1. لِيَثْنِ هذا الزمانُ من طَمَعِه

    ما أنا من صابِه ولا سَلَعِهْ

    Let this age curb its greed;

    I have no share in its bitter ṣāb or salaʿ plants.

  2. هذا نظيفٌ إذا الزمانُ رنا

    إليه مات الزَّمانُ من فَزَعه

    This is Nazif; when Time looks

    at him, Time dies of fright.

  3. كيف يرومُ الزمانُ غِرَّتنا

    إِذ أحصَنتْنا الحصونُ من خِلَعه

    How can Time seek to catch us unawares,

    when fortresses of his robes of honor have sheltered us?

  4. خزٌّ ووشيٌ حكى مُقَمَّعُه

    ما حاك هذا الربيعُ من قِطَعه

    Silk-and-wool cloth and brocade, whose patterned weave echoes

    the pieces of cloth this spring has woven.

  5. يزدادُ لمعاً إذا نواظرنا

    زادت مساماتَنا إلى لُمَعه

    It grows in brilliance when our eyes

    strain ever higher toward its gleams.

  6. فزيُّنا الدهرَ زيُّ آخرَ في

    أَيام أعيادِه وفي جُمَعه

    So our garb at all times is another's garb on

    his festival days and on his Fridays.

  7. سقياً له صانعاً ومصطنعاً

    أجل وسقياً له وَمُصطنِعه

    May rain bless him, as benefactor and protégé;

    yes, may rain bless him and his patron.

  8. رآهُ في المكرماتِ متبعاً

    فكان أسنى مَن كان مِن تَبَعه

    He saw him following his example in noble deeds,

    so he was the most illustrious among his followers.