1. القَلبُ كَالماءِ وَالأَهواءُ طافِيَةٌ

    عَلَيهِ مِثلَ حَبابِ الماءِ في الماءِ

    The heart is like water, and desires float

    Upon it, like water’s bubbles in water.

  2. مِنهُ تَنَمَّت وَيَأتي ما يُغَيِّرُها

    فَيُخلِقُ العَهدَ مِن هِندٍ وَأَسماءِ

    From it they grew, and something comes that changes them,

    And so wears thin the bond with Hind and Asma’.

  3. وَالقَولُ كَالخَلقِ مِن سَيءٍ وَمِن حَسَنٍ

    وَالناسُ كَالدَهرِ مِن نورٍ وَظَلماءِ

    And speech is like creation: some bad and some good,

    And people are like time: light and darkness.

  4. يُقالُ إِنَّ زَماناً يَستَقيدُ لَهُم

    حَتّى يُبَدِّلَ مِن بُؤسٍ بِنَعماءِ

    It is said that an age will yield to them,

    Until it replaces misery with prosperity,

  5. وَيوجَدُ الصَقرُ في الدَرماءِ مُعتَقِداً

    رَأيَ اِمرِىءِ القَيسِ في عَمرو بنِ دَرماءِ

    And the falcon will be found regarding the hare

    As Imru’ al-Qays regarded ‘Amr ibn Darma’.

  6. وَلَستُ أَحسِبُ هَذا كائِناً أَبَداً

    فَاِبغِ الوُرودَ لِنَفسٍ ذاتَ أَظماءِ

    But I do not think this will ever come to pass,

    So seek water for a soul beset by thirst.