ما فاحَ طيب شَذا صبا نَجد

إِلّا أَهاج بَلابل الوَجدِ

No scent of gentle breeze has spread in Najd,

Except to stir the nightingales' love-longing.

نَقَلت أَحاديث الَّذين رَعوا

ذمم العُهود وَحُرمة الودِّ

They tell of those who kept faith's covenant true,

And those who broke its sacred bonds of trust.

يا قَلب حَتماً تَذوب جَوىً

بِجَمال مَن أَذكى لَظى الصَدِّ

O heart, for one whose glances lit desire

You'll pine until consumed by passion's fire!

وَإِلامَ تَحفظ عَهد غادرة

خَفرت ظباها ذمّة العَهدِ

Why keep the vows of her who proves forsworn,

When even gazelles scorn all vows she's torn?

عِش واحِداً فَالناس حالهُم

حال الزَمان هُما عَلى حَدِّ

Be one alone! For people's state appears

As Time's - its aspects match in good and evil years.

سيّان في ضَنك وَفي سعةٍ

شبهان في عَكس وَفي طَردِ

Whether in straitness or felicity,

They're fellow-seemers in alternity.

فَدَع الأَنام وَلا تَكُن رَجُلاً

غِرّاً بِذات البَرق وَالرَعدِ

So shun mankind, and never be a man

Who glories in the lightning's flare and roar.

ما كُلّ سارِية بِماطرة

ما كُلّ زند واري الزندِ

Not every cloud brings rain, and not each arm

Wields flashing blade. Illusions bring us harm!

هَيهات كَم خَطب العُلى رَجل

فَنَبت بِهنّ عَواثر الجَدِّ

Alas, how often noble warriors' eyes

On glory feasted, but it mocked their dream...

وَلربَّ ذي نَظَر إِلى شَرَف

وَالمَجد يضحك مِنهُ عَن بُعدِ

While many a wise man spied ignoble shame,

As glory laughed at him from afar.