عاشوا كَما عاشَ آباءٌ لَهُم سَلَفوا

وَأَورَثوا الدِينَ تَقليداً كَما وَجَدوا

They lived as their forefathers lived before them

And inherited religion by blind imitation

فَما يُراعونَ ما قالوا وَما سَمِعوا

وَلا يُبالونَ مِن غِيٍّ لِمَن سَجَدوا

So they neither heed what is said nor what they hear

Nor care what befalls those they worship

وَالعُدمُ أَروَحُ مِمّا فيهِ عالَمُهُم

وَهُوَ التَكَلُّفُ إِن هَبّوا وَإِن هَجَدوا

Oblivion is better than their miserable existence

Which is but affectation, be it zeal or rage

لَم يَحمِ فارِسُ حَيٍّ مِن رَداً فَرَسٌ

وَلا أَجَدَّت فَأَجَدَّت عِرمِسٌ أَجُدُ

The steed of a living knight is no match

For a stubborn, unbroken colt

وَالحَظُّ يَسري فَيُغشى مَعشَراً حُسِبوا

مِنَ اللِئامِ وَتُقضى دونَهُ المُجُدُ

And ill luck befalls a tribe thought to be noble

While glory eludes them

وَما تَوَقّى سُيوفَ الهِندِ بيضُ طُلىً

بِأَن تُناطَ إِلى أَعناقِها النُجُدُ

Nor were the Indian swords made safe

By studding their scabbards with gems

قَد يَدأَبُ الرَجُلُ المَنجودُ مُجتَهِداً

في رِزقِ آخَرَ لَم يُلمِم بِهِ النَجَدُ

A wretched man may toil hard

Seeking sustenance he shall never obtain