البابِلِيَّةُ بابُ كُلِّ بَلِيَّةٍ

فَتَوَقَّيَنَّ هُجومَ ذاكَ البابِ

Babylon is the gate of every affliction,

So beware the onslaught of that gate.

جَرَّت مُلاحاةَ الصَديقِ وَهَجرَهُ

وَأَذى النَديمِ وَفُرقَةَ الأَحبابِ

It brought about the estrangement of a friend and his abandonment,

And the harm of a companion and the separation of loved ones.

أُمُّ الحَبابِ وَإِن أُميتَ لَهيبُها

بِمَزاجِها وافَت كَأُمِّ حُبابِ

Mother of passions, even if its flames are quelled

With her temperament, it matches a fiery mother.

هَتَكَت حِجابَ المُحَصَناتِ وَجَشَّمَت

مُهَنَ العَبيدِ تَهَضُّمُ الأَربابِ

It stripped the veils of virtuous women and defiled

The vocation of slaves, gnawing at masters.

وَتُوَهِّمُ الشَيبَ المَدالِفَ أَنَّهُم

لَبِسوا عَلى كِبَرٍ بُرودَ شَبابِ

And it makes white-haired elders believe

They donned, despite old age, the cloak of youth.

وَإِذا تَأَمَّلتَ الحَوادِثَ أُلفِيَت

صُهُبُ الدَنانِ أَعادِيَ الأَلبابِ

And if you contemplate the events, you will find

The blows of fate are hostile to sensible minds.