بِأَيِّ وَفِيٍّ في زمانِك تختصُّ

فيغلو غلُوّاً في يديكَ له رُخْصُ

With what and in what times are you specialized?

So it exceeds excessively in your hands, to which it has a license

وكم من عدوٍّ كامنٍ في مُصادِقٍ

وَمَوضِعِ أمْنٍ فيه يحترسُ اللِّصُّ

And how many latent enemies in an alleged friend

And a place of safety in which the thief takes precautions

وكم فرَس في الحسن أُكمِل خلقُهُ

فلمَّا عَدا في الشأوِ أدركهُ النقصُ

And how many horses perfected in beauty

Yet when competing in glory, deficiency overtook it

وكم منظرٍ في البُزْلِ قدّم في السرى

فلمَّا استَمَرَّ النصُّ أخّرَهُ النصُّ

And how many sights presented in morning are deferred

When the text continues, the text defers it

كذاكَ خليلُ المرءِ يدعو اختبارُهُ

إلى ما يكون الزهدُ فيه أوِ الحرصُ

So is the friend of a person, his trial calls

To what would be asceticism in it or greed

ولا خَيْرَ في خُلْقٍ يُذَمّ لجهله

وَيُحْمَدُ منه قبْلَ خِبرَتِهِ الشخصُ

And there is no good in a nature blamed for ignorance

And praised for its personality before experience

وما المالُ إلّا كالجَناحِ لِناهِضٍ

وقد يَعْتريهِ عن حوائجه القَصُّ

And money is only like wings for one rising

And deficiency may afflict it from its needs

وكم فاضلٍ ملبوسُهُ دونَ قَدْرِهِ

وِعَا الجوهرِ الأجسام لا الدرُّ والفصُّ

And how many virtuous people dressed below their worth

The essence distinguished bodies, not pearls and gems