عَصاني فَما لاقَى الرَشادَ وَإِنَّما

تَبَيَّنَ مِن أَمرِ الغَوِيِّ عَواقِبُه

My twig did not find guidance, but rather

The consequences of the misguided became apparent.

فَأَصبَحَ مَحمولاً عَلى ظَهرِ أَلَّةٍ

يَمُجُّ نَجِيعَ الجَوفِ مِنهُ تَرائِبُه

So it ended up carried on the back of a camel,

Its innards oozing out from the jostling.

فَإِلاّ تَجلَّلَها يُعالوكَ فَوقَها

وَكيفَ تَوَقَّى ظَهرَ ما أَنتَ راكِبُه

Unless you ride high above it,

How will you avoid the back of what you ride?