لَو أَنَّ أَهلَ الدّارِ لَم يَتَصَدَّعوا

رَأَيتَ خِلالَ الدّارِ مَلهىً وَمَلعَبا

If the people of the house had not become divided

You would have seen through the house, amusement and playfulness

فَإِنَّكَ عَمري هَل أُريكَ ظَعائِناً

سَلَكنَ عَلى رُكنِ الشَطاةِ فَتَيأَبا

For have you ever seen, my life, our mischiefs

That walked the path of wantonness, so they became disgusted

عَلَيهُنَّ عَينٌ مِن ظِباءِ تَبالَةٍ

أَوانِسُ يُصبينَ الحَليمَ المُجَرِّبا

With eyes of scheming hyenas observing

Friends who seduce the forbearing and tested man

إِذا جاءَ باغي الخَيرِ قُلنَ فُجاءَةً

لَهُ بِوُجوهٍ كَالدَنانيرِ مَرحَبا

When the seeker of good comes suddenly they say

With faces like gold coins, welcome

وَأَهلاً فَلا مَمنوعُ خَيرٍ طَلَبتَهُ

وَلا أَنتَ تَخشى عِندَنا أَن تُؤَنَّبا

Greetings, no good you sought is forbidden

You need not fear any reproach from us

فَلا تَحسَبَنّي كُنتُ مَولى اِبنِ مِشكِمٍ

سَلامٍ وَلا مَولى حُيَيِّ بنِ أَخطَبا

Do not think I was a client of Ibn Mishkam

Or of Salam or a client of Huwayy son of Akhtab