1. رَأَيتُ الحَتفَ طَوَّفَ كُلَّ أُفقٍ

    وَجابَ الأَرضَ مِن مِصرٍ وَكَفرِ

    I saw Death roam every horizon

    and traverse the earth, city and village alike.

  2. وَكَيفَ يُثَمِّرُ الإِنسانُ وَفراً

    وَلَم يَخرُج مِنَ الدُنيا بِوَفرِ

    And how can a man increase his wealth,

    when he leaves this world with none?

  3. وَلَم أَرَ مِثلَ أَيّامي سِراعاً

    خُيولَ فَوارِسٍ وَرِكابَ سَفرِ

    Nor have I seen, as swift as my days,

    horsemen’s steeds or travelers’ riding camels.

  4. لَقَد عَجِبوا لِأَهلِ البَيتِ لَمّا

    أَتاهُم عِلمُهُم في مَسكِ جَفرِ

    Indeed, they marveled at the People of the House when

    their knowledge came to them in a young goat’s hide.

  5. وَمِرآةُ المَنجِمِ وَهِيَ صُغرى

    أَرَتهُ كُلَّ عامِرَةٍ وَقَفرِ

    And the astrologer’s mirror, though small,

    showed him every inhabited place and wasteland.