ساءَ بَريّاً مِنَ البَرايا

مَن لَبِسَ الدينَ سابِرِيّا

Became ill from troubles, O you who wear the faith

Whoever draped themselves in religion, modestly

إِن كَسَّرَتني يَدُ المَنايا

فَما الأَطِبّاءُ جابِرِيّا

Though the hand of fate has broken me

The healers cannot mend me

أَمَرتَ بِالغَدرِ أُمَّ دَفرِ

وَلَم أُطِع فيكَ آمِرِيّا

You commanded betrayal, O mother of deception

And I did not obey you in that, O commander

عَبَرتُ في عَيشَةٍ مَضيقاً

فَليوسِعِ الحَفرَ قابِرِيّا

I lived in a life of hardship

So let the grave expand to accommodate me, O gravedigger

مَفازَةٌ ما الضَبابُ فيها

وَلا عَقيلٌ بِحافِرَيّا

A barren desert where there is no mist

Nor a guide with two feet

ما أَحوَجَتني إِلى وُرودٍ

لَمّا سَقَتني الخُمارَ رِيّا

How I longed for flowers

When the wine quenched my thirst

قَد خَبِرَ اللَهُ مِن ضَميري

ما لَم يَكُن عِندَ خابِرِيّا

God knows my conscience

What was not with my confidant

وَلَم يُطِل سامِري حَديثي

بَل عِشتُ في الدَهرِ سامِرِيّا

My gossip did not last long

Rather I lived as a gossip in life

لَو عَلِمَ العاذِلونَ سِرّي

لَأَصبَحَ القَومُ عاذِرِيّا

If those who blame knew my secret

The people would become excusers

يا أُمَّتي اِتَّقوا شُروراً

مِنّي وَبيتوا مُحاذِرِيّا

O my nation, beware of evils

From me, and take precautions

قامِرَةٌ كُلَّنا اللَيالي

فَما أُبالي بِقامِرِيّا

We are all gamblers of nights

So I do not care about my gambling

وارَتنِيَ الأَرضُ فَاِهجُروني

لا يَرهَبِ العَتبَ هاجِرِيّا

The earth has welcomed me, so leave me

Let not reproach frighten the migrant

هَل كَرِهَ القُربَ مِن عِظامي

أَعظُمُ قَومٍ مُجوِرِيّا

Did the greatest tyrants

Dislike being near my bones?

ما بَهَشوا بِالسَلامِ نَحوي

وَلا أَراهُم مُحاوِرِيّا

They did not greet me with peace

Nor do I see them conversing with me

غَنيتُ عَن زائِرٍ مُلِمٍّ

فَليَشغَلِ الخَيرُ زائِرِيّا

I do without a visiting friend

So let good occupy my visitor

أَزَيَّلَ المُلكَ آلُ كِسرى

وَصارَ بِالشامِ عامِرِيّا

The kingdom of Chosroes declined

And became prosperous in Syria