عَجِبتُ لِكَهلٍ قاعِدٍ بَينَ نُسوَةٍ

يُقاتُ بِما رَدَّت عَلَيهِ الرَوادِنُ

I'm amazed at an old man sitting amongst women

Quarrelling with what the visitors tell him

يُعالُ عَلى ذَمٍّ وَيُزجَرُ عَن قِلىً

كَما زُجِرَت بَينَ الجِيادِ الكَوادِنُ

He forbids blaming and prevents burning

As war horses were held back from running

يَكادُ الوَرى لا يَعرِفُ الخَيرَ بَعضُهُ

عَلى أَنَّهُ كَالتُربِ فيهِ مَعادِنُ

People can hardly recognize good in each other

Though good exists in people like ore exists in mines

تُحارِبُنا أَيّامُنا وَلنا رِضاً

بِذَلِكَ لَو أَنَّ المَنايا تُهادِنُ

Our days fight us yet we're content

If only death would make peace

إِذا كانَ جِسمِيَ لِلرَغامِ أَكيلَةً

فَكَيفَ يَسُرُّ النَفسَ أَنِّيَ بادِنُ

If my body is for maggots a feast

Why would my soul rejoice at being deceased

وَمِن شَرِّ أَخدانِ الفَتى أُمُّ زَنبَقٍ

وَتِلكَ عَجوزٌ أَهلَكَت مَن تُخادِنُ

Of a young man's worst friends, a mother of discord

That old woman destroys those close to her hoard

تُخَبَّرُ عَن أَسرارِهِ قُرَناءَهُ

وَمِن دونِها قفلٌ مَنيعٌ وَسادِنُ

She's told his secrets by his peers

Without her, a strong lock and iron spear