أَعوَزَ الشَثُّ وَالسَلَم

وَأَديمي بِهِ حَلَم

The thorn bush and ladder failed

And with them my dream faded

فَهَنيئاً لِمَن مَضى

قَبلَ أَن يَجرِيَ القَلَم

So lucky is he who passed on

Before the pen could flow

لَم تُصِب جِسمُهُ الكُلو

مُ وَلا دينُهُ كُلِم

His body was not hit by insults

Nor was his religion blasphemed

إِنَّما صاحِبُ التُقى

تاجِرٌ يَدفَعُ السَلَم

Indeed the God conscious

Is a trader who pays in advance

عَجِبَ الناسُ لِلجَنينِ

إِذا مَسَّهُ الأَلَم

People wondered at the fetus

If it felt any pain

عَلِمَ اللَهُ أَنَّهُ

إِن يُطِل عُمرَهُ ظَلَم

God knew that if its life lengthened

It would be unjust

أَصبَحَ الشَيخُ مارِداً

بَعدَما حَجَّ وَاِستَلَم

The old man turned defiant

After pilgrimage and farewell

خُطَّ أَمرٌ لِفاعِلٍ

إِن يَجِئ غَيرَهُ يُلَم

A matter is destined for its doer

If another does it, he's blamed

مِن فَتىً يَعرِفُ الهِلا

لَ غُلاماً قَدِ اِحتَلَم

A man who knows fervor

Not a youth who reached puberty

وَسُهَيلاً مَعَ المَعا

شِرِ في كَفِّهِ زَلَم

With Suhayl in its hands

Evil has a bridle and halter

خَبَطَ القَومُ في الضَلا

لِ فَهَل تُكشَفُ الظُلُم

The people groped around in the dark

Will this darkness lift?

في بِلادٍ مُضِلَّةٍ

لَيسَ في أَرضِها عَلَم

In a country that leads astray

With no guideposts on its terrain

دونَها يَقصُرُ الخَيا

لُ إِذا طَيفُهُ أَلَم

Before it the best imagination falls short

When its specter casts gloom