أَلا قُل لِمُفتَخِرٍ بِالمَجوسِ

أَبوهُ عَلى زَعمِهِ المُؤبِذُ

O say to him who glories in the Magi,

His father is among those he despises.

شَحَذتَ غِراراً وَإِنّي إِخالُ

أَنَّ لِهاديكَ ما تَشحَذُ

You have sharpened hate, but I refuse

That a hater guides whomever he hates.

رَمَتكَ الوِلايَةُ في هُوَّةٍ

فَما لَكَ مِن قَعرِها مُنقِذُ

Power has cast you into a pit

With none to save you from its depth.

فَلو نَصَبوا جَهبَذاً ما اِرتَضى

بِما تَرتَضيهِ لَكَ الجَهبَذُ

If they made an ignoramus king, he would not

Accept what you find acceptable, ignoramus.

فَحُكمُكَ عِندَهُمُ ساقِطٌ

وَقَولُكَ مُطَّرَحٌ يُنبَذُ

Your rule to them has fallen,

Your word discarded and rejected.

وَكَيفَ تُطيعُكَ صيدُ المُلوكِ

وَأَمرُكَ في البابِ لا يَنفُذُ

How would the royal prey obey you

When your command finds no passage?

فَخَلِّ وَلا يَتَهُم وَاِجتَمِع

كَما جَمَعَت نَفسَها القُنفُذُ

So leave off, do not accuse, and gather yourself

As the hedgehog gathers itself.

وَدَعها اِختِياراً وَإِلّا فَأَن

تَ أَو هِيَ مِنكَ غَداً تُؤخَذُ

Leave it by choice, else you or it

Will be seized against the other tomorrow.