وَقالوا أَسعَدُ بنُ الياسَ أَضحى

وَقالوا أَسعَدُ بنُ الياسَ أَضحى

رَئيساً لا حَوَتهُ يَدُ السُعودِ

رَئيساً لا حَوَتهُ يَدُ السُعودِ

And they said, “Asʿad ibn Ilyas has become

And they said As'ad, son of Ilyas, has become

a chief”—may good fortune’s hand never embrace him.

a chief—may the hand of good fortune never embrace him.

وَلا أَهجو الوُجودَ وَقَد حَواهُ

وَلا أَهجو الوُجودَ وَقَد حَواهُ

فَإِنَّ وُجودَهُ هجوُ الوُجودِ

فَإِنَّ وُجودَهُ هجوُ الوُجودِ

I do not satirize existence, given that it contains him;

And I do not satirize existence, which already contains him;

for his existence is the satire of existence.

for his existence is a satire of existence.