أيها الناس والخطاب إلى من
هو من حيث فضله إنسان
O people, my address is to whom
He is, by virtue of his merit, a human
هذه خطبة إلى غير شخص
نظمت نثر عقدها الآذان
This is a speech to no one in particular
I composed prose, strung together by ears
لم أخصص بها فلاناً فإني
في زمان ما في بنيه فلان
I did not specify it to so-and-so, for I
In an era where there is no so-and-so among its people
من يكن عنده مزية فهم
فليكن سامعاً فعندي لسان
Whoever has an advantage in understanding
Let him be a listener, for I have a tongue
لم يميز بين البرية إلا
حسنات يزينها الإنسان
It distinguished nothing in the wilderness except
Good deeds adorned by man
والخطايا مستورة بالعطايا
كم جميل به المساوي تصان
And sins are covered by grace
How beautiful is the equal who is preserved
لا يغرنكم زيادة حال
فالزيادات بعدها النقصان
Do not be fooled by the increase of the situation
For after increases comes decrease
وإذا الدوح لم يظل من الشم
س فلا أورقت له الأغصان
And when the sun did not shade from the sun
No branches bloomed for it
وأحق الأنام بالذم جيل
بين أبنائه الكريم يهان
And the most deserving people of blame are a generation
Among whose noble children insulted
طرق الجود غير ما نحن فيه
قد سمعنا الدعوى فأين البيان
The ways of generosity are not what we are in
We have heard the claim so where is the proof
أصبح الجود قصة عند قوم
مستحيل في حقها الإمكان
Generosity has become a legend among people
Impossible in its right possibility
وعدمنا بشراً يدل عليه
إنما النار حيث نم الدخان
And we were promised a human who indicates him
The fire is only where the smoke slept
كذبوني بواحد يهب الأل
ف وأنّى من السماع العيان
They lied to me about someone who gives money
Where is the hearing and seeing from listening
كم شبعتم ونحن في الحي غرثى
هل أمنتم أن ينفث الغرثان
How full you became while we were hungry in life
Did you think the greedy will deflate
وصدرتم ريا ونحن عطاش
فلماذا يترشح العطشان
And you sought water while we were thirsty
Why then does the thirsty drip
لا بشاشاتنا رضى فأفيقوا
رب راض وقلبه غضبان
No smiles satisfied us so wake up
The Lord is pleased and His heart wrathful
ذمنا للزمان ذم لمن في
ه وحق أن لا يذم الزمان
We blamed the times, blame is to whom
In it and it is true that time is not to be blamed
