تَوَخَّي جَميلاً وَاِفعَليهِ لِحُسنِهِ

وَلا تَحكُمي أَنَّ المَليكَ بِهِ يُجزي

Seek the beautiful and act for its goodness,

And do not presume the king will reward it.

فَذاكَ إِلَيهِ إِن أَرادَ فَمُلكُهُ

عَظيمٌ وَإِلّا فَالحِمامُ لَنا مُجزِ

For that is up to him - if he wills, his kingdom

Is great, otherwise, the pigeons are our prize.

وَكُنتِ كَنارٍ في الشَبابِ شَبيبَةٍ

فَصِرتِ عَجوزاً تُنسَبينَ إِلى العَجزِ

You were a fiery youth in your prime,

Now turned into an old woman blamed for frailty.

فَإِنَّ الَّذي تَهوَينَ مِن رُتبَةِ الرِضا

يَسيرٌ لَدى ما تَتَّقينَ مِنَ الرُجزِ

For what you desire of the station of approval

Is easy compared to what you fear of vileness.