أَعِينا امْرَءاً نَزَحَتْ عَيْنُهُ

ولا تَعْجَبا مِن جُفُونٍ جِمادِ

I helped a man whose eyes overflowed

Be not amazed at unfeeling eyelids

إِذا القَلْبُ أَحْرَقَهُ بَثُّهُ

فإِنَّ المَدامِعَ شِلْوُ الفُؤادِ

When the heart scorches him with its ardour

Then tears are the outpouring of the heart

يَوَدُّ الفَتى مَنْهَلاً خالِياً

وسَعْدُ المَنِيَّةِ في كُلِّ وادِ

The youth yearns for an empty spring

And the good fortune of death in every valley

ويَعْرِفُ للكَوْنِ ما في يَدَيْهِ

وَما الكَوْنُ إِلا نَذِيرُ الفَسادِ

And he knows what's in his hands for the universe

Yet the universe is but a harbinger of corruption

لقد عثر الدّهْرُ بالسابقي

نَ ولم يُعْجِزِ المَوْتَ ركض الجَوادِ

Time has stumbled with the forerunners

And death has not failed to outrun the steed

لَعَمْرُكَ ما رَدَّ رَيْبَ الرَّدَى

أَرِيبٌ ولا جَاهِدٌ باجْتِهادِ

By your life, ruin's suspicion is irreversible

Suspected yet no fighter with endeavor

سِهامُ المَنايا تُصِيبُ الفَتى

ولَوْ ضَرَبُوا دُونَه بالسِّدادِ

The arrows of doom strike the youth

Even if they shot wide of the mark

أَصَبْنَ على بَطْشِهِمْ جُرْهُما

وأَصْمَيْنَ في دارِهِمْ قَوْمَ عَادِ

They hit their target with their onslaught

And deafened a folk in their abode

وأَقْعَصْنَ كَلْباً على عِزِّهِ

فما اعْتَزَّ بالصّافِناتِ الجيادِ

And crippled a dog in its prime

Yet it took no pride in the purebred steeds

وَلَكِنَّني خانَني مَعْشَرِي

ورُدْتُ يَفاعاً وبِيلَ المَرادِ

But my comrades betrayed me

And I recoiled, failing my purpose

وَهل ضَرَبَ السّيْفُ مِن غَيْرِ كَفٍّ

وهل ثَبُتَ الرَّأْسُ في غَيْرِ هادِ

Has the sword ever struck without a wrist?

Has the head ever stood without a neck?