سِنُّكَ خَيرٌ لَكَ مِن دُرَّةٍ

زَهراءَ تُعشي أَعيُنَ الناظِرين

Your old age is better for you than a shining pearl

That delights the eyes of onlookers

عَجِبتُ لِلضارِبِ في غَمرَةٍ

لَم يُطِعِ الناهِزينَ وَالآمِرين

I wondered at the one striking in darkness

Who did not obey the mockers and commanders

يَكسِرُ بِاللُؤلُؤِ مِن جَهلِهِ

خُشُباً عَتَت عَن أَنمُلِ الكاسِرين

He breaks pearls in his ignorance

Wood too hard for the fingers of breakers

مَن كانَ مِن أَسراهُ مالٌ لَهُ

فَلَستَ لِلمالِ مِنَ الآسِرين

If one has wealth that imprisons him

Then I am not of the imprisoned

أَعُدُّ أَسنى الرِبحِ فِعلَ التُقى

فَلا أَكُن رَبِّ مِنَ الخاسِرين

I count the most profitable gain to be piety

So I will not be among the losers