لَعَمرُكَ ما بي نُجعَةٌ فَأَرومَها

وَإِنّي عَلى طولِ الزَمانِ لَمُجدِبُ

By your life, I have no intention to compose poetry,

Though I have long been resourceful.

حَمَلتُ عَلى الأُلى الحَمامَ فَلَم أَقُل

يُغَنّي وَلَكِن قُلتُ يَبكي وَيَندُبُ

I carried the pigeons on my shoulders, yet said nothing

To cheer myself; rather I said they weep and lament.

وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ الحادِثاتِ كَثيرَةٌ

وَغالِبُهُنَّ الفَظُّ لا المُتَحَدِّبُ

That is because calamities are many,

And most often cruel, not gentle.

وَكُلٌّ أَديبٍ أَي سَيُدعى إِلى الرَدى

مِنَ الأَدبِ لا أَنَّ الفَتى مُتَأَدِّبُ

Every man of letters, alas, will be led to destruction

By his literary skill, not that the youth is well-mannered.