قَد بَدَّلَ العالَمُ عاداتِهِم

بَل قَدَرٌ مِن فَوقِهِم بَدَّلا

The world has changed their habits

Rather, it was a destiny from above them that changed

تَوَقَّعوا مِن دَهرِهِم عَدلَهُ

وَالدَهرُ لا يُحسِنُ أَن يَعدِلا

They expected justice from their era

Yet the era does not know how to be just

هَل يَأمَنُ الضائِنُ سيدَ الغَضا

أَوِ الحَمامُ المُغتَدي أَجدَلا

Does the complainant feel safe from the angry master

Or the audacious pigeon from the hawk

أَخافُ كَونَ الرَندِ ضالاً وَلا

آمَنُ كَونَ الضالَةِ المَندَلا

I fear the debauched being lost

And do not feel assured about the lost being found

وَالشَرُّ فينا غالِبٌ طالِبٌ

يُلحِقُ بِالدَوِيَّةِ المَجدَلا

Evil amongst us is dominant, desiring

To reach the lost sheep

في كُلِّ دَهرٍ جَنَفٌ كامِنٌ

وَالنَحسُ في المَولِدِ وَالسَعدُ لا

In every era there lurks injustice

And misfortune in birth, while fortune does not

يا مَعدِنَ العَسجَدِ أَصبَحتَ ما

تُخرِجُ إِلّا التُربَ وَالجَندَلا

O mine of lions, you have become

Only producing dust and rags

وَالعُجبُ داءٌ قاتِلٌ أَهلَهُ

يُمانِعُ الأَستارَ أَن تُسدَلا

Arrogance is a fatal disease that kills its people

Preventing the veils from being drawn

عَيرٌ عَلى سَفواءَ يُزهى مَنِ ال

قائِمُ لَمّا رَكِبَ الدُلدُلا

A criticism of the foolish whom the one who rode the donkey praises