بَكِّ عَلى الناسِ بِالمَزمومِ وَالرَملِ

فَإِنَّ أَعمالَ دُنياهُم كَلا عَمَلِ

Lament for the people with grief and sorrow

For their worldly deeds are all in vain

وَالحُكمُ مِن عالَمٍ عالٍ تَنَزُّلُهُ

فَما لِسُكّانِ هَذي الأَرضِ كَالهَمَلِ

And the decree from the Most High descends

So what can the dwellers of this earth do but surrender

عاشوا بِها وَاِستَجاشوا ثُمَّ ما حَصَلوا

إِلّا عَلى المَوتِ في التَفصيلِ وَالجُمَلِ

They lived in it, rejoiced, yet all they got

Was death, in parts or whole, their final lot

لا أَحمِلُ الهَمَّ لي يَومٌ يُغَيِّبُني

وَلَو حَلَلتُ مَعَ الجَوزاءِ وَالحَمَلِ

I carry no worries for a day that will hide me away

Even if I lingered with Gemini or Aries

وَيبَ الحَوادِثِ كَم أَخرَجنَ مِن مَلِكٍ

عَنِ الدِيارِ وَكَم قَصَّرنَ مِن أَمَلِ

Oh fate, how many you drove out of their kingdom

And how many hopes you cut short and made nil

يَسعى الفَتى لِاِبتِغاءِ الرِزقِ مُجتَهِداً

بِالسَيفِ وَالرُمحِ فَوقَ الطَرفِ وَالجَمَلِ

The youth strives to make a living, exerting effort

With sword and spear, atop horse and camel

وَلَو أَقامَ لَوافاهُ الَّذي سَمَحَت

بِهِ المَقاديرُ مِن نَقصٍ وَمِن كَمَلِ

Had he waited, what was destined would have come to him

Of loss or gain, by the divine will

جَمعاً لِمَحبوبِ قُربى أَو بَغيضِ عِدىً

كَأَنَّهُ عَن ذَراهُ غَيرُ مُحتَمِلِ

Gathering loved ones or fending off hated foes

As if unable to bear their sight

إِذا مَلَكتَ فَاِسحَج غَيرَ مُهتَضَمٍ

وَإِن حَكَمتَ عَلى قَومٍ فَلا تَمِلِ

When you have power, rule justly without being overbearing

And if you judge people, never grow weary