إِذا وَدَّكَ الإِنسانُ يَوماً لِخِلَّةٍ

فغَيَّرَها مَرُّ الزَّمانِ تَنَكَّرا

If one day a man loves you for a trait

And time's passage makes it disappear and alter

وَيُشرَبُ ماءُ المُزنِ ما دامَ صافِياً

وَيَزهَدُ فيهِ وارِدٌ إِن تَعَكَّرا

The pure water is drunk for as long as it's clear

But the drawer scorns it if it turns turbid

وَما زالَ فَقرُ المَرءِ يَأتي على الغِنى

وَنِسيانُهُ مُستَدرِكاً ما تَذَكَّرا

A man's poverty still comes upon his wealth

And his forgetfulness rectifies what he remembered

شَرابُكَ بِئسَ الشَيءُ سَرَّ وَإِنَّما

أَفادَ سُروراً باطِلاً حينَ أَسكَرا

Your drink is a terrible thing, though it brought joy

When it intoxicated, it brought hollow cheer

وَفي الناسِ مَن أَعطى الجَميلَ بَديهَةً

وَضَنَّ بِفِعلِ الخَيرِ لَمّا تَفَكَّرا

Among people is one who naturally gives favor

But is stingy when he thinks to do good

فَخَف قَولَ مَن لاقاكَ مِن غَيرِ سالِفٍ

حَميدٍ فَأَبدى بِالنِفاقِ تَشَكُّرا

So be wary of one you meet without good history

Who shows courtesy through hypocrisy

وَكَم أَضمَرَ المَصحوبُ مَكراً بِصاحِبٍ

فَأَلفى قَضاءَ اللَهِ أَدهى وَأَمكَرا

How often a companion secretly plotted against another

Only to find God's decree more cunning and devious

يَقومُ عَلَيهِ النوحُ لَيلاً وَلَو غَدا

سَليماً لَأَجرى شَأوَ غَيٍّ وَبَكَّرا

He would mourn him at night, and if he survived

Till morn, would scheme the worst against him early