إِذا كانَ رُعبي يورِثُ الأَمنَ فَهوَ لي

أَسَرُّ مِنَ الأَمنِ الَّذي يورِثُ الرُعبا

If my fear brings security, it is dearer to me

Than security that brings fear.

أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ الهاشِمِيِّينَ بُلِّغوا

عِظامَ المَساعي بَعدَما سَكَنوا الشِعبا

Have you not seen that the Hashimites were told

Of the fruits of their efforts after they had calmed the people?

وَكانَ الفَتى كَعبٌ تَخَيَّرَ لِلسُرى

أَخا النِمرِ فَاِستَدنى إِلى أَجَلٍ كَعبا

And the young man Ka'b chose imprisonment

As a brother to the tiger, hastening to death like Ka'b.

وَإِنّي رَأَيتُ الصَعبَ يَركَبُ دائِماً

مِنَ الناسِ مَن لَم يَركَبِ الغَرَضَ الصَعبا

And I have seen hardship always ridden

By those who never rode a difficult goal.