سَأَلتُ رِجالاً عَن مَعَدٍّ وَرَهطِهِ

وَعَن سَبَإٍ ما كانَ يَسبي وَيَسبَأُ

I asked men about Ma'add and his tribe,

And about Saba - what he seized and laid waste.

فَقالوا هِيَ الأَيّامُ لَم يُخلِ صَرفُها

مَليكاً يُفَدّى أَو تَقِيّاً يُنَبَّأُ

They said: Those are the days whose course

Did not spare a king to be ransomed or a devotee to be warned.

أَرى فَلَكاً مازالَ بِالخَلقِ دائِراً

لَهُ خَبَرٌ عَنّا يُصانُ ويُخبَأُ

I see the heavens constantly revolving round creation,

With news about us kept secret and concealed.

فَلا تَطلُبِ الدُنِيا وَإِن كُنتَ ناشِئاً

فَإِنّيَ عَنها بِالأَخلّاءِ أَربَأُ

So do not seek the world even if you are a youth,

For I have found solace in detachment from it.

وَما نُوَبُ الأَيّامِ إِلّا كَتائِبٌ

تُبَثُ سَرايا أَو جُيوشٌ تُعَبَّأُ

The vicissitudes of time are but advancing troops

Spread out or armies on the march.