لَنا صاحِبٌ مِن أَبرَعِ الناسِ في البُخلِ

لَنا صاحِبٌ مِن أَبرَعِ الناسِ في البُخلِ

وَأَفضَلَهم فيهِ وَلَيسَ بِذي فَضلِ

وَأَفضَلَهم فيهِ وَلَيسَ بِذي فَضلِ

We have a friend among the most adept people at miserliness,

We have a friend, the most skilled of men in stinginess,

And the best of them at it, yet he has no virtue.

The best of them in it, yet he is no man of merit.