ما كانَ في هَذِهِ الدُنيا بَنو زَمَنٍ

إِلّا وَعِندِيَ مِن أَخبارِهِم طَرَفُ

There were no people in this world, in any age

That I don't have some news about them

يُخَبِّرُ العَقلُ أَنَّ القَومَ ما كَرُموا

وَلا أَفادوا وَلا طابوا وَلا عَرَفوا

Reason informs that these people were not virtuous

Or beneficial, or good natured, or discerning

عاشوا قَليلاً وَما جوا في ضَلالَتِهِم

وَلا يَفوزونَ إِن جُوزوا بِما اِقتَرَفوا

They lived briefly, lost in their misguidance

And will not succeed, for their misdeeds

إِذا شَقيتَ فَجِسمٌ نالَهُ نَصَبٌ

وَإِن تُرِفتَ فَماذا يَنفَعُ التَرَفُ

If you suffer, your body bears the hardship

And if you live soft, what good is that luxury?

يا أُمَّ دَفرٍ لَحاكِ اللَهُ والِدَةً

مِنكِ الإِضاعَةُ وَالتَفريطُ وَالسَرفُ

Oh mother of Dafar, may God make you a mother

From you comes waste, negligence and indulgence

لَو أَنَّكَ العِرسُ أَوقَعتُ الطَلاقَ بِها

لَكِنَّكَ الأُمُّ هَل لي عَنكِ مُنصَرَفُ

If you were my bride, I'd divorce you

But you're my mother - can I turn away from you?

وَلَن يُصيبَ خُفاقاً مَن يُقايِضُهُ

يَوماً بِنُدبَةَ لَمّا فاتَها الشَرَفُ

And one who trades it for a day will not lose dignity

When honor has passed it by

قالَت رِجالٌ عُقولُ الشُهُبِ وافِرَةٌ

لَو صَحَّ ذَلِكَ قُلنا مَسَّها خَرَفُ

Men say mature minds abundant

If that were true, we'd say they're senile