بذلتُ في حبِّ "دنيا" المالَ والولَدا

فكان أنْ شيّبتْ ذؤابَتي ولَدا

I spent my wealth and children for the love of "Dunya"

Until my cheeks turned white with age like a newborn foal

أطعتُها وهوىً في دارها وُلِدا

وما خلا نفسَها فلم تطِعْ أحَدا

I obeyed her passionately in her abode when I was young

But she herself never obeyed anyone

وهبتُها الصّعبَ وانتظرتُها أمدا

فجَاوزَتْني لمَنْ لم يُعطِها أبدا

I endured hardship for her and waited for her long

But she ignored me for one who never gave her anything

ما طِقْتُ في أمرِها ندًّا ولا عضُدا

فكانَ غيري الّذي بحُسنِها انفرَدا

I could not compete with her in stubbornness or help

So it was another who enjoyed her beauty exclusively

حتّى إذا ما استفاقَ العُمْرُ مُرتعِدا

من سكرةٍ خمرُها الصِّبا وقدْ نفِدا

Until when life trembled awake frightened

From the intoxication of youth which was now gone

قالَ تهاونْتَ بي ما كنتَ مُقتصِدا

إذْ سُقْتَ ليْ في هواها المرَّ مُجْتهِدا

It said: You were not frugal in spending me

When you ardently pursued her bitter love

حتى تدَنَّى دنيُّ الأصْلِ مُنتقِدا

أخصُّ منْ نالهاوفرَّ مُبتعِدا

Until the lowly origins criticized me

More special than the one who attained her and traveled far

إنّي لمُسقيكَ من خمْري فكُنْ جَلَدا

أرذِلْ بهِ إذْ به تُمسِي كمن فُقِدا

I made you drink from my wine so be steadfast

Degrade yourself with it though you seem to be lost

فاصبرْ على مُرِّهِ ولا تقُلْ فسدا

ما مرّ مثلُ الّذيْ أسقَيْتني أوَدا

So be patient with its bitterness and do not say "it's ruined"

No bitterness is like what I made you drink at the streams

فإن أفقتُ فما أفاقَ من هرمٍ

مُسْقيكَ إيّاه غيرُ ميّتٍ لُحِدا

But if I wake up none ever woke from old age

After drinking it except the dead buried in their graves