تُماطِلُ أَمراً دونَهُ أَبَعدُ النَوى

فَبادِر إِذا رُعتَ البَعيدَ وَناجِزِ

You defer an undertaking before which lies the utmost distance;

so hasten, if you aim at the distant goal, and contend.

أَرَدتَ إِلى أَرضِ الحِجازِ تَحَمُّلاً

فَعاقَتكَ عَنهُ عائِقاتُ الحَواجِزِ

You intended to set out for the land of the Hijaz,

but obstructing barriers held you back from it.

عَجَزتَ عَنِ الكَسبِ الَّذي يَجلُبُ الغِنى

وَما أَنتَ عَن كَسبِ الدَنايا بِعاجِزِ

You proved unable to earn what brings wealth,

yet you are by no means unable to earn what is base.

وَمَن لَم يَنَل في القولِ رُتبَةَ شاعِرٍ

تَقَنَّعَ في نَظمٍ بِرُتبَةِ راجِزِ

Whoever does not attain in speech the rank of poet

rests content, in his versecraft, with the rank of a rajaz composer.