1. My neighbor announced today his departure
Between a farewell and acceptance of fate

2. The camels bellowed as their howdahs were loaded
And marched off slowly in a caravan

3. They climbed every lofty, wide hill
Each camel, heavily laden, plodding on

4. The meadows and gardens were emptied
As if to indicate the travelers leaving

5. The camels marched between well-bred maidens
Kept pure beneath the shade of modesty

6. Maidens like columns of pearl
Or like overflowing wine glasses

7. They emerged when rain clouds gathered
From palaces to gardens of roses

8. On a day when beautiful, untouched maidens appeared
And gazelles, each like a fawn

9. Maidens whose youth bloomed in spring
Or does, or shy gazelles in the sands

10. Maidens with white skin, smiling
Whose teeth are like white pearls

11. Wearing anklets of gold and chimes
Around the does atop the camels

12. Perfect maidens of beauty and charm
Slender like the lance held straight

13. Curves burst from their robes
And the necklaces and slender necks

14. As if their jewelry were newly forged
Or unveiled before them a glory

15. Over golden skin perfumed
Like wine drawn from pressed grapes

16. They swayed drunkenly on branches of vines
Maidens fulfilled in their prime

17. They revealed and hid their faces
Each face lovelier than a statue

18. Their beauty nurtured beauty
And doubled grace and charm

19. Unblemished, fresh youths
Weighed down with infants they carried

20. Wearing coats of mail
And loose robes like those of the north

21. Girdled with twisted cords
Which they kicked aside with smooth legs

22. When they walked branches leaned
Toward the right after the left

23. They conquered the forbearing tribe
With the beauty of their glance

24. And when glanced at from the side
They glanced back straight with arrows

25. When they appeared at dawn I said
How can one reach what cannot be reached?

26. If a brother turns from me
It's right that I not care

27. All that God has granted me
Is not through my strength or cunning

28. If I obey my passions
I will lose my wisdom and regret it

29. When I recall the turns of fate
Like a mournful hermit in ruins

30. Every life and pleasure and luxury
And existence will end like shadows

31. Wisdom and old age and my reason
And God's warning from misguidance

32. I see poverty and wealth in God's hands
And the taking of souls at their appointed time

33. There is no water to revive the choking thirst
Or shelter that does not disappear like pegs

34. The stalwart youth passes like the waning moon
And all returns to dust

35. The youth grows weak and old
And his steps falter in shackles

36. He returns to his den after prosperous years
Returning to hunger's embrace

37. He who lived becomes like debris
While days pass after nights

38. And years cloak him in white hair and frailty
Bending his steps in firm fetters

39. He returns like the hyena in changing years
Returning to his den, hunger's friend

40. None alive remain though they reach old age
Except their fate is to pass away

41. All who rest will rest when death comes
Like tethered horses in halters

42. If souls pass away
God remains, and righteous deeds

43. All who strive strive to gain something
And will come before the Majestic with their efforts

44. Among winners who gained good
And wretches who met misfortune

45. Rulers of vice are those whose evil deeds
Make them enemies and war on the lawful

46. Whoever secretly sins
Thinking he is unseen in his disgrace

47. How can he be unseen when with him are his observers
His two angel scribes and his Lord of Might?

48. Fear God as much as you are able
Goodly fear of God is best of all character

49. If you are wise and forbearing
You will not stumble in foolishness

50. If you disgrace yourself it will lead to ruin
But if you safeguard honor you will not be disgraced

51. His character and balance were perfected in him
And insight into important affairs

52. He is no weak, craven man
Nor stern and rough, but gentle

53. His manners were completed
And the balance of character and wise counsel

54. He is one who, when you know him
You will find a generous noble man

55. Like the Euphrates in spring floods
Its currents overflowing

56. He carried off palms and buildings
And rose in ships though the waves mounted

57. And billows surged from him
Like waves rising above waves

58. Except the Euphrates ebbs low
While Yazid's generosity grows

59. And when afflicted tribes come to him
He starts giving before asked

60. And holds back their humiliation
With dialogues that follow dialogues

61. And when trays of food are brought out
With jerky meat atop the trays

62. He kills hunger and gauntness
When the hungry devour the cooked meat

63. As if they were untouched maidens
The devoted of complexions, skilled in flirtation

64. My departure was when they departed
And I said that day when they appeared at dawn

65. How can one reach what cannot be reached?
If a brother turns from me

66. It's right that I not care
All that God granted me

67. Is not through my strength or cunning
If I obey my passions

68. I will lose my temper and regret
And when I recall the turns of fate

69. Like a mournful hermit in ruins
Every life and pleasure and luxury

70. And existence will end like shadows
Wisdom and old age and my reason

71. And God's warning from the path of error
I see poverty and wealth in God's hands

72. And the taking of souls at their appointed times
There is no water to revive the choking thirst

73. Or shelter that does not disappear like pegs
The stalwart youth passes like the waning moon

74. And all returns to dust
The youth grows weak and old

75. And his steps falter in shackles
He returns to his den after prosperous years

76. Returning to hunger's embrace
He who lived becomes like debris

77. While days pass after nights
And years cloak him in white hair and frailty

78. Bending his steps in firm fetters
He returns like the hyena in changing years

79. Returning to his den, hunger's friend
None alive remain though they reach old age

80. Except their fate is to pass away
All who rest will rest when death comes

81. Like tethered horses in halters
If souls pass away

82. God remains, and righteous deeds
All who strive strive to gain something

83. And will come before the Majestic with their efforts
Among winners who gained good

84. And wretches who met misfortune
Rulers of vice are those whose evil deeds

85. Make them enemies and war on the lawful
Whoever secretly sins

86. Thinking he is unseen in his disgrace
How can he be unseen when with him are his observers

87. His two angel scribes and his Lord of Might?
Fear God as much as you are able

88. Goodly fear of God is best of all character
If you are wise and forbearing

89. You will not stumble in foolishness
If you disgrace yourself it will lead to ruin

90. But if you safeguard honor you will not be disgraced
Then say to the one who seeks rhymed verse

91. That some poetry is like rambling prose
Master poetry twice over

92. And expound in genres and proverbs
Of desolate places like the back of a shield

93. Whose tent pole is one piece, worn smooth
A waterless waste where the mount wanders lost

94. Many terrors in a dismal land
Unknown places of jinn and devils

95. In a knotted desert of endless miles
Of hills and mountains I traversed

96. After mountains on mountains
Uneven ground cut by ravines

97. Where the riders wander confused
A waste hard as an old tent pole

98. Darkened with layers of grime
She moans there above a crooked pole

99. Propped on blackened bases
She neighs like one possessed by jinn

100. Or senseless in panic and terror
Or like a mangy old hyena

101. Around stinking camels and yearlings
Who does not know her young or care for them

102. Remote, not a mother of foals
She pounds the earth with her hooves

103. And paws it, then paws rapidly in a jog
When scared of a striped hyena

104. She mixes her gait with a trot
Like an ostrich, spotted, who laid no eggs

105. Far off, no mother of chicks
Her spell constant, returning at nightfall

106. Insistent in herding to pasture
But if she scents a wolf she bolts

107. With all the others, fearing one mangy and scarred
As if they were does between habitats

108. When a zebra and dusky onager lead
His spell rules them, returning them at dawn

109. Persistent, driving them back to the meadows
Until thoughts settle on the hills

110. He prods them, so all bolt together
Fearing a mangy, roaming wolf

111. He attacks yet they are his flock
Like the shepherd of an overflowing spring among rocks