تَمَنَّت غُلاماً يافِعاً نافِعاً لَها

وَذاكَ دَهاءٌ دُسَّ فيهِ الدَهارِسُ

She wished for a young, useful lad for her

And that was a cunning fully equipped with snares

سُرِرتِ بِهِ إِذ قيلَ أَعطَيتِ فارِساً

وَما هُوَ إِلّا ضَيغَمٌ لَكِ فارِسُ

She rejoiced when told you have been given a knight

Yet he is but a coarse pawn posing as a knight

أَلَم تَسمَعي الأَيّامَ نادَت صُروفُها

خُذوا مَقِرّاً مِمّا تَفيءُ الجَوارِسُ

Did you not hear what days called out with their ups and downs

Take refuge in what little the sly times allow

وَحاذَرَ أَن نَنسى الزَمانُ فَما وَنى

يُذاكِرُنا أَحداثَهُ وَيُدارِسُ

And beware not to forget, for time does not forget

To remind us of its events and hound us

يُخَوِّفُنا أَهوالَ ما هُوَ كائِنٌ

وَيكَفيهِ مِن أَهوالِهِ ما نُمارِسُ

It frightens us with horrors of what is to come

And it has enough horrors that we live through