خَف دَنِيّاً كَما تَخافُ شَريفاً

صالَ لَيثُ الشَرى بِظُفرٍ وَنابِ

Fear the lowly as you would fear the noble,

The lion of valor has triumphed with fang and claw,

وَالصِلالُ الَّتي يَخافُ رَداها

شَرُّها في الرُؤوسِ وَالأَذنابِ

And the she-wolves whose howls instill fear,

Their evil lies in heads and tails alike.

هَل جَنابٌ نَحُلُّهُ غَيرَ دُنيا

نا فَإِنّا مِنها بِشَرِّ جَنابِ

Is there any refuge we seek but the mortal world?

For we are of its greatest evils and plights.

عُلِّقَ الحَينُ في الحَضارَةِ بِالخِد

رِ وَفي البَدوِ شُدَّ بِالأَطنابِ

In civilization, life hangs by a thread,

And in the desert, it is bound by ropes.

لا تَدَرَّع مِنَ القَضاءِ فَما سَي

فُ المَنايا عَنِ الدُروعِ بِنابِ

Do not arm yourself against destiny, for how useless

Are shields against the swords of death's nights.

زارَتِ الشامَ وَالعِراقَ وَكُلَّ الأَر

ضِ ما جانَبَت قَطينَ الجَنابِ

It toured Syria, Iraq and all the lands,

Without ever missing the sides of the coffin.

كَلَّ عِلمُ الطَبيبِ عَن مَرَضِ المَو

تِ وَقَد نابَ فيهِ كُلَّ مَنابِ

All a doctor's knowledge fails against death's illness,

And every cure for it has failed and faded.

نَطَقَت أَلسُنُ الحِمامِ وَبِالإي

جازِ جاءَت وَكَثرَةِ الإِطنابِ

The doves have spoken eloquently and clearly,

With great skill and excessive prattle.

لا يَكادُ الفَتى يُجَهَّزُ إِلّا

عَن بَديلٍ مَكانَهُ مُستَنابِ

A youth is scarcely prepared for death,

Before a substitute takes his place.