لا تَغْشَ إلا ملكاً في منزلِهْ

يُعرضُ في مشربهِ ومأكلِهْ

Do not be deceived by a king in his abode

Displayed in his drink and his food

وفي تلهّيه وفي تعلُّلِهْ

وما يريه الحقُّ من تفضُّلِهْ

And in his amusements and excuses

And what truth shows of his generosity

على أخٍ يأوي إلى تطوُّلِهْ

عن أمِّهِ وعرسه وعُدَّلِهْ

To a brother seeking his favor

Away from his mother, his wedding, and his peers

لا عبدُه مستمكنٌ من مقتلِهْ

ولا مُلاهيه لدى تنقُّلِهْ

His slave cannot save him from being killed

Nor can his diversions when he travels about

ومن عجيبِ الأمرِ بل من مُعْضلِهْ

مُخوَّلٌ يصغي إلى مُخوّلِهْ

And of the wondrous matters, nay of its riddles

A deputy listens to his deputy

يوهمُ بالصبرِ على تدللِهْ

إنَّ به داهيةً في أسفلِهْ

Feigning patience for his caprice

In him is villainy in his deepest place

ما ذاك من أمرِ الفتى بأجملِهْ

ولا بأسْناهُ لدى تأمُّلِهْ

That is not the way of the noble youth

When he contemplates in full