طَلَبَ الخَسائِسَ وَاِرتَقى في مِنبَرٍ

يَصِفُ الحِسابَ لِأُمَّةٍ لِيَهولَها

He sought lowly goals and ascended the pulpit

To describe the reckoning to a nation, to horrify it

وَيَكونُ غَيرَ مُصَدِّقٍ بِقِيامَةٍ

أَمسى يُمَثِّلُ في النُفوسِ ذُهولَها

Yet he does not believe in any resurrection

By night, he portrays in souls their stupor

وَوَجَدتُ لَيلَ الغَيِّ أَلبَسَ مُردَها

وَشُيوخَها وَشَبابَها وَكُهولَها

And I found the night of confusion dressed its cloak

On its elders, youth, and adults

لَو قامَ أَمواتُ العَواصِمِ وَحدَها

مَلَأوا البِلادَ حَزونَها وَسُهولَها

If the dead of the metropolises alone arose

They would fill the lands, grieving and desolate

فَخُذِ الَّذي قالَ اللَبيبُ وَعِش بِهِ

وَدَعِ الغُواةَ كَذوبَها وَجَهولَها

So take what the wise one said and live by it

And leave the foolish their lies and ignorance