جانب مُعاشرة المُلوك لِزينةٍ

فَلرُبَّ داهية هُناك كَمينةٍ

The company of kings is for adornment

Yet many a sly one lies in wait there

فَالناسُ في الدُنيا بكلّ سَكينةٍ

وَمَعاشر السُلطان شبهُ سفينَةٍ

People in the world live in tranquility

While company of the sultan is like a ship

في البَحر ترجفُ دائِماً مِن خَوفِهِ

لَو تَرتَجيه مَأمَناً مِن حيفها

In the sea it shudders constantly in fear

Were it to seek safety from its injustice

لَم تَرتَجف بشتائها وَبصيفها

لَكنّها اِضطربت لشدّة خَوفِها

It would not shudder in its winter or summer

But it shook from the intensity of its fear

أن أَدخَلَت مِن مائه في جَوفِها

يَغتالها مَع مائها في جَوفهِ

That it took in from its water into its hold

To ambush it along with its water in its hold