أَصبَحتُ قَد جَمَّحتُ في كِسرِ بَيتِكُم

كَما جَمَّحَ الضِبعانُ بَينَ السَخابِرِ

I have become like a hyena prowling around your broken home

As the two hyenas prowled between the resting places

بِعَينَينِ مَلحاوَينِ أَخنى عَلَيهِما

مُرورُ اللَيالي كابِراً بَعدَ كابِرِ

With two tearful eyes that the passing nights have wept over

Night after long night

أَطَعتُم بَني الكَنّاتِ حَتّى رَمَينَ بي

عَلى حَفَضٍ مُستَمسِكاً بِالمَشاجِرِ

You obeyed the people of treachery until they pelted me

With stones while I clung desperately to the walls

وَأَلقَينَ فَوقي كُلَّ ثَوبٍ وَجَدنَهُ

مِنَ القُرِّ في لَيلِ الشِتاءِ الصَنابِرِ

And they threw over me every garment they could find

From the cold nights of winter's miserable rags

وَقُلنَ أَبوكُم شِقوَةٌ لَحِقَت بِكُم

كَذَبنَ وَلَكِن هُنَّ إِحدى النَظائِرِ

And they said, “your father brought misfortune upon you"

They lied, but they are all of the same kind

وَلَكِن سَمِعنَ الشَيخَ قَد قالَ قَولَةً

عَلَيكُم إِذا ما رِبنَكُم بِالضَرائِرِ

But they did hear the sheikh say words

Against you when misfortune afflicts you

وَلا تَأَمَنوا كَيدَ النِساءِ وَأَمسِكوا

عُرى المالِ عَن أَبنائِهِنَّ الأَصاغِرِ

Do not trust the wiles of women, and restrain

The ties of wealth from their young children

فَإِنَّكَ لَم يُنذِركَ أَمراً تَخافُهُ

إِذا كُنتَ مِنهُ جاهِلاً مِثلُ خابِرِ

For no matter will frighten you that you fear

If you are ignorant of it like an old fool