الصَبرُ أَروَحُ مِن حاجٍ تَكَلُّفُهُ

تُرجي لَهُ الخَيلَ وَالمَهرِيَّةَ القودا

Patience is more refreshing than a pilgrim whose ostentation

burdens him, who hopes for horses and a well-trained camel,

وَالهَمُّ لِلحَيِّ إِلفٌ لا يُفارِقُهُ

حَتّى يَعودَ مَعَ الأَمواتِ مَفقودا

and anxiety is a lifelong friend of the living, never leaving them

until they return to the dead, lost.

تِلكَ النَوابِحُ خالَت بَدرَ لَيلَتِها

قُرصاً وَظَنَّت ثُرَيّا اللَيلِ عُنقودا

Those stars spent the night of the full moon deprived of it,

believing its crescent clusters were grapes.