كَمْ وَكَمْ دولةٍ تبرمْتُ منها

ثم زالتْ كأنَّها لمْ تكنْها

How many a kingdom have I seen displease me,

Then pass away as though it had never been.

وإذا نعمةُ الظلومِ تداعتْ

لزوالٍ فاحذرْ منَ الذبِّ عنها

And when the blessings of the unjust flow away,

Beware of grabbing them, for they cannot last.