مَن يَأمَنِ البَلوى وَبَينا فَتىً

مِن آلِ وَهبٍ بَينَنا إِذ حَبَق

Who can be secure from affliction, though he be an accomplished youth,

Of the sons of Wahb, when amongst us was Waheb?

سَأَلتُ عَن ذاكَ فَقيلَ اِستُهُ

مَكشوفَةٌ لَيسَ عَلَيها طَبَق

I asked concerning him, and it was said, "Be silent;

His sore is open, nor is there any bandage over it."

لَو عَصَرَت عُنقَ ظَليمٍ وَقَد

أَدخَلَ فيها رَأسَهُ ما اختَنَق

Hadst thou squeezed the neck of a wronged man, after

He had thrust his head into it, he would not have been choked.

قُلنا وَقَد أَنطَقَها بَعدَهُ

يا ذا اللِسانَينِ إِذا ما نَطَق

We said, when, after him, it spoke,

"O thou of two tongues, when it speaks, be silent."