قُل لِبَني المِلحِ ما مُحَسِّنُكُم

قُل لِبَني المِلحِ ما مُحَسِّنُكُم

أَوَّلُ مَن أُهمِلَت سَفالَتُهُ

أَوَّلُ مَن أُهمِلَت سَفالَتُهُ

Tell Banū al-Milḥ: your Muḥassin is not

Tell the salty ones, what will improve you?

the first whose baseness was overlooked.

The first whose foolishness was neglected -

فَصَدِّروهُ مَعَ اللِئامِ وَلا

فَصَدِّروهُ مَعَ اللِئامِ وَلا

تَحتَقِروهُ فَفيهِ حاجَتُهُ

تَحتَقِروهُ فَفيهِ حاجَتُهُ

So give him pride of place among the base, and do not

Send him off with the vile, and do not

despise him, for in that lies his desire.

Underestimate him, for he has his needs.