أَرى حُمُراً تَرعى وَتَأكُلُ ما تَهوى

وَأُسداً جِياعاً تَظمَأُ الدَهرَ ما تَروى

I see donkeys grazing, devouring whatever they desire,

And hungry lions, forever thirsty, never quenched,

وَأَشرافُ قَومٍ ما يَنالونَ قُوَتَهُم

وَقَوماً لِئاماً تَأكُلُ المَنَّ وَالسَلوى

And noble folk who cannot obtain their daily sustenance,

While base people feast upon manna and quails,

قَضاءُ لِخلّاقِ الخَلائِقِ سابِقٌ

وَلَيسَ عَلى رَدِّ القَضا أَحَدٌ يَقوى

It is a preordained decree from the Creator of all beings,

And no one holds the power to overturn what is destined,

وَمَن عَرَفَ الدَهرَ الخَؤونَ وَصَرفَهُ

تَصبَّر لِلبَلوى وَلَم يُظهِر الشَكوى

And he who knows treacherous Time and its vicissitudes,

Endures calamity with patience and voices no complaint.