وُجوهُكُم كُلُفٌ وَأَفواهُكُم عِدىً

وَأَكبادُكُم سودٌ وَأَعيُنُكُم زُرقُ

Your faces are frowning, and your mouths full of blame,

Your livers are black, and your eyes are blue,

وَما بي طِرقٌ لِلمَسيرِ وَلا السُرى

لِأَنّي ضَريرٌ لا تُضيءُ لِيَ الطُرقُ

I have no path to walk or journey to take,

For I am blind, no roads are lit for me.

أَغُربانُكَ السُحمُ اِستَقَلَّت مَعَ الضُحى

سَوانِحَ أَم مَرَّت حَمائِمُكَ الوَرَقُ

Your swan-like clouds sailed away at dawn,

Were they doves that flew across your cheeks?

رَحَلتُ فَلا دُنِّيا وَلا دينَ نِلتُهُ

وَما أَوبَتي إِلّا السَفاهَةُ وَالخُرقُ

I departed with neither world nor faith gained,

Nothing I reaped except foolishness and rags.

مَتّى يُخلِصِ التَقوى لِمَولاهُ لا تَغِض

عَطاياهُ مَن صَلّى وَقِبلَتُهُ الشَرقُ

When will piety free its Lord's devotees? His gifts

Will not diminish for those who pray facing the east.

أَرى حَيوانَ الأَرضِ يَرهَبُ حَتفَهُ

وَيُفزِعُهُ رَعدٌ وَيُطمِعُهُ بَرقُ

I see the beasts of earth terrified of their doom,

Thunder startles them, lightning lures them.

فَيا طائِرُ اِئمَنّي وَيا ظَبيُ لا تَخَف

شَذايَ فَما بَيني وَبَينَكُما فَرقُ

So, bird, trust me, and you, gazelle, do not fear,

Between you and I there is no divide, my friends.