سَمّى اِبنَهُ أَسَداً وَلَيسَ بِآمِنٍ

ذيباً عَلَيهِ إِذا أَطَلَّ الذيبُ

He named his son Lion, yet lives without security

A wolf for him when the wolves prowled

وَاللَهُ حَقٌّ وَاِبنُ آدَمَ جاهِلٌ

مِن شَأنِهِ التَفريطُ وَالتَكذيبُ

God is true, and man is ignorant

Prone to dereliction and denial he is

وَاللُبُّ حاوَلَ أَن يُهَذِّبَ أَهلَهُ

فَإِذا البَرِيَّةُ ما لَها تَهذيبُ

The mind tried to cultivate its people

But the wilderness is not to be cultivated

مَن رامَ إِنقاءَ الغُرابِ لِكَي يَرى

وَضَحَ الجَناحِ أَصابَهُ تَعذيبُ

He who wished to clean the raven to see

The wing unsoiled was racked with torment

وَالدَهرُ يَقدُمُ وَالمَليكُ مُخالِفٌ

دُوَلاً فَمِنها مُجمِدٌ وَمُذيبُ

Time goes on, and the King acts adversely

His states so frozen, and others molten