حَديثٌ عَلى العالِمينَ التَبَك

فَبكِّ عَلى الناسِ أَو لا تُبك

Lament for humankind, weep or refrain,

As they march unrestrained like birds in a snare.

وَهُم يَنتَزونَ وَلا يُحجَزونَ

كَأَنَّهُمُ الطَيرُ تَحتَ الشَبَك

No molded gold nor forged steel,

Immortalizes kings whose ashes time will bare.

وَما يُخلِدُ المَلِكَ الآدَميَّ

لا ما أَذابَ وَلا ما سَبَك

Can the knight evade his fate?

His coat of mail, however well knit, Death will tear.

وَهَل يَمنَعُ الفارِسَ المُستَمي

تَ ما خاطَ زَرّادُه أَو حَبَك

My God! Lord of all creation, Lord of life and decay!

I asked one learned about You, he stumbled in what to say.

وَإِن إِلهي إِنَّهُ السَما

ءِ رَبُّ الوُهودِ وَرَبُّ النَبك

Exalted beyond comprehension, Your greatness encompasses

The frail spider web, the mighty lion's lair.

سَأَلتُ المُحَدِّثَ عَن شَأنِهِ

فَما زالَ يَضعُفُ حَتّى اِرتَبَك

In Baalbek did Amr drink to excess?

He shunned his cup, was that wise or unfair?

وَعُلوَيُّ أَقدارِهِ جامِعٌ

هِزَبرَ العَرينِ وَعِلجَ الأَبَك

لَقَد بَعِلَ المَرءُ عَمرٌو بِها

فَصُدَّ عَنِ الكاسِ في بَعلَبَك