أَمُذهَبَةَ التِراسِ لِرَدِّ كَيدٍ

صُروفُ الدَهرِ مُذهَبَةُ التِراسِ

The rounds of fate wear down barricades,

to fend off schemes and charades.

وَكَيفَ أَرومُ في أَدَبٍ وَفَهمٍ

دِراساً وَالمَآلُ هُوَ اِندِراسي

How can I feign knowledge and tact,

when the outcome is purely abstract?

نَعَم لِلعَضدِ رَبَّتني مَليكي

وَكانَ بِحِكمَةٍ مِنهُ اِغتِراسي

Yes, my patron trained me with care,

and wisely made me his heir.

أَقامَ المَلِكُ حُرّاساً عَلَيهِ

وَما تُنفى الحَوادِثُ بِاِحتِراسِ

The king posted guards over me,

but mishaps cannot deterred be.

كَأَنّا في السَفائِنِ عائِماتٍ

وَعِندَ المَوتِ أُلقِيَتِ المَراسي

Like ships afloat we remain,

till at death the anchors are lain.

تَخَلَّفَ بَعدَنا جيلٌ وَنَجمٌ

فَأَزهَرُ شائِمٌ وَأَشَمُّ راسي

After us came throngs of new shoots,

some odious, some taking firm roots.

فِرارٌ مِن مَهاريسِ المَنايا

بِأَقدامٍ يَطَأنَ عَلى هَراسِ

Fleeing the throes of demise,

with feet trampling ruins and cries.

فَكَم قارَنَّ مِن رَأسٍ بِرِجلٍ

وَكَم أَلحَقنَ مِن قَدَمٍ بِراسِ

Many a head kissed a foot,

many a foot chased a head's route.

فَقُدَّمَ مَن تَأَخَّرَ في العَطايا

وَأُخِّرَ مَن تَقَدَّمَ في المِراسِ

He who lagged in bestowals was promoted,

and he who led was demoted.

فَنَحنُ وَما فِراسَتُنا بِمَينٍ

كَلَفظِ الدَراميِّ أَبي فِراسِ

Our foresight is not without flaw,

like the verse of Abu Firas the law.

إِذا أَتَهمتَ في أَيّامِ قَيظٍ

فَعُدِّ الناجِياتِ إِلى قَراسِ

When you accuse in scorching days,

count the saved, don't the strayed.

أَذودُ عَنِ الفرائِسِ ضارِياتٍ

وَأَعلَمُ أَنَّ غايَتَها اِفتِراسي

I ward off beasts in their charges,

knowing my end is in their largesse.

وَقَد يَغنى اِبنُ آدَمَ وَهُوَ حُرٌّ

بِلا فَرَسٍ يُعَدُّ وَلا فَراسِ

Adam's son self-sufficed can be,

with no steed or cavalry.

بِيَثرِبَ حُفرَةٌ خَرِسَت وَنادى

مُغَيَّبُها فَأَسمَعَ ذا خُراسِ

In Yathrib lies a dumb well,

its buried caller, the well could tell.