تَلومُ اِبنَةُ السَعدِيِّ في حَلِّ عُقدَةٍ
شَرَيتُ بِها وُدَّ العَشيرَةِ أَو مَجدا
The daughter of Al-Saadi blames me for being stingy
I bought the love and glory of the tribe with it
رَأَت جارَها رُدَّت عَلَيهِ حَديقَةٌ
مِنَ المالِ ماطَت نَجتَني رُطَباً رَغدا
She saw her neighbor had an orchard returned to him
With money that provided him ripe, plentiful dates
فَلَم تولِنا إِلّا مَحامِدَ صاحِبٍ
فَباتَت عَلى هَمٍّ وَأَبدَت لَنا وَجدا
It brought us nothing but the praises of a friend
She went to bed worried and showed us distress
فَقُلتُ لَها صَبراً بُنَيَّ فَإِنَّها
مَواريثُ لَم نَملِك لِأَعناقِها رَدّا
I said to her, “Patience, my daughter, they are
Inheritances we had no power to return
وَقَد شَفَّني أَلّا تَزالَ كَليفَةً
تُنَصِّبُني فيها فَأُصبِحُ مُكمَدّا
It consoled me that she would not remain suffering
Setting me tasks that made me buckled in the morning
دَعيني اِبنَةَ السَعدِيِّ إِنَّ خَليقَتي
أَتَت دونَ مالي فَاِنثَنى وَحدُهُ قَصدا
Leave me, daughter of Al-Saadi, my nature
Came without my money, so it alone turned aside intentionally
وَقَد يَرزُقُ اللَهُ اللَئيمَ وَرُبَّما
غَدا الماجِدُ المَحمودُ مِن مالِهِ فَردا
And perhaps God may grant the scoundrel wealth while
Tomorrow the glorious, praiseworthy one becomes destitute
وَما كُنتُ إِلّا كَالأَصَمِّ اِبنِ جَعفَرٍ
رَأى المالَ لا يَبقى فَأَبقى لَهُ حَمدا
I was nothing but deaf like Ibn Ja’far’s son
Who saw money does not last, so he left behind praise for himself
أَفيئي فَإِنّا لاحِقونَ فَإِنَّما
يُؤَخِّرُنا أَنّا يُعَدُّ لَنا عَدّا
Turn back, we will catch up, for He only
Delays us so He may prepare a reckoning for us
سَأُنفِقُ ما نالَت يَدي وَيَهُزُّني
لِبَذلِ النَدى ميراثُ مَن لَم يَكُن وَغدا
I will spend what my hands attained, and it shakes me
To be open-handed, the inheritance of one who was not there tomorrow
وَما المالُ إِلّا مِثلُ ظِلِّ سَحابَةٍ
غَدَت طَبقاً ثُمَّ اِنجَلَت قِطَعاً بُردا
Money is nothing but like the shadow of a cloud
That was layered, then disintegrated into pieces of hail
فَقُل لِلَّذي يُبقي لِمَن لَيسَ باقِياً
تُصيبُ وَلَم تُعقِب نَجاحاً وَلا رُشدا
Say to him who hoards for one who will not remain
You reap rewards but do not follow with guidance or integrity
تَمَتَّع مِنَ اللَذّاتِ وَاِستَبقِ مَنصِباً
فَإِنَّكَ لاقي القَومِ قَد جَفَلوا بَردا
Take pleasure in delights and pursue high office
For you will meet a people lying frozen
وَلا تَكُ كَالشاكي مَضائِضَ حاجَةٍ
غَبِيّاً فَلَمّا ماتَ قيلَ لَهُ بُعدا
Do not be like the complainer of trying needs
A fool, so when he died, it was said to him, “Away!”
