1. The preacher with graying hair admonished me to piety, while my heart remained playful.
He showed me the face of death drawing near, yet I continued headlong.

2. The pleasures of the world have enchanted me, and my accustomed indulgences, so my body is aged while my heart remains a child's.
I have vanquished reason with passion, so the lamp of guidance is obscured beneath the darkness.

3. The eye of my mentor has abandoned me to my heedlessness and a harsh night has descended upon me.
It has changed my bygone nights when my ignorance made me recoil from events.

4. The boughs of worldly life are near, its streams gentle,
While the abode of Sulayma continues to decay, worn by time,

5. Like the empty desert tents, their ropes frayed,
Where the jackals and wild beasts howl.

6. Some recent ruins, others long collapsed,
Their curved and twisted pillars eaten by dawn and dusk.

7. So they belong each day to the wind and their remoteness makes humans seem strange.
Every abode has a duty of tears to shed from my eyes until the rain clouds are sated.

8. An evil soul has punished me with enmity and estrangement, while my susceptible heart still flows.
I am astonished that those who wished evil upon me did not hurt me, for my Lord is High, Knowing, and Generous.

9. Beware, o envious ones, do not deny me forgiveness, for it is my flesh that is weak.
I am the eminent one, who bears the burden as time, the weeping one, passes.

10. The train of my coat fills the earth as the flooding torrent fills its banks.
The scales weigh for me a kingdom and glory — none of mankind is my equal.

11. Yet I supposed the wretched and resentful ones to be happy and fortunate.
They turned from me but did not harm me, for I have a Lord Most High, Bountiful.

12. An open expanse where the winds howl and frighten the demons,
Where the great birds land before it, their wings outstretched.

13. I have crossed it, underneath me a steed swift in gallop and strong.
The reins are pulled taut, like a tightly strung bow.

14. Like the son of a barren land who found an isolated rain,
That poured towards him while plentiful and pure.

15. His lands flourished with vegetation, its sap cold and sweet.
Sitting on the earth, he sends up a foot to walk among the fresh verdure.

16. Whenever he sinks into the soil, it forms for him a soft bed.
So he lives there secure from the reach of the seekers of plunder, with water, onions and mint around him.

17. A stallion neighing loudly as a refined mare neighs melodiously.
The seasons agree with him there, and he has a resting place, a siesta spot, a pleasant summer and autumn.

18. When he clasps money in his palms he walks about content and carefree.
Pregnant camels have filled him with anxiety so he walks behind them slowly.

19. They come to him together as revelation drew its followers.
He calls them to the water, thirsty, and the unruly one hastens to drink.

20. Whenever he smells a pregnant one he smells the leg of her restless foal.
Emerging from the shade of palms, as the debauched and vain one shed his garb.

21. Bargaining and pulling has left them like leather sacks.
For them the clear water in the polished trough appeared,

22. Rippling over the pebbles from which the wind had stolen the moss.
When a pearl of sunlight laughs upon it, jewels are shed over it.

23. Amid trees and bushes he sings, above their branches like the shining moon.
There he has supplies for arrows stained with blood,

24. Each day a roasted lamb, its fat dripping.
He lies in wait for them with a sharpened carving knife, its blade glowing red over the embers.