1. Say to him who reproached us with the vicissitudes of fate,
Yet no mortal in his time was ever free from reproach,

2. Fate is ever inclined to entice the noble-minded,
Did it ever oppose any but those who dared to resist it?

3. How many a verdant meadow is there on earth,
Some with flowers in bloom, while others have none,

4. Those with neither fruit nor blossom are spared,
Only the fruitful invite stoning.

5. Do you not see how carrion floats atop the sea,
Yet the sea does not hold it in its depths,

6. It seeks to cast out the filth that sullies it,
While pearls rest tranquil at its furthest bottom.

7. In the heavens are stars beyond number,
More than eyes can see or minds can measure,

8. The lowliest star has never suffered eclipse,
Only the sun and moon are subject to eclipse.