أَتاني أَخٌ مِن غَيبَةٍ كانَ غابَها

أَتاني أَخٌ مِن غَيبَةٍ كانَ غابَها

وَكُنتُ إِذا ما غابَ أَنشُدُهُ رَكبا

وَكُنتُ إِذا ما غابَ أَنشُدُهُ رَكبا

A brother came to me after a time he had spent away.

A brother came to me after a long absence

And whenever he was away, I would ask travelers about him.

When he was away, I would recite his name in verse

فَجاءَ بِمَعروفٍ كَثيرٍ فَدَسَّهُ

فَجاءَ بِمَعروفٍ كَثيرٍ فَدَسَّهُ

كَما دَسَّ راعي السَوءِ في حِضنِهِ الوَطَبا

كَما دَسَّ راعي السَوءِ في حِضنِهِ الوَطَبا

So he came bearing much bounty, then hid it,

He came with plentiful kindness and hid it

As a bad shepherd hid a milk-skin in his bosom.

As a shepherd hides thorns in the fold's midst

فَقُلتُ لَهُ هَل جِئتَني بِهِدِيَّةٍ

فَقُلتُ لَهُ هَل جِئتَني بِهِدِيَّةٍ

فَقالَ بِنَفسي قُلتُ أَتحِف بِها الكَلبا

فَقالَ بِنَفسي قُلتُ أَتحِف بِها الكَلبا

So I said to him, “Have you brought me a gift?”

I said "Have you brought me a gift?"

He said, “Myself.” I said, “Give it as a gift to the dog.”

He said "It's myself," I said "Would I give a cur praise?"

هِيَ النَفسُ لا أَرثي لَها مِن بَلِيَّةٍ

هِيَ النَفسُ لا أَرثي لَها مِن بَلِيَّةٍ

وَلا أَتَمَنّى أَن رَأَيتُ لَها قُربا

وَلا أَتَمَنّى أَن رَأَيتُ لَها قُربا

That is a soul I would not pity in any affliction,

It's the self, I wouldn't mourn it if it came to harm

Nor do I wish to see it near me.

Nor wish I'd seen any blessing brought its way