وأطلسَ ما في سَعْيهِ غيرَ أنّهُ

يَضيقُ عليهِ الرزقُ والخرقُ واسِعُ

His efforts avail him naught but want and need remain,

While food and raiment bounteous doth his brother gain.

يخافُ أخوهُ حِرصَهُ وهو طاعِمٌ

وتَهرُبُ منه عِرسُه وهو جائعُ

From his own soul on lone hill-top he asks relief;

His heart replies, "Renounce delusions, which deceive."

علا شرفَ البيداءِ يسألُ أنفَهُ

بياناً وقد أكْدَتْ عليه المَسامِعُ

He hears the wind blow tidings of a crumbling heap,

A straw at mercy of the wind high piles to sweep.

فنمّتْ إليه الريحُ أنّ شَظيّةً

وبهماً بأكنافِ السّماوةِ ضائعُ

Down from his tear-wrung eyes he draws a veil, and shrinks

From fraud and guile, which only harm to those who use.

فزعزعَ من قُطريهِ يَدْألُ ظالِعاً

وما هو إلاّ للخَديعةِ ظالعُ

Through lack and less from greater grows the greater greed,

When men with fortune's favours are of fortune freed.

على كل حالٍ من يَسار وَفاقَةٍ

يَسيرُ بما أهدتْ إليهِ المَطامِعُ

The coward in the storm clouds of adversity

Seeks for himself their sheltering wings' security.

إذا غَمرةٌ هابَ الجَبانُ خِياضَها

تَوَرّدَها ماضٍ على الهولِ طالعُ

His streaming tears and flooding sobs pass unchecked,

Except by walls which echo back his cries unchecked.

سَرى ماله تحتَ الظّلامِ وسيْلَةٌ

إلى الحيّ إلاّ خَطْمُهُ والأكارِعُ

But when the clouds dissolve, and shows the sun more bright,

He scans the heavens, with tears and sobs he takes his flight.

وأبصرها فوضى فَسارعَ تاركاً

رَويَّتَهُ أنّ الحَريصَ مُسارعُ

Contempt, when she saw his woe, past bearing longer, drew

The fragment of his cloak, and bade him speed anew.

رأتْ قَدْرَهُ فانضمّ يسرقُ شَطْرَهُ

أزل كصدرِ الرمحِ بالخيلِ بارِعُ

Woe to the man, who when the clouds their burden rain

Seeks not fresh courage, and high resolve again.

فوَيْلُمِّهِ لو كان يومَ غَوارِهِ

عن المجدِ يَحمي أو عليهِ يُقارِعُ

To stand 'gainst triumph, and his spirits to renew.