حرسَ الدهرَ بعينٍ لم تنمْ

فهي ما تفيدُ قوماً تُصلِحُ

It watched over fate with an eye that did not sleep

So it benefits a people it reforms

يبتني بالمجدِ ما يهدِمُه

ويداوي بالنّدى ما يجرحُ

It cures me of glory that demolishes

And heals with dew what wounds

أنهكَتْ أموالَه أفعالُه

كانتهاكِ الزّنْدِ إذ يقتَدَحُ

His deeds exhausted his wealth

Like igniting tinder when it kindles

فهو لو ساءَلْتَه في نفسِه

وهيَ لا أفضلُ منها يسمَحُ

If you were to ask him about himself

It is no more virtuous than he is tolerant

واحدٌ كالألْفِ لكنْ فاتَهُم

فهْو في الكفّةِ منهم أرجَحُ

One like a thousand but they missed it

So it is weightier on the scale than them

يسّر المُبهمَ فيهم فاغتدوا

جُملةً منه علينا تشرَحُ

It eased the ambiguous among them so they transgressed

A group from it to us is revealed

أجمَعَ الناسُ على تقديسه

فهو في أوّلِ ما يُفتَتَحُ

The people unanimously agreed upon its sanctification

So it is among the first of what is opened

جاهلٌ ولّد فيه عالِماً

عندَه قام الدليلُ الأوضحُ

An ignorant person whom it birthed knowledgeable

With it the clearest proof was established