علمت بأن الحطام انصرف

وأدبر ما كان إلا الشرف

I learned that the wreckage had gone away

And what was left was nothing but honor

وأنك بعت المنى واشتريـ

ـت فخانك في ذاك سوق الصُدف

And that you had sold wishes and bought

Shells, so the market deceived you in that

وأسرفت تبغى عريض الغنى

أقبلك من ناله بالسرف

And you were excessive seeking wide riches

I welcome whoever attained them with moderation

وما هو إلا انقباض اليدين

رجاء الصيان وخوف التلف

It is nothing but the clenching of hands

Hoping to preserve and fearing harm

وحبك مالِك حب الحياة

وحفظك مالك حفظ التحف

Your love is the love of life

Keeping you is keeping antiques

فقلت لعل الأديب انتهى

وكان له عظة ما سلف

So I said perhaps the poet has ended

And for him a lesson from what is past

أتدركه حرفة جازها

قديما إلى غيرها في الحرف

Does an occupation occur to him

That he transitioned from long ago to another craft

وقد هجر النظم نظم الجمان

وقد هجر النثر نثر الطرف

He has abandoned the rhymes of poems

And abandoned the prose of charm

ومن كان ثروته عقله

يبيع الجواهر بيع الخزف

And whoever's wealth is his mind

Sells gems in the sale of pottery