1. أَلَصُبحُ أَصبَحُ وَالظَلا

    مُ كَما تَراهُ أَحَمُّ حالِك

    Dawn is bright, and the dark—

    —ness, as you see it, is coal-black, pitch-dark.

  2. يَتَبارَيانِ وَيَسلُكا

    نِ إِلى الوَرى ضيقَ المَسالِك

    They vie with one another and make their way

    Toward humankind along narrow paths.

  3. أَسَدانِ يَفتَرِسانِ مَن

    مَرّا بِهِ فَأَبَه لِذالِك

    Two lions, devouring whoever

    They pass by—so take heed of that.

  4. حَمَلا المَمالِكَ عَن رِدىً

    قاضٍ إِلى خانٍ وَآلِك

    They carried kingdoms from the mantle

    Of a judge to a khan and an alik.

  5. أَودى المُلوكَ عَلى اِحتِرا

    سِهِمُ وَلم تَبقَ المَمالِك

    Kings were laid low, despite their watchful—

    —ness; nor did the kingdoms endure.

  6. لا يَكذِبَنَّ مُؤَجَّلٌ

    ما سالِمٌ إِلّا كَهالِك

    Let no one whose end is deferred speak falsely:

    The safe are no different from the doomed.

  7. يا رَضوَ لا أَرجو لِقا

    أَكَ بَل أَخافَ لِقاءَ مالِك

    O Ridwan, I do not hope to meet

    You; rather, I fear meeting Malik.