تَدَيَّنَ غاويهِم حِذارَ أَميرِهُم

فَلَمّا اِنقَضَت أَيّامُهُ ذَهَبَ النُسكُ

Their devotion to religion was out of fear of their king

But when his days were over, piety departed

فَأَصبَحَ مِن بَعدِ التَمَسُّكِ بِالتَقى

لِأَردانِهِ مِن طيبِ فاجِرَةٍ مَسكُ

After clinging to virtue, he now sought

The scent of a wanton’s perfume to pleasure his nose

وَهَل يَنفَعُ التَمسيكُ وَالمِسكُ تَحتَهُ

خَبيثٌ نَبيثٌ وَالَّذي فَوقَهُ المِسكُ

Of what use is clinging to musk when beneath it lies

A wicked, foul soul that corrupts the musk above?

إِذا مَسَكَ الإِعدامُ فَاِصبُر وَلا تَكن

جَزوعاً لِكَي يَردى الفَتى وَبِهِ مُسكُ

When destruction seizes you, be patient and do not

Despair, lest the youth lose composure, though wearing musk