اللَهُ أَكبَرُ ما اِشتَرَيتُ بِضاعَةً

إِلّا وَأَدرَكَ سوقَها الإِكسادُ

God is greatest. Whatever merchandise I buy

Its market is soon struck by recession.

بدَنٌ بِلا بَدَنٍ يَعيشُ وَكَم طَوى

جَسَدٌ سَنيهِ وَما عَلَيهِ جِسادُ

A body without a body lives on, and how much did it fold

Its years, yet no senility upon it.

أَضحَت تَظُنُّ بِكَ الدِيانَةَ وَالغِنى

وَالعِلمَ فَاِهتاجَت لَكَ الحُسّادُ

You are thought to have religion, wealth,

And knowledge, so the envious are excited about you.

وَلَقَد صَفِرتَ مِنَ الثَلاثِ كَأَنَّما

أَدَمٌ حَواكَ مِنَ الخُلوِّ مَسادُ

You have been depleted of the three, as if

Tatters have clothed you from the emptiness of evening gowns.

شَغيلَ السَعادَةَ عَنكَ أَهلُ مَمالِكٍ

رُزِقوا الَّذي حُرِمَ الكِرامُ وَسادوا

The blissful preoccupied you from its inhabitants of kingdoms

They were granted which the generous were deprived of, and they rested

رَقَدوا وَلَم تَرقُد وَنالوا ما اِبتَغوا

وَعَجِزتَ عَنهُ وَلِلكَيانِ فَسادُ

They slept while you did not, and got what they sought

While you were incapable, and disorder was in the regime.

وَمِنَ المَعاشِرِ مَن يَظَلُّ كَأَنَّهُ

ضَمِنُ الفُؤادَ يَسادُ حينَ يَسادُ

And among associates is one who stays as if

Securing the heart, assisting when assisting.

خَمِدَت خَواطِرُ مِنهُمُ وَتَكاثَفَت

أَرواحُهُم فَكَأَنَّها أَجسادُ

Their thoughts have waned and their

Spirits have condensed, as if they were bodies.

مُهِّدَت لَهُم فُرشٌ وَباتَ لَدَيهُمُ

وُسُدٌ وَبِتَّ وَما لَدَيكَ وِسادُ

Carpets were laid out for them, and next to them

Were pillows and blankets, while next to you were no pillows.

مَن يُؤتَ حَظّاً يَبتَهِج وَيَكُن لَهُ

عِزٌّ فَتَرهَبَ ضَأنَه الآسادُ

Whoever gets fortune rejoices, and for him

Is honor, so the predators frightened his sheep.

وَلَو اِدَّعى ظَبيُّ الفَلاةِ وَلائَهُ

لَعَداهُ مِن قُنّاصِهِ الإيسادُ

If a gazelle of the wilderness claimed allegiance to him

The hunters would count him among their prey.