إِذا ما عانَقَ الخَمسينَ حَيٌّ

ثَنَتهُ السِنُّ عَن عَنقٍ وَجَمزِ

When a lively man embraces fifty

Age bends him away from an erect neck

وَتَهزَأُ مِنهُ رَبّاتُ المَغاني

كَما هَزِئَت بِرُؤبَةَ أُمُّ حَمزِ

And the singing girls mock him

As Hamza's mother mocked Ru'bah

فَلا أَعرِفكَ بَينَ القَومِ توحي

بِطَعنٍ في مُحَدِّثِهِم وَغَمزِ

So I do not see you among the people hinting

With sarcasm at their conversation and winking

وَلا تَهمِز جَليسَكَ مِن قَريبٍ

تُنَبِّهُهُ عَلى سَقطٍ بِهَمزِ

Nor nudging your companion who is near

Alerting him to a slip with a wink

فَشَرُّ الناسِ مَعروفٌ لَدَيهِم

بِقَولٍ في مَثالِبِهِم وَلَمزِ

The worst of men in their eyes

Is one who speaks of their faults and hints

لَقَد كَذَبَ الَّذينَ طَغوا فَقالوا

أَتى مِن رَبِّنا أَمرٌ بِرَمزِ

Indeed those who rebelled have lied when they said

"An order from our Lord has come in hints"

أَلَم تَرَني عَرَفتُ وَعيدَ رَبٍّ

رَقَلَّ تَكَلُّمي وَأَطالَ ضَمزي

Did you not see me? I knew the threat of an Lord

My talking grew scarce and my winking grew long

وَمَن لي أَن أَفَرَّ عَلى طِمِرٍّ

مِنَ الدُنِّيا الخَبيثَةِ أَو دِلَمزِ

Who can help me flee from the vile world's rubbish

Or even a wink?