أَسطُرٌ لابَ حَولَهُنَّ جَهولٌ

فَهوَ يَرجو هَدياً بِأَسطَرلابِ

Lines with no illumination around them

So he hopes for guidance in the lines' illumination

لا تَقِسني عَلى الَّذي شاعَ عَنّي

إِنَّ دُنياكَ مَعدِنٌ لِلخِلابِ

Do not judge me for what has spread about me

Indeed, your world is a mine of decay

قَد يُسَمِّيَ الفَتى الجَبانَ أَبوهُ

أَسَداً وَهوَ مِن خِساسِ الكِلابِ

The coward may name his father a lion

While he is among the lowest of dogs

وَالبَرايا لَفظُ الزَمانِ وَلابُدَّ

لَهُ مِن تَغَيُّرٍ وَاِنقِلابِ

And life is but the word of time, inevitably

It must change and turn

عَجِبَ اللَيلُ مِن سُرورِكَ فيهِ

وَأَتى العَينَ ثاكِلاً في سِلابِ

The night was amazed by your joy in it

And sleep came to the eyes unsuccessful in desire