1. دَعي الَّذينَ هُمُ البُخّالُ وَاِنطَلِقي

    إِلى كَثيرٍ فَتى الجودِ اِبنِ سَيّارِ

    Leave those who are misers, and set out

    To Kathir, the generous young man, son of Sayyar,

  2. إِلى الَّذي يَفضُلُ الفِتيانُ نائِلُهُ

    يَداهُ مِثلُ خَليجَي دِجلَةَ الجاري

    To him whose bounty surpasses that of other young men.

    His two hands are like two channels of the flowing Tigris.

  3. إِنّا وَجَدنا كَثيراً يَقدَحونَ لَهُ

    بِخَيرِ عودٍ عَتيقٍ زَندُهُ واري

    Indeed, we have found Kathir: they strike fire for him

    With the finest seasoned wood; his fire-stick sparks.

  4. إِنَّ كَثيراً كَثيرٌ فَضلُ نائِلِهِ

    مُرتَفِعٌ في تَميمٍ موقَدَ النارِ

    Indeed, great is the bounty of Kathir's giving;

    His hearth stands high among Tamim.

  5. المالِئُ الجَفنَةَ الشَيزى إِذا سَغَبوا

    وَالطاعِنُ الكَبشَ وَالمَنّاعُ لِلجارِ

    He fills the shiz-wood bowl when they hunger,

    And spears the champion—the ram—and staunchly defends his neighbor.

  6. إِذا السَماءُ غَدَت أَرواحُ قِطقِطِها

    كَأَنَّهُ كُرسُفٌ يُرمى بِأَوتارِ

    When the morning sky sends its wind-blown fine rain,

    As though it were cotton scattered by carding-bow strings,

  7. تَرى المَراضيعَ بِالأَولادِ تَحمِلُها

    إِلى كَثيرٍ عَلى عُسرٍ وَأَيسارِ

    You see nursing women carrying children with them

    To Kathir, in hardship and in ease.

  8. الحامِلُ الثِقلَ قَد أَعياهُ حامِلُهُ

    وَالموقِدُ النارَ لِلمُستَنبِحِ الساري

    He shoulders the burden that has exhausted its bearer,

    And kindles the fire for the night traveler seeking a dog's answering bark,

  9. وَالعابِطُ الكومَ لِلأَضيافِ إِذ نَزَلوا

    في يَومِ صِرٍّ مِنَ الصُرّادِ هَرّارِ

    And slaughters healthy, high-humped she-camels for guests when they arrive,

    On a freezing day of fierce, biting cold.