ما يمنعُ الخادمَ من قَصْدهِ ال

خدمةَ غيرُ الطُّرْق والوحلِ

Nothing prevents the servant from his purpose

Except the muddy, rutted roads.

كأَنّما مَوْصلكم مقطعٌ

ما يُهتدى فيه إلى وصلِ

It is as though your destination were cut off -

No path leads to your goal.

وكلُّ مَنْ حلَّ بها لا يرى

في زمنِ الخصبِ سوى المحلِ

And all who come here see

In times of bounty only barrenness.

ومذ دخلناها حصلنا بها

كرهاً على خرجٍ بلا دخلِ

Since entering it, we have found

Regret instead of profit.

أَصعبُ ما نلقاهُ من أَهلها

قولٌ بلا أهلٍ ولا سهلِ

The most difficult thing we meet of its people

Is words without people or plains.

وكنتُ أَهواها ولكنّني

لقيتُ منها كلَّ ما يسلي

I loved it, but I have found in it

Everything that pains me.

وأَنتَ مَنْ أَصبحَ إحسانُهُ

حليةَ هذا الزَّمنِ العُطلِ

And you are one whose kindness

Has become the adornment of this futile age.