وَصاحِبٍ كارِهِ الإِدلاجِ قُلتُ لَهُ

وَصاحِبٍ كارِهِ الإِدلاجِ قُلتُ لَهُ

يا اِنهَض خَليلي تَبَيَّن هَل تَرى السَدَفا

يا اِنهَض خَليلي تَبَيَّن هَل تَرى السَدَفا

And to a companion averse to night travel I said:

To a friend who disliked prolixity I said,

Rise, my friend; look closely—do you see the light?

“Arise, my friend, look and see if you can espy the roof;

قَد أَورَثَ السَيرُ وَقراً في مَسامِعِهِ

قَد أَورَثَ السَيرُ وَقراً في مَسامِعِهِ

وَفي اللِسانِ إِذا اِستَفهَمتَهُ لَفَفا

وَفي اللِسانِ إِذا اِستَفهَمتَهُ لَفَفا

Travel had dulled his hearing,

Wandering has given ringing in his ears,

and left his tongue faltering when you questioned him.

And in his tongue impediment, if you ask him.”