يُنَجِّمونَ وَما يَدرونَ لَو سُئِلوا

عَنِ البَعوضَةِ أَنّى مِنهُمُ تَقِفُ

They prognosticate though they know not, if asked

About the mosquito, whence it alights upon them.

وَفَرَّقَتهُم عَلى عِلّاتِها مِلَلٌ

وَعِندَ كُلِّ فَريقٍ أَنَّهُم ثَقِفوا

Boredom with their vain pursuits divided them;

Each party thinks they have the truth.

دَعِ البَريَّةَ لِلخُطبانِ تَأكُلُهُ

فَإِنَّهُم كَنَعامٍ فيهِ يُنتَقَفُ

Leave the desert for the braggarts to consume,

For they are like ostriches feeding there.

وَلَو دَرَت بِمَخازيهِم بُيوتُهُم

هَوَت عَلَيهِم وَلم تُنظِرهُمُ السُقُفُ

If their houses knew their hidden disgraces

Their roofs would collapse upon them without delay.