أَلا قُل لِلمَريضِ القَلبِ مَهلاً

فَإِنَّ السَيفَ قَد ضَمِنَ الشِفاءَ

Alas! Tell the sick at heart to have patience,

For the sword has guaranteed healing.

وَلَم أَرَ كَالنِفاقِ شَكاةَ غِرٍّ

وَلا كَدَمِ الوَريدِ لَهُ دَواءَ

I have not seen hypocrisy complain of harm,

Nor does the bleeding vein have a remedy.

وَقَد دَمّى النَجيعُ هُناكَ أَرضاً

وَقَد شَمَلَ العَجاجُ بِهِ سَماءَ

The stars have bloodied the earth over there,

And the Pleiades have covered the sky with it.

وَديسَ بِهِ اِنحِطاطاً بَطنُ وادٍ

مُذ أَعشَبَ شَعرُ لِحيَتِهِ ضَراءَ

The belly of the valley has become low with it

Since the hair of his beard grew gray.