ذَهَبَ الدَهرُ بِسِمطٍ وَبَرا
وَجَرى دَمعِيَ سَحّاً في الرِدا
Time has taken the youth and innocence away,
My tears flowed down my cheeks.
وَتَأَيَّيتُ لِيَومٍ لاحِقٍ
وَمَضى في المَوتِ إِخوانُ الصَفا
I prepared myself for the days yet to come,
While my brethren passed away into death.
فَفُؤادي كَجَناحَي طائِرٍ
مِن غَدٍ لا بُدَّ مِن مُرِّ القَضا
My heart is like the wings of a bird.
Tomorrow, I must face the bitterness of fate.
وَمِنَ القَومِ إِذا ناسَمتُهُم
مَلِكٌ في الأَخذِ عَبدٌ في العَطا
When I socialize with people,
The ruler is a master in taking, a slave in giving.
يَسأَلُ الناسَ وَلا يُعطيهُمُ
هَمُّهُ هاتِ وَلَم يَشعُر بِها
He asks people for favors yet grants them nothing.
His only concern is to take without realizing it.
وَأَخٍ ذي نيقَةٍ يَسأَلُني
عَن خَليطَيَّ وَلَيسا بِسَوا
A brother with a graceful disposition asked me
About my two companions, implying they're unequal.
قُلتُ خِنزيرٌ وَكَلبٌ حارِسٌ
ذاكَ كَالناسِ وَهَذا ذو نِدا
I said one is a pig, the other a watchful dog.
The first is like people, the second has a loud bark.
فَخُذِ الكَلبَ عَلى ما عِندَهُ
يُرعِبُ اللِصَّ وَيُقعي بِالفِنا
Take the dog for what he has to offer.
He scares away the thief and guards the ruins.
قَلَّ مَن طابَ لَهُ آباؤُهُ
وَعَلى أُمّاتِهِ حُسنُ الثَنا
Few are those whose fathers were virtuous
And whose mothers were praised.
اِدنُ مِنّي تَلقَني ذا مِرَّةٍ
ناصِحَ الجَيبِ كَريماً في الإِخا
Approach me, you will find me a true friend,
Generous when asked for advice.
ما أَراكَ الدَهرَ إِلّا شاخِصاً
دائِبَ الرِحلَةِ في غَيرِ غَنا
I see you journeying through life endlessly,
Without rest, entertainment or song.
فَدَعِ الدُنيا وَعِش في ظِلِّها
طَلَبُ الدُنيا مِنَ الداءِ العَيا
Leave this world and live in its shade.
Seeking worldly things brings nothing but harm.
رُبَّما جاءَ مُقيماً رِزقُهُ
وَسَعى ساعٍ وَأَخطا في الرَجا
Sometimes, provision comes without effort,
While the hard worker returns empty handed.
وَفَناءُ المَرءِ مِن آفاتِهِ
قَلَّ مَن يَسلَمُ مِن عِيِّ الفَنا
The demise of a person is caused by his own evil.
Few are those spared from the evil of demise.
وَأَرى الناسَ يَرَوني أَسَداً
فَيَقولونَ بِقَصدٍ وَهُدى
People see me as a lion.
They say so deliberately, guided by their wisdom.
فَاِرضَ بِالقِسمَةِ مِن قَسّامِها
يُعدِمُ المَرءُ وَيَغدو ذا ثَرا
Be content with the portions the Distributor gives you.
A person perishes then becomes nothing but dust.
أَيُّها العاني لِيُكفى رِزقَهُ
هانَ ما يَكفيكَ مِن طولِ العَنا
Oh you who suffers, be satisfied with your provision.
How little suffices you in your prolonged grief!
تَرجِعُ النَفسُ إِذا وَقَّرتَها
وَدَواءُ الهَمِّ مِن خَمرٍ وَما
The soul finds peace when you make it feel secure.
The cure for worries is wine and music.
وَالدَعيُّ اِبنُ خُلَيقٍ عَجَبٌ
حُرِمَ المِسواكَ إِلّا مِن وَرا
Begging suits the son of a shabby woman.
Brushing one's teeth is forbidden except after meals.
