يا لَلرجالِ توسّموا وتبيَّنوا

في خالدٍ شبهاً منَ الحجاجِ

O men, beware and take heed,

Of a Khalid whose traits resemble Al-Hajjaj,

إغضاؤُهُ عمَّن يُقرُّ بذنبه

وحلول نقمته بكلِّ مُداجي

Whose anger is unleashed at the one who admits his sin,

And whose wrath befalls all vagrants.

رجل يحب الصادقين لصدقهم

والصدقُ أفضل نَجوةٍ للناجي

A man who loves the truthful for their honesty,

And truthfulness is the best salvation for one in distress.

صَدقَتْهُ أمُّ عياله عمّا بها

من شهوة الإِيلاج والإِخراجِ

His mother's honesty from what was in her,

Of the desire for penetration and withdrawal.

فأباحها شهواتِها وأَجَرَّها

حبلَ السِّفاح كأكرم الأزواجِ

So he permitted her desires and allowed her

The rope of adultery like the most generous of husbands.