ألا يا لِقومي للرّسُومِ تَبِيدُ

وَعَهْدُكَ مِمّنْ حَبْلُهُنَّ جَدِيدُ

Alas, O my people, the customs are perishing,

And your covenant is from those whose rope is new.

ولِلدّارِ بعدَ الحيّ يُبْكِيكَ رَسْمُها

وما الدّارُ إلا دِمْنَةٌ وصَعِيدُ

And the abode after life makes its mark weep,

And the abode is but a pile of dust.

لقد زادَ نفسي بابنِ وَرْدٍ كَرَامَةً

َلَيَّ رِجالٌ في الرّجالِ عَبيدُ

Indeed my soul has gained nobility through the son of Ward,

Men who among men are slaves come to me.

يَسُوقونَ أموالاً وما سَعِدُوا بها

وهمْ عندَ مَثْنَاةِ القِيامِ قُعُودُ

They lead riches, but were not made happy through them,

And they are seated at the appointed time of rising.

ولاسوَّدَ المالُ اللئيمَ ولا دنا

لذاك ولكنَّ الكريمَ يَسودُ

Wealth does not blacken the miserable one, nor come near him,

But the generous one it makes black.

وكائِنْ رأينا من غَنيٍّ مُذَمَّمٍ

وصُعْلوكِ قَومٍ ماتَ وهو حميدُ

And we have seen a wealthy man, despised,

And rags of a people who died while noble.

وليس الغنى والفقرُ مِن حِيلةِ الفتى

ولكنْ أَحَاظٍ قُسِّمتْ وجُدُودُ

And wealth and poverty are not of the cunning of the youth,

But fortunes allotted and generous.

وما يكسبُ المالَ الفتى بجلادِه

لديه ولكنْ خَائِبٌ وسَعيدُ

And the youth earns no wealth by his striving,

For him there is only loser and gainer.

إذا المرءُ أَعْيَتُه المروءةَ ناشِئًا

فَمَطْلَبُها كَهْلاً عليه شَدِيدُ

When manliness wearies the youth at first,

Then seeking it when aged is difficult.