وَما إِخوَةٌ شَتّى النِجارِ فَمِنهُمُ

نَبيهٌ وَمِنهُم خامِلٌ ما لَهُ ذِكرُ

Though the carpenter's sons be brothers twain

One is active, one inert, of no repute,

وَلا عَقلَ يَهديهِم وَلا دينَ عِندَهُم

وَحُكمهُمُ حُكمٌ وَأَمرهُم أَمرُ

No sense to guide them, no religion's rein,

Judgment they pass, commandments constitute.

عَتادُهُم نَحرُ الصَفايا لِقَومِهِم

إِذا السَنَةُ الشَهباءُ أَخلَفَها القَطرُ

Their wont it is to slaughter lambs in view

Of all the clan when drought gives way to rain—

إِذا ما اِنتَدى الساداتُ يَوماً لِحُكمِهِم

تَباشَرَتِ الأَيتامُ وَاِندَفَعَ العُسرُ

When once the chieftains set themselves to sue

Law's course, the days of dearth will wane:

وَمِن عجبٍ أَن لَيسَ يَنفذُ حُكمُهُم

عَلى أَحَدٍ إِلّا إِذا ضَمَّهُم قَبرُ

'Tis passing strange that none their behest obeys

Save him death wraps in mouldering shroud:

وَأَعجَبُ مِنهُ أَنَّنا بِفِعالِهِ

نُعابُ وَقِدماً كانَ في فِعلِهِ فَخرُ

Stranger than this that we their acts should praise

Who of yore in such acts were proud!