1. أَلا يا جَونَ ماوُفِّقتَ

    إِن زايَلتَ قاموسَك

    Ah, Jawn, you will not prosper

    if you leave your ocean's depths.

  2. وَرَأيِي لَكَ في العالَ

    مِ أَن تَلزَمَ ناموسَك

    And my counsel to you in this world

    is to remain in your secluded abode.

  3. وَما يَبقى عَلى الأَيّا

    مِ لا موسى وَلا موسَك

    And nothing endures through the days—

    neither Moses nor your razor.

  4. وَيا راهِبُ لا أَلحا

    كَ أَن تَضرِب ناقوسَك

    And, monk, I do not reproach you

    for ringing your bell.

  5. وَما أَجنَأَ مَن جاءَكَ

    يَرمي بِالأَذى قوسَك

    And how crooked is he who comes to you

    to assail your cloister with harm.

  6. وَما تَعصِمُكَ الوَحدَ

    ةُ أَن تَنزِلَ ناوُوسَك

    And solitude will not protect you

    from descending into your tomb.

  7. وَيا رازيّ ما لِلخَي

    لِ لا تَمنَعُ شالوسَك

    And, man of Rayy, what ails the cavalry

    that they do not defend your Chalus?

  8. أَخافُ الدَهرَ أَن يُبدِ

    لَ نَعماءَ الغِنى بوسَك

    I fear that time will exchange

    the blessings of wealth for your misery.

  9. أَسعَدُ المُشتَري أَوحَ

    شَ مِن عِزِّكَ مَأنوسَك

    Has Jupiter's good fortune estranged

    your familiar companion through your might?

  10. أَلا تَنهَضُ لِلحَربِ

    وَتَدعو لِلوَغى شُوسَك

    Will you not rise to war

    and summon your fierce warriors to battle?

  11. وَكَم تَحبِسُ زِريابَكَ

    في السِجنِ وَطاوُوسَك

    And how long will you keep your blackbird

    in prison, along with your peacock?

  12. فَإِنَّ الوَحشَ في البَيدا

    ءِ ضاهي سوسُها سوسَك

    For the wild beasts in the wilderness

    have a nature that mirrors yours.

  13. وَلا تَأمَنُ في الحِندِ

    سِ مِن وَطئِكَ فاعوسَك

    And in the pitch-darkness, do not feel safe

    from stepping on your viper.

  14. وَمِن عاداتِ رَيبِ الدَه

    رِ أَن يَذعَرَ بابوسَك

    And among the habits of time's vicissitudes

    is to terrify your little child.

  15. فَسَل نُعمانَكَ الأَوَّ

    لَ عَن ذاكَ وَقابوسَك

    So ask your first Nuʿman

    about that—and your Qabus.