في مُكْفَهِرِّ الطِرْيَمِ الشَرَنْبَثِ

في مُكْفَهِرِّ الطِرْيَمِ الشَرَنْبَثِ

أَقْعَثَنِي مِنْهُ بِسَيْبٍ مُقْعَثِ

أَقْعَثَنِي مِنْهُ بِسَيْبٍ مُقْعَثِ

In a dark, massive bank of cloud,

In the dark thicket of al-Tirim,

He lavished upon me from it a copious bounty,

A lean fox startled me with its barking.

لَيْس بِمَنْزُورٍ وَلا بِرَيِّثِ

لَيْس بِمَنْزُورٍ وَلا بِرَيِّثِ

دُونَكَ مَدْحاً مِنْ أَخٍ مُلَيَّثِ

دُونَكَ مَدْحاً مِنْ أَخٍ مُلَيَّثِ

Neither scant nor slow in coming.

It was neither well-fed nor plump,

Take praise from a brother held back

But praised you more than a faithful brother,

عَنْكَ بِما أَوْلَيْتَ فِي تَأَثُّثِ

عَنْكَ بِما أَوْلَيْتَ فِي تَأَثُّثِ

لا خَيْرَ في وُدٍّ امْرِئٍ مُلَثْلِثِ

لا خَيْرَ في وُدٍّ امْرِئٍ مُلَثْلِثِ

From you by what you bestowed, while amassing possessions.

Who turned away from you when fortunes changed,

There is no good in the affection of a dawdling man.

No good in the love of a fickle man.