دُنياكَ دارُشُرورٍ لا سُرورَ بِها

وَلَيسَ يَدري أَخوها كَيفَ يَحتَرِسُ

This world of yours is an abode of evil, no joy in it

And its fellow knows not how he may protect himself

بَينا اِمرُؤٌ يَتَوَقّى الذِئبَ عَن عُرُضٍ

أَتاهُ لَيثٌ عَلى العِلّاتِ يَفتَرِسُ

While a man guards against the wolf for his flock

A lion comes upon him in the highlands lying in wait

أَلا تَرى هَرَمَي مِصرٍ وَإِن شَمَخا

كِلاهُما بِيَقينٍ سَوفَ يَندَرِسُ

See you not the pyramids of Egypt, and though lofty

Both shall surely crumble into ruin

وَلَو أَطاعَ أَميرَ العَقلِ صاحِبُهُ

لَكانَ آثَرَ مِن أَن يَنطِقَ الخَرَسُ

Had its ruler but obeyed the counsels of reason

It were better than for the mute to speak

مَعَ الأَنامِ أَحاديثٌ مُوَلَّدَةٌ

لِلإِنسِ تُزرَعُ كَي تَبقى وَتُغتَرَسُ

Among the people are fabricated tales

Planted in men that they may remain and take root

لَم تُخلَقِ الخَيلُ مِن عُرٍّ وَمَصمَتَةٍ

إِلّا لِيُركَضَ في حاجاتِهِ الفَرَسُ

Horses were not created from plank and nail

Except to race in fulfilling their master's needs

أَوانُ قُرٍّ يُوافي بَعدَهُ وَمَدٌ

مِنَ الزَمانِ وَحَرٌّ بَعدَهُ قَرَسُ

The time of coolness ends, followed by a stretch

Of time, then heat, followed by winter

خُذ يا أَخا الحَربِ رَو ضَع لِأَمَةً وُضِنَت

فَما يُوَقّيكَ لا دِرعٌ وَلا تُرُسُ

Take, O brother of war, repose, and make for a nation a cradle

For neither coat of mail nor shield shall protect you

وَلَم يُبَل رَبُّ مِسحاةٍ يُقَلِّبُها

وَلا حَليفُ قَناةٍ رُمحُهُ وَرِسُ

Nor has the Lord ever favoured a ladle that turns it

Nor treaty of a spear its point and butt

قَد يُخطِئُ المَوتُ مُلقىً في تَنوفَتِهِ

وَيَهلِكُ المَرءُ في قَصرٍ لَهُ حَرَسُ

Death may miss one thrown in his death throes

And a man perish in a palace that guards him

وَما حَمى عَن صَليلِ السَيفِ هامَتَهُ

إِن باتَ يَصدَحُ في أَيديهِم الجَرَسُ

Nor did the zeal of his pride guard him against the slashing of swords

If he spent the night clashing his bells

مَدَّ النَهارُ حِبالَ الشَمسِ كافِلَةً

بِأَن سَيُقضَبُ مِن عَيشِ الفَتى مَرَسُ

The day has cast the ropes of the sun to set

So that the youth's life may be cut short

ظَنَّ الحَياةَ عَروساً خَلقُها حَسَنُ

وَإِنَّما هِيَ غولٌ خُلقُها شَرِسُ

Creation deemed life a bride, beautiful its making

But rather it is a ghoul, evil its temper

وَنَحنُ في غَيرِ شَيءٍ وَالبَقاءُ جَرى

مَجرى الرَدى وَنَظيرُ المَأتَمِ العُرُسُ

While we are nothing and destruction has taken

The course of loss and the likeness of mourning the wedding