أَماليُّ الزَمانِ عَلى بَنيهِ

حَوادِثُ أَصبَحَت شَرَّ الأَمالي

The hopes of time upon its sons

Are events that have become the worst of hopes

أَصابَ الرَملَةَ الحَدَثانُ يَوماً

فَخَصَّ وَما يَزالُ أَخا اِشتِمالِ

Misfortune struck Al-Ramla one day

So it singled out and still clasps embracing

وَهَل عُصِمَت جِبالٌ أَو بِحارٌ

فَتَنجو ساكِناتٌ بِالرِمالِ

Have any mountains or seas been protected

To rescue those dwelling in the sands?

وَما لِمُجاوِرِ الأَيّامِ عَقلٌ

يُكَشِّفُ لَيلَهُ فَيَقولُ مالي

What mind has the neighbor of days

To uncover his night and say: what's mine is mine?

فَلا تَبني خِيامَكَ في مَحَلٍّ

فَإِنَّ القاطِنينَ عَلى اِحتِمالِ

So do not erect your tents in a place

Where the inhabitants are prone to misfortune

وَأَجنِحَةُ النُسورِ إِذا أَتَتها

مَناياها كَأَجنِحَةِ النِمالِ

And the wings of eagles when death comes to them

Are like the wings of ostriches

إِذا كانَ الجَمالُ إلى اِنتِساخٍ

فَحُزناً جَرَّ مَوهوبَ الجَمالِ

When beauty declines into ugliness

Sorrow has dragged the bestowed beauty

وَما طَيرُ اليَمينِ بِمُبهِجاتي

فَأَخشى الهَمَّ مِن طَيرِ الشِمالِ

The bird of fortune does not gladden me

So I fear grief from the bird of misfortune

مَضى رَوضٌ وَجاءَ وَلَم يُخَبِّر

فَنَسأَلَهُ عَنِ الشَربِ الثِمالِ

A meadow passed and another came but did not

Inform us of the fresh drink

فَيا دارَ الخَسارِ أَلا خَلاصٌ

فَأَذهَبَ في الجَنوبِ أَو الشِمالِ

Oh home of loss, no deliverance

To go south or north

وَظُلمٌ أَن أُحاوِلَ فيكِ رِبحاً

وَلَم أَخرُج إِلَيكِ بِرَأسِ مالِ

It is injustice that I seek profit in you

When I did not come to you with capital

وَهَل دونَ السَلامَةِ بُعدُ أَرضٍ

فَيُطوى بِالأَيانِقِ وَالجِمالِ

Is there any land beyond safety

To be folded with the beautiful and fair?

نَموتُ لِأَنَّنا حُلَفاءُ نَقصٍ

وَيَبقى مَن تَفَرَّدَ بِالكَمالِ

We die because we are allies of deficiency

And he who monopolizes perfection remains