هدمَ السّدَّ وهْوَ ما هوَ فارُ
كيْفَ شيْخٌ مُكايِدٌ غَدّارُ
He destroyed the dam, though it was not damaged
How can a deceitful old man become treacherous?
إنّما المُلْكُ ناقَةٌ وهوَ والْ
لهِ إذا لم يتُعاجِلوهُ قُدارُ
The kingdom is just a she-camel, and he is her calf
If they do not hurry, destiny will catch up with him
مِرْجَلٌ فوقَ قِدْرَةِ الغَدْرِ يغْلي
أُضْرِمَتْ تحْتَهُ منَ الشّرِّ نارُ
A cooking pot boiling over with betrayal
A fire fueled by evil burns underneath it
ظاهرُ الشُّؤمِ في جَميعِ المَناحي
خبَرٌ لمْ يغُضَّ منْهُ اخْتبارُ
Misfortune appears everywhere
News that scrutiny cannot diminish
ورَسولُ النّحوسِ تنْكَمِشُ الأوْ
جُهُ منْ فالِهِ ويُخْشى البَوارُ
The messenger of misfortune bows his head
Fearing his misfortune and dreading calamity
لوْ سَما للبُدورِ حالَ كَمالٍ
نالَها الخَسْفُ عاجِلاً والسِّرارُ
If only good fortune reached the houses
They would be quickly engulfed and concealed
أو أتى للبِحارِ يجْلُبُ ماءً
يبِسَتْ كلّما أتاها البِحارُ
Or if the seas came to bring water
They would dry up whenever the seas arrived
لا تهُلْكَ الثّيابُ إنْ كان فيها
إنّما في الثّيابِ لوْمٌ وعارُ
It is not clothes that are ruined if they are worn
It is the blame and shame in the clothes
إنْ سرى في رسالةٍ قُرِنَتْ بالن
نَحْسِ منها الأعْمالُ والأسْفارُ
If a letter tied to misfortune travels
Deeds and journeys will be cursed by it
جاءَ فيها الأميرَ يومَ طريفٍ
فاسْتَباحَتْ حريمَهُ الكُفّارُ
It came on an auspicious day to the prince
So the infidels violated his harem
ثمّ في القَيْرَوانِ عادَ فكا
نَ الشّؤمُ مُستَصْحِباً له والفِرارُ
Then in Kairouan he returned
And misfortune accompanied him, forcing him to flee
ولقَدْ ضاقَتِ الأمورُ على الموْ
لَى وخابَتْ برُنْدَة الأوْطارُ
Matters grew too tight for the ruler
The good fortune of his dynasty failed
وتولّى عنْها فكانَ له الفتْ
حُ وطارَتْ في إثْرِهِ الأخْبارُ
He abandoned it, so he was granted victory
And news of it flew after him
وجَلالِ الإلاهِ لوْ كانَ فيها
حاضِراً ما زَهَتْ بخَيْرٍ دارُ
By the majesty of God! If he had stayed
No house would have prospered with good
حكَمَ اللهُ أنّهُ يابِسُ السّا
قِ كَذا الحُكْمُ ليسَ فيهِ اخْتِيارُ
God has decreed that the rain clouds are dry
Such is the decree, it cannot be chosen
