حَيائِهِ

كَريمٌ يَغُضُّ الطَرفَ فَضلَ حَيائِهِ

وَيَدنو وَأَطرافُ الرِماحِ دَوانِ

وَيَدنو وَأَطرافُ الرِماحِ دَوانِ

Noble, he lowers his gaze out of great modesty;

Generous he who turns a blind eye out of modesty,

And draws near while the spearheads are close;

And approaches though spears’ points surround.

وَكَالسَيفِ إِن لايَنتَهُ لانَ مَسُّهُ

وَكَالسَيفِ إِن لايَنتَهُ لانَ مَسُّهُ

وَحَدّاهُ إِن خاشَنتَهُ خَشِنانِ

وَحَدّاهُ إِن خاشَنتَهُ خَشِنانِ

And like a sword, if you treat him gently, his touch is soft;

Like a sword - if you avoid it, it won’t touch you,

And his two edges, if you treat him roughly, are rough.

Yet if you fear its sharpness, it remains sharp.