1. أَقولُ لِجاهِلُكُم إِذ مَلَكَ

    وَدارَ لَهُ بِالسُعودِ الفَلَك

    I say to your fool, now that he has gained power,

    and the heavens have turned auspiciously for him,

  2. وَخَنَّثَ لَهجَتَهُ مُسمِعاً

    بِلَفظٍ تُحَلُّ عَلَيهِ التَكَك

    and he has made his speech effeminate, uttering aloud

    words at which trouser-strings are untied:

  3. تَماسَك عَنِ الخُنثِ لا أُمَّ لَك

    وَلا تَهلِكَن فيهِ مَع مَن هَلَك

    “Restrain yourself from effeminacy—may you have no mother!

    And do not perish through it with those who have perished.

  4. فَإِنَّ الفَتى واجِدٌ مُهلَةً

    تُبَلِّغُهُ العُذرَ ما لَم يُن

    For a young man has a respite

    that affords him an excuse, so long as he has not... [final verb incomplete].”