رُبَّ ذي شبلين قَسوَرَةٍ

قد أَجَمَّ الحَينُ في أَجَمِه

Many a lion with sharp claws,

Whose time has gathered during his days,

موتُ من يرديه عيشتهُ

فهو مجبولٌ على رغمه

The death of one whose life harms him,

So he is forcibly restrained.

لا ترى حَيّاً يُطيفُ بهِ

لا ولا يدنو إلى حَرَمِه

You do not see anyone circling around him,

Nor coming near his sanctuary.

كمِجَنِّ الحربِ هامتُهُ

وكغَورِ الغارِ رَحبُ فَمِه

Like the insane warrior is his madness,

And like the spaciousness of the cave is the width of his mouth.

وكجدلِ الجذعِ قَصرَتُهُ

وكهضبٍ ضخمُ مُلتَزَمِه

And like the shortness of the trunk is his shortness,

And like the massiveness of the hill is his sturdiness.

وكضَّفرِ القِدِّ ساعِدُهُ

وكَوَهدٍ رحبُ مُبتَسمه

And like the whiteness of old age are his forearms,

And like the wideness of the meadow is his smile.

وكَوَقبِ الشِعبِ مُقلتُهُ

وَكَلِصبٍ شعب مُلتَهَمِهِ

And like the cutting of a mountain pass is his wit,

And like a melting iceberg are his incisors.

وكأنَّ البرق ما قَدَحَت

عَينُه باللحظ من ضَرَمِه

As if lightning kindled,

His eyes in a glance from his eyelids.

وكناب النابِ مخلبُهُ

حين يَنحيه بمُختَطَمِه

And like the claw of a leopard are his claws,

When he waves them in his gathering.

وكأنَّ الموتَ معترضٌ

بين لَحيَيهِ ومُلتَثَمِه

As if death lies in wait,

Between his cheeks and his pressed-together lips.

وكأن الرعد ما انتزعت

نفسه بالدار من سَدَمِه

And as if thunder had snatched away,

His soul forcefully from his innards.

وكأجناد المحاسب ما

بين متنيه إلى قممه

And like the troops of the Reckoner are what is

Between his shoulders to his top.

وكوَشكِ الدهرِ خطفتهُ

حين تلفيه على وَجَمِه

And as if the days of life snatched him,

When they wrapped around his body.

وكآجلٍ تسيرُ إلى

عُمُرٍ أمضاء معتزمه

And like an appointed time going

To the past days determined.

وكأنَّ السيفَ منصلتاً

كَرُّهُ إذ ذادَ عن حرمه

As if the sword unsheathed

His stubbornness when he protected his sanctuary.

إن يكن رزقُ الورى قِسماً

فجميعُ الخلقِ من قِسَمِه

If the sustenance of life is apportioned,

Then all creation is from His apportioning.

عبثت كفُّ المنون به

فأباته على نِقَمِه

The hand of death toyed with him,

So he resisted it in his vengeance.

بضئيل الحال مُعترضٍ

وخَفيَّ الآل مُكتَتِمِه

With meager condition, suffering,

And supporters subtly concealing him.

ذا عليه طِمرُ ذي شَعَثٍ

مَلَّت الأيامُ من قِدَمِه

Upon him is the dust of the disheveled,

The days have become long from his feet.

ولذا درعٌ مُلَبَّدَةٌ

طال ما يلقاه من كَلَمِه

So his coat of mail is corroded,

Prolonged by what he meets of his word.

من لباس الشاء موثقه

وظهيرُ الشيح ملتئمه

Fastened with the clothing of sheep,

And the leather of Shim* adhering to him.

لم يرعه غير فجأته

باركاً يسعى إلى وَقَمه

None cautioned him but suddenly

Barel** came seeking his elevation.

وازبأرَّ الليثُ واعتَوَرَت

بالَهُ الأوجالُ من لَمَمِه

And the lion roared and the plains

Were disturbed by his violence.

ثمَّ دَكَّتهُ حفيظتُه

واعاد النار من عزمه

Then his anger subdued him

And returned the fire from his resolve.

فأحسَّ الكفُّ ضِلَّتَهُ

منعتها سوء مقتحمه

So the palm sensed its misguidance,

Depriving it of the evil of its undertakings.

وسعى المُخفي مكيدتَه

بكبولٍ مُنَّ في حزمه

And the deceitful one sought his schemes

With fetters refined in his bundle.

ومُكِمَّاتٍ واكسية

فأجادَ الشدَّ من خَطَمِه

And mufflers and garments,

So he excelled in firmness from his mouth.

واغضَّ الكبلُ نخوتَهُ

ثم تلَّ القيدَ في قَدَمِه

And the shackles subdued his haughtiness,

Then the chains dragged in his feet.

فرأيت الليثَ منجدلاً

لائذاً من هَضمِ مُهتَضِمِه

Thus I saw the lion fallen,

Taking refuge from his destructive destroyer.

إنَّ في هذا لمعتَبَراً

لسديد الرأي مُنبَرِمِه

Verily in this is a lesson,

For the judicious one, denouncing.