أَحسَنُ مِن تِسعينَ بَيتاً سُدىً

جَمعُكَ مَعناهُنَّ في بَيتِ

Better than ninety verses vainly strung

Is the one verse whose meaning's truly wrung.

ما أَحوَجَ المُلكَ إِلى مَطرَةٍ

تَغسِلُ عَنهُ وَضَرَ الزَيتِ

How much the rule of men stands in need

Of one to wash away its greed.