أَشَدُّ عِقاباً مِن صَلاةٍ أَضَعتَها

وَصَومٍ لِيَومٍ واجِبٍ ظُلمُ دِرهَمِ

More severe a punishment than a prayer you missed

Or a fast for an obligatory day, the injustice of a dirham

إِذا لَم يَكُن يَوماً لِديني تَعَلُّقٌ

بِغَيرِيَ رَجَّيتُ السَعادَةَ فَاِفهَمِ

If my religion had no day that pertained to others

I hoped for happiness, so understand

وَعِشتُ صُنوفَ العَيشِ كَهلاً وَشارِخاً

فَيا لِحَياةٍ كَاليَمانِيِّ المُسَهَّمِ

And I lived varieties of life, mature and vivacious

Oh what a life, like the dotted Yemeni sword

وَأَعجَبُ لِلهَزّارِ سُمِّيَ ضَيغَماً

وَلِلعَيرِ يُدعى بِالجَوادِ المُطَهَّمِ

And I wonder at the worthless being called excellent

And the camel called the generous sweating one

وَما جَدَلُ الأَقوامِ إِلّا تَعِلَّةٌ

مُصَوَّرَةٌ مِن باطِلٍ مُتَوَهَّمِ

The disputing of people is nothing but a failing

Imagined from falsehood, fancied