عَجِبتُ لِوَرقاءِ الجَناحَينِ شَأنُها

إِذا غَنِيَ الأَقوامُ بِالمالِ فَقرُها

I wonder at the bird with outstretched wings

When people prosper with wealth, it becomes poor

غَدَت أَمسِ في قُرِّيَّةٍ صَفَرِيَّةٍ

بَقِرِّيَّةٍ يوعى بِها الزادَ نَقرُها

Yesterday it was in a yellow, ramshackle village

Seeking provisions, pecking the ground

فَما أَخَذَت إِلّا ثَلاثاً وَنَحوَها

مِنَ الحُبِّ حَتّى جاءَ بِالحَتفِ صَقرُها

It barely took three or so grains

Of seed until its falcon came to kill it

وَما رَجَعَت يَوماً إِلى عُقرِ دارِها

وَكانَ بِكَفَّي ذَلِكَ السَهمِ عَقرُها

It never returned to its nest

And it was enough for that arrow to pierce it

أَرى أَدهَمَ الظَلماءِ يَعقُبُ شُقرَةً

فَتودي بِها دُهمُ الجِيادِ وَشُقرُها

I see a dark horse chasing a blond mare

And they race into the gloom until she tires

فَعَظِّم أَخا النَسكِ التَقِيَّ لِدينِهِ

وَنَفسَكَ فَاِحقَر نافِعٌ لَكَ حَقرُها

So respect, O brother, the pious ascetic of his faith

And scorn your own soul - its humbleness benefits you

وَلا تَقرَإِ الكُتُبَ المُضَلِّلَ دَرسُها

وَقَد وَضُحَت طُرقُ الهِدايَةِ فَاِقرُها

And do not study the books that misguide from their texts

For the paths of guidance have become clear - so follow them

فَيا مُهجَةً كَالعَودِ أَمسَت مُناخَةً

إِذا شَكَت الأَثقالَ ضوعِفَ وِقرُها

O one worn out like a branch, you became bent over

When heavy loads weakened its capacity

مَتى سَمِعَت أُذني مَقالَةَ ناصِحٍ

أُتيحَ لَها عَن قاتِلِ النُصحِ وَقرُها

Whenever my ear hears the advice of an adviser

It finds relief from the talk of the advice killer