أَبا خالِدٍ ما زِلتَ سَبّاحَ غَمرَةٍ

صَغيراً فَلَمّا شِبتَ خَيَّمتَ بِالشاطي

O Abu Khaled, you were once an avid swimmer in your youth,

But as you grew old, you settled by the shore.

وَكُنتَ جَواداً سابِقاً ثُمَّ لَم تَزَل

تُؤَخِّر حَتّى جِئتَ تَخطو مَعَ الخاطي

You were once a leading racehorse,

But then you started lagging, until you walked with the lame.

فَأَنتَ بِما تَزدادُ مِن طولِ رِفعَةٍ

وَتنقُصُ مِن جَدٍّ لِذاكَ بِإِفراطِ

The higher you rise in status,

And the less effort you make for it,

كَسِنَّورِ عَبدِاللَهِ بيعَ بِدِرهَمٍ

صَغيراً فَلمّا شَبَّ بيعَ بِقيراطِ

You become like Abdullah's cat, sold for a dirham when young,

But when grown up, sold for a mere carat.