هَجَوتَ صَريحَ الكاهِنَينِ وَفيكُمُ

لَهُم نِعَمٌ كانَت مِنَ الدَهرِ تُرتُبا

You have reviled the priests openly, yet

They enjoyed favors of old standing

أُولَئِكَ أَحرى لَو بَكَيتَ عَليهِمُ

وَقَومُكَ لَو أَدَّوا مِنَ الحَقِّ موجَبا

Better you wept for their like; your people,

Had they but done their duty, were absolved.

مِنَ الشُكرِ إِنَّ الشُكرَ خَيرٌ مَغَبَّةً

وَأَوفَقُ فِعلاً لِلَّذي كانَ أَصوَبا

Gratitude is seemlier than grumbling plaint;

More meet in him who found the right thing apt.

فَكُنتَ كَمَن أَمسى يُقَطِّعُ رَأسَهُ

لِيَبلُغَ عِزّاً كانَ فيهِ مُرَكَّبا

Thus you are as one who splits his head that he

May win regard now crumbled and decayed.

فَبَكِّ بَني هارونَ وَاِذكُر فَعالَهُم

وَقَتلَهُمُ لِلجوعِ إِذ كُنتَ مُجدِبا

Weep then for Aaron's seed, recall their deeds,

Whom you once starved when harvests went agley.

أَخَوّاتُ أَذرِ الدَمعَ بِالدَمعِ وَاِبكِهِم

وَأَعرِض عَنِ المَكروهِ مِنهُم وَنَكِّبا

Sisters, bedew the tear with tear and mourn them;

From what offends in them turn thou away.

فَإِنَّكَ لَو لاقَيتَهُم في دِيارِهِم

لَأُلفيتَ عَمّا قَد تَقولُ مُنَكِّبا

Did you but meet them in their dwellings, you

Would turn from much you say, a visage bent.

سِراعٌ إِلى العَليا كِرامٌ لَدى الوَغى

يُقالُ لِباغي الخَيرِ أَهلاً وَمَرحَبا

To lofty things they sped, worthy when turmoil reigned;

To well-doers of good, hail and welcome.