زَعَمَ الركبُ والاحاديثُ تَنْمي

بالمَخَازي والمجدُ خيرُ أَلِيفِ

The caravan claimed, and the tales grew,

With liars, while glory is a better comrade.

اِنَّ جَبّاً من عامر أَكلوا الجَارَ

وباعوا دمارهم بالوَظِيفِ

Indeed a group from 'Amir ate their neighbor

And sold their conscience for a job.

لا هُمُ حاربوا الملامةَ بالعذ

رِ ولا استوحشُوا من التَّعنيفِ

They neither fought blame with excuse,

Nor felt ashamed of rebuke.

ولعَمري لولا العُقُولُ لما كا

نتْ جُسومُ الرجالِ غيرَ طُرُوفِ

By my life, were it not for minds,

The bodies of men would be no more than fabrics.

أَين عنكم أحلامُ قيسٍ وقد ضا

قَ بها ذرعُ شعبِها والحَلِيفِ

Where are your dreams, O Qays, which

Filled the expanse of its plains and friends?

أَنِفوا ما يقالُ في عاقلِ العُص

مِ فَسالوا على القَنا والسُّيوفِ

Be dignified whatever is said of the wise one's epoch,

And march on spears and swords!

ركِبَ العجزَ والتواني فتىً عرْ

رَض باقي آجالها للحُتُوفِ

Decrepitude and cowardice rode a noble youth

Who was content with his remaining days for shrouds.

لا حدودَ الوفاءِ حاطَ ولم ير

عَ حقوقَ الانعامِ والتشَّريفِ

He neglected the limits of loyalty,

And neglected the rights of favors and honor.

ما انتفاعُ الانوفِ بالشَّمَمِ المش

رفِ منها على الشفاهِ المنيفِ

Of what use are the noses of the prestigious

Scenting them from the mustache of the frowning one?

مَعْشَرٌ شَمَّرَ المناخِرَ منهم

أَنِفٌ لم يَزَلُ لهم في الانوفِ

A group who defiantly sniffed,

Yet their noses were always stuck up in the air!