نادَيتُ حَتّى بَدا في المَنطِقِ الصَحَلُ

تَخالَفَ الناسُ وَالأَغراضُ وَالنِحَلُ

I called until the bare ground appeared in the speech

People differed with purposes and inclinations

رَجَوا إِماماً بِحَقٍّ أَن يَقومَ لَهُم

هَيهاتَ لا بَل حُلولٌ ثُمَّ مُرتَحَلُ

They hoped for an imam in truth to rise for them

Alas! No, but there are comings then departures

وَلَن يَزالوا بِشَرٍّ في زَمانِهِمُ

ما دامَ فَوقَهُمُ المِرّيخُ أَو زُحَلُ

They will not cease being evil in their time

As long as Mars or Saturn is above them

فَاِكفِف بِسَيرِكَ ذَيلَ الخَطبِ مُبتَدِراً

فَالخَلقُ أَمرَهُ أَو فيهِ الدُجى كَحلُ

So restrain the train of your sermon hastening off

Creation's affair is as it is, or within it, darkness like kohl

نَقضي المَآرِبَ وَالساعاتُ ساعِيَةٌ

كَأَنَّهُنَّ صِعابٌ تَحتَنا ذُلُلُ

We fulfill misfortunes and the hours pass by

As if they were docile mountains beneath us