حرام على قلبي يرى وهو ساكن

غدية قالوا ظاعن عنك ظاعن

My heart must not be seen at rest,

on the morning they said, “Ẓāʿin is departing from you.”

فتى إن تغب عنا محاسن وجهه

فلما يغب إحسانه والمحاسن

A youth—though the charms of his face be absent from us,

his kindness and virtues have not yet departed.

فتى يستوي منه وفاء وسؤدد

ظواهر من أخلاقه وبواطن

A youth, consistent in loyalty and nobility,

in the outward and inward aspects of his character.

سلام عليه حيث حل ركابه

محافظة إن ضيع العهد خائن

Peace be upon him wherever his caravan encamps,

in keeping faith, though a traitor break the pledge.

أغيثت سمنود بعالي ركابه

فعز لها أنف ذليل ومازن

Samannud was succored by his lofty stirrup,

so, for her, the lowly man's nose—and Māzin's—grew proud.

فكل فساد عن سمنود راحل

وكل صلاح في سمنود قاطن

So all corruption departs from Samannud,

and all goodness dwells in Samannud.

فأعوز مطلوب بها اليوم خائف

وأكثر موجود بها اليوم آمن

So the hardest to find there today is a fearful man,

and the most commonly found there today is a man secure.

فتى ظاؤه في السلم غير مصحف

وإن قربت يوم الوغى فهو طاعن

A youth whose ẓāʾ in peace is not mispointed,

but approach on battle-day, and he is ṭāʿin—a spear-thruster.

بذلت له الود المصون ومدحةً

لها مانع مني غيور وصائن

I offered him my guarded affection and a poem of praise,

of which I am a jealous protector and guardian.

وإني وإن كنت البخيل ببذلها

وأنت لها زين وغيرك شائن

Though I am indeed miserly in bestowing it,

you adorn it, while anyone else would mar it.

ووعدك رهن فالتفت نحو فكه

فإن مواعيد الكرام رهائن

And your promise lies in pawn; see to its redemption,

for the promises of the noble are pledges held in pawn.

وما أنت بالمعذور عن بذل حاجة

لها كافل بالنجح منك وضامن

Nor are you excused from granting a request

for whose success you are the surety and guarantor.