لَعَمرُكَ ما في الأَرضِ كَهلٌ مُجَرِّبٌ

وَلا ناشِئٌ إِلّا لِإِثمٍ مُراهِقُ

By your life! on earth there lives no old man

With wisdom stored, no youth but to ill hath run.

إِذا بَضَّ بِالشَيءِ القَليلِ فَإِنَّهُ

لِسوءِ السَجايا بِالتَبجُّحِ فاهِقُ

If with some little thing he be puffed with pride,

He findeth in himself but evil to chide.

وَلَو كانَ مِن هَذي الشَواهِقِ سَيِّدٌ

ثَنَتهُ المَنايا وَهُوَ بِالنَفسِ شاهِقُ

And if a Lord of lofty-mindedness there be

Death humbleth him whileas in life high raised he see.

وَكَم مِن جَوادٍ فيهِمُ شَهِدَت لَهُ

نَواهِقُهُ وَالشاحِجاتُ النَواهِقُ

And many a steed amid their ranks thou hast espied

His riders laud, while he in the first rank will bide.