1. وَصاحِبٍ كُلَّما هَمَمتُ بِهِ

    وَهَبتُ لُؤمَ العُقُوقِ لِلكَرَمِ

    And a companion—whenever I thought to act against him,

    I forgave his base disloyalty for magnanimity’s sake.

  2. حاوَلَ نَيلَ الكِرامِ مُقتَصِراً

    عَلى الَّذي شادَ مِن عُيوبِهِمِ

    He sought the bounty of the noble, confining himself

    To the faults of theirs that he magnified.

  3. يمر مَتَّعُ في ذِمَّةِ الخُمولِ فَما

    تَغُضُّ مِن لَواذِعِ الكَلِمِ

    He passes [unclear word] under obscurity’s protection, yet it does not

    Diminish the sting of words.

  4. لَو ضُرِبَت بِالسُّيوفِ راحَتُهُ

    لَما تَنَدَّت مِن بُخلِهِ بِدَمِ

    If his palm were struck with swords,

    It would not, for his stinginess, grow moist with blood.

  5. فِدىً لِمَن لا يَزالُ نائِلُهُ

    يُخلِفُ جُوداً سَحائِبَ الدِّيَمِ

    May he be ransom for one whose bounty never ceases

    To replace, in generosity, the clouds of steady rain.

  6. يَمنَحُ حَتّى تَدومَ نِعمَتُهُ

    إِنَّ العَطايا تَمائِمُ النِّعَمِ

    He gives so that his blessing may endure:

    Indeed, gifts are the talismans of blessings.