لَيسَ التَعَجّبُ إِلّا مِن بَني زَمَن

لَم يَنزَعِ المُلكُ عَنهُم بُردَةَ اللُوَّمِ

Wonder comes only from the sons of bygone days

From whom the cloak of blame was never removed

هُم عَلَّموا الدَهرَ غَدراً مِن شَمائِلِهِم

جَمَّ الطَرائِقِ مِن بادٍ وَمَكتومِ

They taught time itself treachery and deceit

And gathered all manner of evil, covert and overt

حَتّى اِقتَدى بِهِمُ فيهِم فَأَهلَكَهُم

وَقَد يَبُذُّ إِماماً شَأوُ مَأمومِ

Until one of their own followed their example and destroyed them

For the grudge of a subordinate may undo a leader

مِن كُلِّ لا راحِمٍ إِن كانَ ذا قُدَرٍ

وَلا إِذا نابَهُم خَطبٌ بِمَرحومِ

From every merciless person, if he has power

And even when events have turned against them

يَغُرُّهُ ظِلُّ مُلكٍ عَنهُ مُنتَقِلٌ

كَمُستَظِلٍّ بِبَيتٍ غَيرِ مَدعومِ

The shadow of a kingdom that has passed away deludes him

Like one taking shade in an unsupported structure

أَبدَوا سُروراً بِأَيّامٍ مُساعِدَةٍ

خِلالَ عَصرٍ بِنَفضِ العَهدِ مَوسومِ

They showed joy in propitious days

During an era stamped with violation of covenants

وَالسَعدُ في النَحسِ مِقدارُ البَقاءِ لَهُ

مِقدارُ لَبثَةِ نَجمٍ عِندَ تَصميمِ

And good fortune amidst misfortune lasts only

As long as a star remains fixed in its place

نُكدُ الخَلائِقِ تَلقى كُلَّ ذي نَظَرٍ

يَقضي بِقَطعٍ لَهُم مِن غَيرِ تَنجيمِ

The wretchedness of creation is seen by every perceptive eye

To decree their inevitable downfall without need of astrology

مِن كُلِّ مُقتَسِمِ الرِجلَينِ مِن قَلَقٍ

في أَمرِهِ بَينَ تَأخيرٍ وَتَقديمِ

All those restless over their affairs, wavering between

Deferral and haste in everything they undertake

أَعمارُ دَولَتِهِم إِن أُمهِلَت سَنَةٌ

كَأَنَّما هِيَ أَعمارُ التَقاويمِ

If their dynasties are granted a single year's respite

It is as though they were granted the lifetime of epochs